What would be the perfect advert to characterise the life of a Mozambican woman in Paris? An outfit of white blouse with dark blue stripes, a red beret and, instead of a cappuccino, an ice-cold beer? As our main character is Farha Abdula, let us add a hearty laugh and a very broad smile. Live from Paris, this advertising professional tells us about the latest campaign of her life.
Curiosity or not, Abdula was born on Bastille Day and, at 34, has already lived in Brazil, Angola and now France. The first time to study, the second to work, and now with a family. Very different environments and contexts that demanded a mixture of creativity and courage for everything to go well. It is clear from the words exchanged by email that Farha Abdula lives in the present: right now, she and her family are living in the French capital and every day they try to make the most of what the land of Edith Piaf has to offer. Farha embarked on this French adventure about two years ago and is currently taking an Executive MBA at HEC, one of Paris’s most prestigious business schools. “On the one hand, it is about seeking other opportunities – and so doing an Executive MBA, growing the network, working on other projects – but, on the other hand, it is also being able to see the world and, as a family, to see and discover other things. And that is exactly what has been happening,” says Farha.
“I had to run around a lot to understand the language, understand the transport system, understand how basic services work and grasp the culture as a whole. - Farha Abdula”
However, the journey has not been made solely in the light of good things. The young Mozambican shares what she experienced: “We came to France at a rather peculiar time. The world was going through the first waves of the covid-19 pandemic, and for that reason alone our adjustment was very different from what we had expected. We faced a European lockdown, restrictions on movement and little outdoor space. Apart from that, the first reality check was realising that we are nobody. That the world is very big, very full of people, and we are very small compared with all of that. In Mozambique, I think we are, by nature, a very friendly and welcoming people, and that is not so everywhere in the world. I had to run around a lot to understand the language, understand the transport system, understand how basic services work and grasp the culture as a whole.”
It is a process that is still under way today, because of cultural and linguistic differences and personal discoveries. This daily discovery and learning extends to Farha’s desire to constantly find out about new things: whenever she can, she takes short online courses, joins online discussion groups or follows the work of former university lecturers. Her critical spirit is also shaped by the life around her: “I am not intentionally hunting for trends every day. It is the trends that come to me through social media, bar conversations, circles of friends, music. I particularly like to follow popular music, street style and innovation in technology. I think all of that says a lot about the moment we are going through and can be a good source of insights and inspiration,” she comments.
Beneath the cliché of being a citizen of the world, Farha Abdula is an interpreter of people’s consumer behaviour, with the humour and energy that are so characteristic of her. With a mixture of ambition and persistence, the advertising professional knows what she wants: “To ensure that advertising becomes increasingly inclusive and free of stereotypes that lead us to reinforce bad habits. For that, both advertising agencies and marketing departments need to be truly diverse and plural spaces, so that together we can have a more critical and responsible sense of the communication that is produced. We still have a way to go,” she tells us, we imagine, with a smile on lips painted with an innovative brand of lipstick and a Mozambican beer beside her.
