From Zambia to Lisbon: Glory’s Journey of Resilience, Flow, and Finding Home

ana
3 days ago
3 min read

Written by Teddy Florea for the Lisbon Project

“Be like water,” Glory says.

His eyes reflect years of movement, change, and quiet strength. As the youngest of four in a Zambian family, Glory learned early how to observe before speaking, how to adapt before demanding, and how to grow even in the quiet.

Today, he leads the Youth Explore program at the Lisbon Project, inspiring teenagers from immigrant backgrounds to connect, laugh, and dream despite the turbulence of displacement.But his path to this moment has been anything but easy.

A Childhood of Flow and Friendship

Born in Zambia, Glory remembers his earliest years as pure flow running through the neighborhood, sharing meals with friends, sleeping over for weeks at a time. These childhood friendships shaped his sense of belonging and identity.

His family moved when he was five years old to Kitwe – Chachacha, in the Copperbelt region. There, his world expanded through encounters with people from different walks of life - moments that formed the empathetic, grounded young man he is today.

“You don’t build connections. They find you,” he says.

From Student to Survivor: Fleeing a War No One Expected

After finishing high school, Glory left Zambia in 2020 to pursue higher education in Ukraine. He moved to the city of Poltava to study as a young student far from home, focused simply on building a future. Then the war began.

Russia’s invasion in February 2022 forced him and thousands of international students to flee overnight. What should have been a peaceful academic journey turned into survival.

He describes the chaos vividly:

sleeping inside metro stations for safety
packed crowds rushing toward ATMs and supermarkets
taxis overcharging desperate civilians
sleeping outdoors at the Polish border
witnessing blatant racial discrimination, where Ukrainian pets were allowed through while African students were held back

He remembers soldiers shouting “Nazad! Nazad!” — a Polish word meaning “Get back! Go back!” The word stayed with him, echoing in nightmares long after.

Despite hardship, Glory kept moving: Ukraine → Hungary → Germany → Belgium (where he discovered he had family he’d never met) → The Netherlands, where he finally found stability. He rebuilt his life there until government policy changes forced yet another relocation.

Arrival in Portugal: Paperwork, Portuguese & Persistence

In 2024, Glory arrived in Portugal through a legal Manifestação de Interesse to work as an electrician. But like many migrants, he encountered unexpected challenges: housing insecurity, navigating documentation, and the language barrier.

“To get a health number, you have to sleep outside the office the night before… it was something completely new to me.”

Though these challenges led to moments of depression, he never stopped pushing forward. He reached out, asked questions, sought community — and one day, while walking through the neighborhood, he found the Lisbon Project.

Finding Home Away From Home

“I saw the name ‘Lisbon Project,’ and the door was open,” he recalls. “I walked in. The woman at the desk smiled, gave me a barcode to scan, and welcomed me in.”

That moment changed everything. He began attending Family Fridays, community dinners, and workshops while slowly rebuilding a sense of belonging.

“No one judged you. No one looked at you like you didn’t belong. It became my sanctuary.”

He gives heartfelt shoutouts to: Margarida and Julie (Employability), Shaz (Welcome Team), Henny (Youth Explore), and Jodeé (Director of Operations).

These people helped turn Lisbon into a home.

Stepping Up: Leading Youth Explore

What began as weekend volunteering turned into a calling. When the previous coordinator left, Glory was invited to take on the leadership role.

Youth Explore supports 43 immigrant teenagers, offering playful, healing, and empowering experiences:

graffiti workshops
AI learning sessions
trips to water parks
creative activities that build confidence and connection

What he loves most?

“When I see them having fun — real fun — it brings joy to my heart. I want to be the person I wish I had when I was a teenager.”

And what have they taught him?

“To find happiness in the smallest things.”

Dreams of Home & Giving Back

After five years of constant movement across countries, Glory dreams of one thing:

“A stable place. A base. A home.”

And beyond that, he hopes to one day create scholarships for hard‑working students in Zambia, opening doors for others the way doors were opened for him.

His message to the world:

“Be kind. Be resilient. Be yourself. Don’t make permanent decisions during temporary storms. And don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone: that’s where you become who you’re meant to be.”