Being regularly kissed by older men during my early childhood while I was under the age of 10 is not exactly what I would call a normal start in life. For many years trauma was my breakfast, lunch, dessert, my dinner, and repeat. Adopted at the age of ten, I was separated from my parents and moved to France, where I was forbidden from telling anyone about my real parents and I was instructed that I must say that my cousins who had been adopted with me are my real sisters. It was a full adoption and my birth certificate was changed. It was a tough reality for a child. This forced suppression of my identity left me traumatised. I couldn't tell my biological parents back in Africa how unhappy I was as the letters we sent them were read and checked by my adoptive mother and my two cousins who had become her ally and supported her rules. I prayed so many times that I would escape that household and live the glorious life I live now. I felt like my happy childhood had been stolen and I was trapped in a nightmare; however, it was all real. I started running away from home.

In France, I started telling everyone at school the truth, that my real parents were in Africa and my so-called sisters were my cousins. My adoptive mother labelled me as rebellious. When I started running away from home, my path veered towards dangerous territory as I became involved with gang members in my neighbourhood. When we used to go to social services in France, I felt trapped and unable to communicate my feelings honestly because my adoptive mother would constantly tell me that I am the one who has issues and I should accept that.

I experienced significant sexual abuse at the hands of the gang members in my neighbourhood. I just wanted a boyfriend but I was going to find out their mentality and what happens in their world. There was a day they tricked me into finding myself in the cave of a building where many of them were and they thought I was that kind of girl and coerced me into engaging in sexual acts with a large number of them. Despite my attempts to make it clear that I wasn't that type of person, they disregarded my words and locked the basement’s door refusing to let me go. They told me that if I had done something with one of their friends, whom I had genuine feelings for and I thought wanted me as his girlfriend, then I have to do things with them too. We were in that basement for a minimum of one hour, some left, some stayed. Despite my explicit refusals, they continued to intimidate me and refuse to let me leave until I complied with their demands. They even called their other friends outside, spreading the word of a "mini party" where a girl would fulfil their desires. In the end I did it and only then they let me go. I went back home not able to talk to anyone about what had happened. I kept it to myself and carried it on the next as though it hadn’t happened. Who could I possibly speak to? Definitely not my aunt or cousins. I learned how the world is. After that I felt that the damage had already been done and I continued to hang out with them when I ran away from home. But I had to keep doing things of a sexual nature with them in order to maintain my place among them. They became my escape plan.

In my neighbourhood, girls with older brothers were banned from associating with me. Consequently, some of my friendships ended abruptly, including that of Emine, my Turkish friend. We resorted to exchanging letters as we were no longer allowed to talk or be seen together. I was labelled a bad girl by those boys, and during the day, they would throw stones at me when they saw me alone on the street. However, they had no issue taking advantage of me when it suited them. There were nights when I had to sleep outside after the guys were done with me and then go to a friend for a morning shower and to borrow clothes. When I would go back ‘home’ I would make up a story as to why I had disappeared and not come back for 1, 2 or 3 days.

I was completely traumatised by the type of life I was living facing all that alone. I prayed so much to live the glorious life I live now. The boys were never aware of my background and story, the reason for my occasional presence with them, or the struggles I faced at ‘home’. Home wasn’t home for me. They didn’t care, they just thought that I was that kind of girl, who likes to do bad things with men. I hope that as they see my success now they realise that I was somebody this whole time and we all are somebody in our own unique ways. I hope they see what is happening in my life. When the concierge in my building who was a married man with children found out what was going on between me and the boys in my neighbourhood, he promised not to tell my aunt and cousins about my secret stash of fashion clothes hidden in the basement if I gave him a sexual favour in exchange. He gave me an appointment I didn’t go to and that was the end of the deal he wanted to make. My adoptive mother would frequently curse me, invoking the names of various ancestors. There  was one incident where she slapped me so violently that it caused a nosebleed. After that, I started experiencing nosebleeds periodically. One summer, she locked me up for three weeks to prevent me from running away from home, hoping it would teach me a lesson. Throughout this time, I was confined indoors and could only observe the outside world through windows in the kitchen, bedroom, or living room. However, as soon as school started again, I resumed my escapades.

