From Iron Curtain To Humanitarian Pavla Zakovalaney Shares Her Inspiring Memoir Divine Destiny

Author and humanitarian Pavla Zakova-Laney unveils her inspiring memoir, Divine Destiny: One Woman's Spiritual Journey, a remarkable true story of resilience, courage, and unwavering commitment to serving others.

The book chronicles Pavla's extraordinary path, beginning with her childhood in communist Czechoslovakia. Despite her crippling shyness, she discovered confidence and grace as a competitive ballroom dancer-only to risk it all in 1986 when she made a daring escape across the Iron Curtain. From a refugee camp in Austria, Pavla arrived in the United States with no English skills and little more than determination. Through perseverance, she not only mastered the language but also graduated from Wellesley College as a Davis Scholar in 1995.

Her journey did not stop there. From 1996 to 1999, Pavla served as a Peace Corps volunteer teacher in Cameroon, an experience that transformed her purpose and set her on a lifelong path of service. In 2000, she founded Educare-Africa, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing education in Cameroon. For the past 25 years, she has led the organization as president and executive director, working tirelessly as a full-time volunteer.

In Divine Destiny , Pavla shares her deeply personal story with honesty and warmth, weaving together themes of survival, faith, and hope. Her memoir not only captures her daring journey from oppression to freedom but also highlights the universal message that dreams are worth fighting for.

“Anything is possible when we set our minds and hearts to it. Never give up on your dreams,” Zakova-Laney affirms.

Through her story, readers are encouraged to embrace courage in the face of fear, find strength in service, and believe that one individual can make a meaningful difference in the world.

About the Author

Pavla Zakova-Laney was born in the former Czechoslovakia and trained as a competitive ballroom dancer for 15 years. During those years, she also worked full-time at a ballroom dance school, organizing ballroom dance classes. Much of her dancing took place before work, after hours, and on weekends. In 1986, she escaped to the United States, where she pursued her education and graduated from Wellesley College in 1995. She served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon and later founded Educare-Africa, a nonprofit organization supporting education in Cameroon. She continues to serve as its volunteer president and executive director.

Availability

Divine Destiny: One Woman's Spiritual Journey is available in the USA and Canada. For more information about Pavla Zakova-Laney and her ongoing humanitarian work, please visit

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