Davis Akumpurira of Uganda was a participant in the World Youth Festival held in Russia in March, where he had the opportunity to talk and take a photo with the Russian leader.
In March, Akumpurira asked Putin a question during the leader's meeting with festival participants, confessing that he wanted to become "Putin's son from Africa" and see the Russian president as his mentor. Putin responded by jokingly calling Akumpurira his son.
The youth said at a World Youth Festival board meeting with the first deputy of the Russian presidential administration that the incident changed his life in Uganda because it brought him a lot of media attention and improved his "political career".
He added that he hoped "many more good things will happen" in his life in the future.
The presidential administration official, in turn, said that Putin regularly asks how "his African son" is doing.