Korto Momolu's Journey from Liberian Civil War to Fashion Design Success

Early Aspirations and Family Values

• 🎨 Korto's childhood dream of being an artist was met with silence and rejection by her father, who believed art was not a viable career.
• 📚 Her father, the eldest of 16 children, received an education through family sacrifice and rose to a high position in the Liberian government.

War, Displacement, and Resilience

• 🇨🇦 Due to a teachers' strike in Liberia, Korto and her sister were sent to a boarding school in Canada.
• ⚠️ The outbreak of the Liberian Civil War threatened her family's lives, leading to a harrowing escape for her parents, who eventually reunited with their daughters in Canada.
• 💔 As refugees, the family faced significant financial hardship and the emotional toll of the ongoing conflict.

Pursuing a Dream Against Odds

• 🏫 Despite being accepted into a top fashion school, her parents, as refugees, could not afford the tuition.
• 🙏 A stranger from her church, who worked in the fashion industry, generously offered to pay for Korto's entire fashion design education.

Fashion Success and Inspiration

• 🎓 Korto excelled in school, graduating top three in her class, and later competed on Project Runway, where she finished second.
• 🌍 Her success inspired girls from war-torn countries like Rwanda, Somalia, and Liberia to pursue their own artistic and fashion dreams.
• 💖 She mentored a young woman with a similar background, who eventually launched her own business and showcased her designs at fashion week.

The Power of Kindness

• ✨ Korto's story highlights the ripple effect of random acts of kindness, from her father's mentor to the woman who funded her education.
• 🚀 These acts enabled her to live her dream out loud, demonstrating the profound impact of compassion on individual lives and beyond.