Josine is a resilient young woman who grew up in an abusive and conflicting household. Her childhood was marked by struggles and sadness. She never had family love. Josine was often a victim of family denial and verbal abuse which led to her attempting suicide several times at the age of 14. She found herself moving in and out of orphanages.
She started a street life as a teenager because of family conflicts. Her tough experiences became a powerful lesson on how she could help others as she understood firsthand the isolation, the self-doubt and the struggle to find love and acceptance when it’s missing at home.
She decided to build meaning from her suffering, and used her challenges to create change for others like her. After receiving professional assistance, she extended her support to street children, single and teenage mothers, women from sexual minority groups, GBV and IPV survivors, sex workers and other communities who have been marginalized by society.
Upon completing her university education, she began her journey in humanitarianism, seeking to support marginalized women with experiences similar to her own. Following participation in human rights spaces at various national and international conferences, training and meetings, she discovered her strengths and the impact her powerful voice can have.
“You can decide who you want to become and who you are, not what people want you to be, with big dreams, courage and purpose”
As a result, she founded the Blossom Bridge Initiative, to create the support system she wished she’d had, where women in all their diversity can be reminded that they are valuable, capable, and that their past can help them to become truly strong within themselves. Aiming not only to inspire and bring attention to the stories and lived realities of young women and girls, but also motivate them to be aware of how their mental health limits their personal development, to overcome this obstacle, to be able to learn a trade and generate income.
Josine currently serves as the executive director of the Blossom Bridge Initiative. With expertise in entrepreneurship, feminist leadership, youth development, gender and public health education, she passionately advocates for equality and inclusion for marginalized women. Her ultimate goal is to create a world where women’s voices are not only acknowledged but also economically empowered and their rights respected.