Francisca Sequeira
We had a chat with the spirited Francisca, a power woman that fights for gender equity. We’ve partnered with her SOMA project already when Vanilla Sand was as the very beginning. Now we’re proud to present her as our first #vanillasandjournals entry and are excited to share with you a little bit of who she is.
“Age, nickname & favourite beach in our beautiful world.”
29, Francisca, nickname Chica, and from all those years on our planet I can honestly tell you, Jalé Beach in São Tomé Island is my favourite.
“Can you please share 2-3 sentences of who you are?”
An adventurous and curious Portuguese girl. I thrive on challenge and finding ways to live a meaningful life. Blessed by the opportunity to come to this magical world, I want to make sure to leave traces, making it easier for others to live the same magic
I do every single day!
“SOMA” is a bold statement of my own!
“What is your passion in life? What do you do for a living?”
My passion is literally what I do for a living. SOMA, an empowering surf project for African girls that fight for gender equity. “SOMA” is a bold statement of my own!
“Sunset or Sunrise person?”
The feeling of a sunrise, the visual of a sunset.
“How do you live, share, spread sustainability & community?”
Through surfing together with the girls, we develop a strong connection to the ocean. Community for us also means beach clean-ups, workshops and cinema sessions.
We inspire them to start seeing the ocean as a supplier of peace and well-being. I am sure we will see a behavioural change and an elevated care for our ocean’s pristine life. This show’s us all a more direct understanding of sustainability.
“How did you first hear of Vanilla Sand?”
When I started SOMA, the girls were surfing in short jeans and uncomfortable tops. I used Instagram as a tool to search for potential partners, fully sustainable and eco-friendly. I bumped into Vanilla Sand and absolutely loved it from the beginning.
Once I spoke to Corinna, founder of the brand, and shared the girls’ reality over here, she immediately jumped on board and provided us with swimwear for our surf sessions. This put a huge smile on the girls’ faces!
“Your favourite Vanilla Sand piece?”
Very difficult question. But if I would have to choose, the Bralette Top and Sporty Bottom in Shell would be it. (see picture above)
They are all very comfortable, especially their soft texture. You could never tell that they were done by recycled ocean plastic. Incredible!
THANK YOU FRANCISCA!
Instagram @somasurf_saotome
Photos by Rachel Laidler