Grade 8 Explores Migration Stories and Welcomes Lisbon Project Founder

To conclude our Grade 8 Social Studies unit on immigration, students had the special opportunity to hear immigration stories from their friends’ parents and family members, as well as welcome Gabriela Faria, Founder and CEO of the Lisbon Project. These presentations discussed a variety of reasons families have moved around the world, and really highlighted the diversity of our student body as well as how one person’s passion can make a lasting difference in the lives of others. 

Ms. Faria shared her inspiring journey of creating a community non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and empowering immigrants and refugees in Lisbon and across Portugal. Her talk offered students a powerful real-world connection to the themes they explored in class—migration, identity, and belonging—and sparked meaningful discussions about empathy, inclusion, and global citizenship.   

Additionally, some grade 8 students in Mr. Case’s Creative Writing Elective wrote about the Lisbon Project presentation as part of their class.  Please find two of the articles attached.

 "I have influence” is a powerful quote Gabriela Faria shared with the grade 8 students on Monday that perfectly captures her proactive and empowering approach to helping the community. It encapsulates the core message she often shares: that every individual, regardless of their background or specific profession, possesses the capacity to mobilize resources, connect people, and create meaningful change within their own sphere of influence.  She explained how witnessing poverty and learning refugees' stories inspired her to found the non-profit organization in 2017. Her willingness to leverage her personal influence to build a supportive community for migrants and refugees in Portugal, is the very foundation of The Lisbon Project and her inspirational message.

By Valeria

Gabriela Faria, CEO of the Lisbon Project came to CAISL November 3 with the goal to inform the 8th graders about the refugees and immigrants in Portugal. The Lisbon Project is an establishment that empowers immigrants and refugees to grow healthily in society. But how do they do this? With the help of many partners, including CAISL, the Lisbon Project offers many services, including Portuguese lessons, cooking classes, and having fun activities for the children. The Lisbon Project has a bigger focus on the social aspect of adapting to a new environment, providing time where people from all over the world can bond, and having a friendly community of their own. CAISL has been a loyal partner to the Lisbon Project for more than five years and continues to help the Lisbon Project in many ways.

Faria was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. She came to Portugal for a safer life for her and her family. At a young age she discovered her passion for making a difference. When she was 14 years old she was invited to go with her dad to a trip to Guinea-Bissau, where she looked poverty straight in the eye. Her hometown, Cascais, was always very privileged. When she went to Guinea-Bissau, she saw children with barely enough resources to survive and it struck a chord. She came back to Portugal, where she had access to everything, and kids her age would complain about school. After that trip she was left with the question, why was there so much inequality in the world? She knew she wanted to help these people. She volunteered to create this community where immigrants can feel welcomed, and talk about their feelings.  Her project became the Lisbon Project.

Faria has helped many people with the Lisbon Project. A great deal of the refugees and immigrants she assisted have touching stories. An outstanding example is a Ghanian family whose three-year-old daughter had bow legs. The daughter had an osteotomy (a surgery to cure the bow legs) in Ghana. The procedure consists of cutting and reshaping the bone. The young girl learned how to walk again but even after her battle, it still wasn’t over. After her recovery, she still had bow legs. The family decided to drop everything and move to Portugal for better healthcare. The girl finally was able to have a successful surgery. However, the family spent lots of money to come to Portugal and obtain the surgery, and with no job everything became a small struggle. With the help of the Lisbon Project, Faria lent a helping hand to all the immigrants and refugees in the Lisbon Project.

By Cecilia, Luísa, Lorena