In 1985, due to war, my family decided we needed to leave Mozambique for our safety. Myself, my parents, and my three siblings hiked two days across the mountain to find refuge in Blantyre, Malawi. We resided in the small village for five years before moving to a refugee camp in Zambia, where we lived for another several years. We were granted asylum, and I, my parents, and now four siblings moved to the United States in 1992.

I have been living my life giving back to my community in Portland, Oregon in many ways, but I felt called to give back to the three countries where I came from. In her words:

“All these three countries gave me hope and life, and now it’s time to go back and give others hope and dreams. Education is what I would love to give back to Mozambique, Malawi, and Zambia.”

The Firmina Foundation was created as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded on the belief that empowerment begins with education.

The Firmina Foundation is dedicated to transforming the lives of children living in the developing world. Our mission is to support giving children from the poorest communities access to quality education, so that they have an opportunity to learn and can work towards a brighter future.