November 30, 2021
By Ann Brown for A Vontade
Nereida Lobo seems to love adventures. But not your typical adventures such as jumping out of planes or scaling Mount Everest. Lobo’s adventures involve traveling all over Africa and helping children through her Little Crowns non-profit organization.
Keeping her favorite Nelson Mandela quote in mind — “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world” — Lobo hopes to open the doors of education to children in need on the continent.
Lobo founded the non-profit organization Little Crowns with the mission of providing educational materials to children in underprivileged communities. In 2017 they were able to reach 368 children with school supplies and 170 in 2018.
Born in Cabo Verde, Lobo moved to the United States at the age of 11. “I was born on [the island of] Brava,” says Lobo who recalled the struggles her family faced to provide school materials. “I had to share my notebook with my sister,” says Lobo, who was inspired by her own experiences to start Little Crowns.
Lobo went on to graduate with a Bachelor’s in Counselling Psychology from Washington Adventist University.
Longing to be back in Cabo Verde and to help Caboverdeans, Lobo returned home in 2019. “I decided to move back to explore and better understand the needs of my fellow Cape Verdeans,” she said.
Then in 2021, she came back to the U.S. but still finds herself “going back and forth between her two countries.”
Along her journey, Lobo has taken on several adventures.
“In 2016, I was crowned Miss Africa USA, and I represented the continent in the U.S.,” she explains. “I used that platform to bring awareness to my organization, and I could raise more funds and school supplies.”
For Lobo, being a beauty queen was an opportunity to help others. “It was an amazing experience, a life-changing experience,” she shares. “When I was Miss Africa USA, I had to carry the continent, and I wanted to expose the plight of children in Africa.”
This year, Lobo had a mission to donate the school supplies to kids that included 626 backpacks and 503 subject books in the Cabo Verde islands of Fogo and Santiago.
Besides school supplies, Little Crowns also doles out toys to children. “In 2018, we were able to send three barrels of toys to be distributed at Christmas time,” says Lobo.
Her efforts have grabbed the attention of others. “In 2018, I was recognized as one of the Most Influential People of African Decent (MIPAD).” MIPAD identifies high achievers of African descent in public and private sectors from all around the world.
Lobo, who recently took Little Crowns to Ghana and Ethiopia, has also worked with the Deputy Prime Minister Olavo Correia of Cabo Verde. Lobo juggles several jobs, including being a travel consultant, a marketing director, and working with several companies as a brand ambassador. She also has her own investment consultancy business, focusing on the real estate sector.
“I get to work with investors interested in Cape Verde. It can sometimes be complicated, and I help streamline the process,” says Lobo. “This is another way I get to promote the country.”
Nereida Lobo is a genuine brand ambassador for Cabo Verde — helping improve the lives of children while spreading the word about the beauty, passion, and possibilities of this tiny West African nation.
