Meet the New Board of Janainas

by Beatriz Dacar

Valquiria Ferreira continues to serve on the board alongside Debora Lima and Gabriela da Paz, forming a 100% Pernambuco-born team

Janainas e.V., an association dedicated to creating spaces for exchange, support, and development for immigrant women in Berlin, celebrates the renewal of its board for the next three-year term.

Debora Lima and Gabriela da Paz strengthen our mission as they take on their new roles with energy and enthusiasm.

One of the new features of this term is the creation of the position of “Geschäftsführerin”, which arose from the need to make the division of the NGO’s administrative responsibilities lighter and more sustainable.

New board of directors (left to right): Gabriela da Paz, Valquiria Ferreira and Debora Lima. Credit: Camile Papazian

Julia Lima, former director of Janainas, will take on part of the board’s tasks, with responsibilities defined by contract and distributed collectively, transparently, and horizontally: “I’m really looking forward to organizing our drives and creating an internal research and documentation tool,” she says. She adds:

I’m very excited about the support of this wonderful trio from Pernambuco. I learned a lot as a board member, and I hope to bring that knowledge to my new role. It’s a pleasure to be part of building something as beautiful as Janainas.

Valquiria Ferreira, known as Val, remains on the board, bringing her experience and supporting the new members. Born and raised on the outskirts of Paulista, Pernambuco, she holds a degree in Executive Secretarial Studies from UFPE and works as an office assistant at a gaming company in Berlin.

For Val, the greatest achievement has been witnessing the growth of Janainas’ projects and their social impact on the lives of the women who take part in the organization’s initiatives. Reflecting on her second term, she says:

I’m surrounded by such amazing women. Every day I learn more from them, so that I can contribute to Janainas and to society in the pursuit of a more equal world.

Among her dreams for the future is the achievement of having a space of its own, with facilities that can welcome women seeking support from the association and provide better conditions for members, volunteers, and collaborators.

Originally from Arcoverde, Debora is an administrator with specializations in Public Management and Project Management, as well as a master’s degree in Intellectual Property. She currently works as a Finance and Compliance Advisor at Oxfam Germany.

At Janainas, Debora previously volunteered with the “Frauenpower in Mitte” project and supported several events.

Janainas came into my life at a very critical moment in my migration journey to Berlin, and here I found a little corner where I experienced a sense of home.

With extensive experience in project management and work in public policy, human development, and the strengthening of women’s collectives, Debora joins the board to contribute to Janainas’ growth and to strengthen its collective work.

In light of the challenges faced by migrant women in Germany, she believes the association plays a fundamental role in fostering a sense of belonging, valuing women’s individual journeys, and expanding opportunities for participation.

Looking ahead, Debora hopes that more and more women will find support, inspiration, and opportunities to build their own stories while strengthening the Janainas community.

Gabriela, who is from Recife, holds degrees in Visual Arts and Law, as well as a master’s degree in German Law from the University of Potsdam. She has worked in museums, galleries, schools, and in corporate administration and currently works as a Workplace Coordinator at Sodexo. At Janainas, she has previously volunteered with the Social Support project.

With experience in management, knowledge of the German language, and a background in German Law, she aims to contribute to strengthening Janainas institutionally:

My priorities are to encourage the creation of new projects and to develop sustainable processes that ensure the association’s long-term growth and expand its impact on the lives of an increasing number of immigrant women.

We wish the entire Janainas board the very best of luck in this new chapter!