Tasha de Vasconcelos

Tasha de Vasconcelos was born in Beira, in Mozambique, the daughter of engineer, Fernando João de Vasconcelos Mota e Cunha, a descendant of King Alfonso III de Leäo, member of one of Portugal’s oldest families, and her British mother, Jacqueline, a descendant of a King of Scotland of the XI century, and of a family from the north of France.

However at only 8 years old, Tasha had to face the cruelty of the civil war and a revolution, which tore her country apart, followed just five years later by that of Rhodesia – now Zimbabwe – where they had fled. At 13 she and her family moved first to Portugal, and then on to Canada.

First student at the University of British Columbia, she began her supermodel carrier in New York where she started working with Michel Comte, Peter Lindbergh, William Klein, Albert Watson, Patrick Demarchelier and Steven Meisel. They immortalize for the covers of major international magazines: Vogue, Elle, and Tatler, Paris Match, or campaigns (qui font le tour du monde): Calvin Klein, Balenciaga, Van Cleef & Arpels, Dolce & Gabbana perfume… and catwalks for Lacroix, Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent…

But Tasha’s true vocation is in her humanitarian work. After special missions for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund in South Africa, UNICEF named her Goodwill Ambassador, first for children suffering from malnutrition in Bolivia, then for childhood victims of war in Algeria. As Special Campaigner for Children she worked in Mozambique with UNAIDS, campaigning against HIV/AIDS in Africa, and in recognition of her humanitarian work she has received a special UNESCO award.

In 2006, she created her own organisation AMOR – Aide Mondiale Orphelins Réconfort (Global Aid and Help for Orphans) supported by Prince Albert II de Monaco. On the 15th April 2009 Tasha opened Amor’s first project, a maternity unit in Malawi, financed, built and equipped entirely by AMOR.

In 2008, she was the muse of great beauty brand in 165 countries.

In 2009, Louis Vuitton, aware of Tasha’s humanitarian work leant their support, to AMOR’s Malawi project. She has been nominated Ambassador for humanitarian causes supported by Louis Vuitton.

In 29th April 2009 Tasha de Vasconcelos was named as the official Ambassador of Pasteur Institute (2009) a first for this renowned international leader in medical research.

Finally, Tasha has just returned from a trip to Mozambique and has identified the next mission for AMOR to support and develop 'Collegio Enfantil' an orphanage that takes in charge 8O children.

 On the 8 Mars 2010 the international day of women President Barroso gave to Tasha de Vasconcelos her new mission as ambassador for Union European to fight against poverty and social exclusion.