Hello I am Linda. People describe me as extroverted with lots of empathy, self-confident with a big heart for people. I am the eldest daughter of a family of four daughters (my sisters are my greatest gifts).

I was born in Burundi and grew up there until I was ten years old. Because of the genocide war, I fled to Belgium in 1999 where I grew up in Flanders.

From an early age, I knew I wanted to do the kind of work that would make a difference in people's lives. When life is tough, you sometimes ask yourself, "Why me?" Everything seems to go naturally for others, but you get stuck. I know that feeling all too well!

After surviving my traumatic first year of life and the first years of the war, I became very ill in Belgium.
The first year in Belgium I had to learn the language and soon I was fluent (this has been my salvation). Fortunately, I dare to speak.

My mother fled to Belgium at the age of 24 with children. Not long after, an order was given to leave the country by the Belgian state. As a result, we were placed in foster homes and juvenile institutions by special youth services. My mother suddenly became childless and powerless against the system.

For three years I had difficulty getting out of bed and could not focus on school. For three years I indicated everywhere that there was something serious going on with me (educators, school, home, psychologist, family doctor), but no one believed me or wanted to unde