The Founder and Director of Terre d’Espoir, was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Although she spent most of her life outside her native country, she has an unbreakable bond and undeniable passion for her country and the continent of Africa as a whole. 

 

During her life-journey, Nancy has developed an unyielding compassion for prisoners. Inspired by a conviction of heart and the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 25:36, “I was in prison and you visited me”, she joined the Prison Ministry of her local church and has visited prisons across the United Kingdom to share Jesus Christ’s message of hope. This provided the privilege of witnessing the incredible need for spiritual, emotional and physical restoration of many men and women in the prison system.

 

Prior to joining this Prison Ministry team, Nancy worked in the only maximum-security female prison in the UK.  This opportunity not only provided daily encounters with prisoners but also brought to life the painful and tragic experiences families go through as a result of a loved one being incarcerated. She witnessed first-hand the negative impact on families due to stigmatisation and societal rejection linked to incarceration.

 

Nancy graduated from the University of London with a Bachelor’s Degree in Law. Having also studied criminology, part of her studies included identifying and analysing the root causes of crime, its social impact and evolution. She also analysed the retributive and rehabilitative forms of punishment, correction and their institutional frameworks. The combination of this practical and academic experience influenced Nancy to act on her conviction and adopt the rehabilitative form of correction found in Terre d’Espoir.