WE encounter people from all walks of life during our journeys. Some you remember and some you don’t. The people who impress me most are the ones who add value. It does not matter what your bank account reflects, status or titles. What it truly means is the difference we make with the time allotted on earth. I met Bibi Alli a few years ago, but recently got a chance to understand her mission and I am very impressed. I did mention her in previous columns when she was on the panel at the event in Harlem recently and while I was chilling in Florida. She overcame so many challenges and is now leading a life she loves, while fulfilling her purpose. She is as real as it gets and she makes me burst out laughing many times while chatting with her in her backyard in Pembroke Pines, Florida. I did learn a few valuable lessons from her and had a better understanding of the power of the soil.

“My book, ‘The Power of the Soil,’ illustrates my life’s journey. The soil has played a very significant role in my life, from planting seeds as a child to now planting plants to give to families with my organisation Culture of Blessing/ Fundación Cultura Bendiciones. There are power and victory in the soil,” she said
She compares the seasons of her life to that of a seed being planted, to now being a fruit that makes a difference in the lives of others. These are my stages of growth and development.
Bibi Alli’s story illustrates her life as a survivor and a hustler. She came out of a lifestyle of abject poverty, which had shown no indication of any possibility whatsoever of anyone in her family ever seeing a positive outcome in the future. Her determination and fortitude to survive such an existence prompted her to plant some vegetable seeds and become a street vendor. Selling her vegetables and fish on the streets of Windsor Forest and Ogle, Guyana, would eventually lead her out of the quagmire of an extremely disastrous quality of life. Luck would eventually guide her to a brighter future in Venezuela. Years later, she migrated to the United States to a very successful way of life and career as a hairdresser and an aspiring real estate agent.

The Power of the Soil has come full circle in her life. As the founder of the Culture of Blessing/Fundación Cultura Bendiciones foundation, her goal is to give back to the communities in Guyana and Venezuela. Through this foundation, she teaches families about the power of planting and feeding their families. She is currently working with several communities and schools where she provides them with plants and food.
Her hope and desire are to empower as many women and families through her book, The Power of the Soil and her foundation, to let them know that nothing is impossible, despite what they have suffered in their respective lives. She has plans to come back to her home country as part of her mission and will be collaborating with my foundation. I will recommend you purchase a copy of her book on Amazon. Her email is bibiali0101@gmail.com

“ I have learned that God has a plan for us and directs our paths. I believe that nothing is impossible, and I would like them to discover who they are and the hard work it takes towards their dreams. It may be a journey, but be determined and trust in God. Your seeds of greatness will bear fruit,” Bibi Alli encourages.

This is a testimony that we have to develop, no matter what attitude, as we celebrate this journey we call life BEYOND THE RUNWAY.