In the month in which we celebrate International Youth Day, we present: Maria Pongue, an outstanding young Angolan whose journey from Angola to Brazil is a testament to resilience and leadership.
Arriving in Brazil in 2013 to study, Maria faced significant challenges of adaptation and racism. Her experience was shaped by culture shock and the reality of being the only black person in her class in southern Brazil, a region with a high concentration of European descendants. Obstacles included facing everyday racism and challenges related to her accent. However, Maria found strength and purpose by getting involved with the Junior Chamber International (JCI), a global NGO that promotes youth leadership and partners with several UN institutions. Maria quickly rose through the ranks of JCI, from volunteer to president in 2020, using the platform to positively impact the community through projects focused on social entrepreneurship, environmental education, and gender equality. Maria recently taught a training on “Communication for Development, Leadership and Conflict Management” promoted by PASCAL – a project funded by the European Union, empowering members of civil society organizations in the five provinces where the project operates with practical and theoretical skills. Just like Maria Pongue, be the change you want to see in your community!