This is some of what I went through between the age of 10 to 17. During that time, I felt extremely lost, but I knew I had to stay strong and keep moving forward. Maintaining my strength became my most valuable asset. Despite everything I was going through, I managed to successfully complete my A-levels, which is equivalent to the French Baccalaureate, at the age of 16. Once I passed my A-levels, I disappeared for a week, leaving my adoptive mother and cousins unaware of my whereabouts. After my parents were notified, my father travelled to France and rescued me from my adoptive mother, who is actually my aunt and his older sister. Even though she did not support this decision, I was then sent to Germany, where I had other relatives. I haven't discussed the incidents that occurred in France with my parents, nor do I have any inclination to do so. My priority is to do what I do best, be strong. After my relocation to Germany and encounter with my former husband, I started heavily consuming drugs and alcohol, this was the norm within his social group and our relationship became violent. We fought frequently, and the police were often called. These distressing incidents involved instances of him attempting to strangle me and myself resorting to attempting to stab him, as well as mutual acts of violence such as punching each other. The first time I was pregnant I was told by family members to finish university first before starting a family so I was forced to have an abortion via vacuum aspiration which was conducted at the hospital where my cousin worked in Belgium. Because she was going to take care of the medical costs. It is the most horrible experience of my life, worse than being sent twice to a mental health hospital because I had suicidal thoughts. I witnessed everything. I wasn't prepared at all for the process, wasn't informed about the procedure or what to expect. I received no warning either about the excruciating pain afterwards.

When I moved to the UK with my ex-husband, we carried on having domestic violence. My first son was under a child protection plan. However, it was when social services initiated court proceedings to potentially remove him from my care that I found solace in going back to church. The uplifting messages I received there became the catalyst for transforming my life, and without undergoing any therapy, I solely relied on my rediscovered faith. I stopped smoking, using drugs and drinking alcohol. My son was not taken away. That’s how I chose to turn my life’s path around and become the highly successful woman I am today; reminding us all that nobody’s broken yesterday needs to determine their tomorrow. And we are all somebody in our own unique ways. I got to find out that I have this amazing future, that I was going to have fame and praise among all the peoples of the earth and not be shamed for my past and I was blown away, I cried so much. I didn't think I deserved anything. I saw myself as the girl who carries dirt from her past and it was all wiped away. I became the definition of success upon discovering it is one of my superpowers.

Most of the people that I know spend most of their time believing that they are nobody until someone like me comes along and shocks and amazes them. If they spent all that time believing in the somebody that they are, they'd have reached their definition of the top long ago.

When I found out about the future, how famous I would become, how praised I would be, when some of my people confirmed that what happens with me in the world would be even bigger than I think, I spent time believing in the somebody that I am, despite not having the support of most people from the family I come from. I was ostracized for a long time as if the fact that I was adopted by my aunt and endured so much trauma wasn't enough. When I was at my lowest, they insulted me, said I was nothing, I was done, then when I joined the pentecostal church, they said I was in a sect, they whispered behind my back telling each other to stay away from me, although it is by going back to church that I turned my life around, no therapy was involved, they didn't appreciate it, they treated me like an outcast. I overcame all my past trauma without their help. 

Then there were the Christians who couldn't take the fact that a girl who had her first son while not being married is somebody and somebody big. Let me reveal that we are all somebody in our own unique ways. I just sidelined them all and progressed. I ignored their negativity and irrelevant opinions and believed in the future. I kept writing about the good things coming and proclaiming them. Through dedication and self-initiative, I developed skills others didn't because they didn't believe in themselves. I trained myself and grew in various areas, leading to my current success. The awards I am winning are a result of that hard work and a testament to the power of self-belief. 

Every person who hears my story is deeply touched, often to the point of tears. Everyone also tells me that they would never imagine that these things happened to me in my past when they see me. In fact the person who suggested I apply for the Global Recognition Award mentioned the same thing that he would have never thought or imagined I have gone through all of this when seeing my pictures and business profile and that I have something unique. His level of admiration for me was immense.

It is a true honour to know that I am regarded as one of the most amazing people in the world by those who follow my journey. I never take this recognition for granted, and I am constantly evolving and improving both personally and professionally to continue inspiring and making a positive impact on those around me, and I am excited for the journey ahead.

I am the most qualified and powerful person on this planet to teach you about strong brand identity and success mindset.

Love, Patricia XX