Sayomi has always been intrigued by nature since she was a child. Her interest in nature gave her the motivation to study science at school unlike most of her friends and she decided to become a teacher. She specialised in marine biology and also worked at sea harvest where she managed the products quality control at the fishery.

Sayomi grew up in Brazil and has Japanese heritage. She moved to Thailand for a few years and then moved to South Africa to pursue her career as a research scientist and to travel. She fell in love with South Africa and never left. 

Her hobbies include swimming, hiking, vegetable gardening, dog training, teaching children to cherish nature, dancing, martial arts and property management.

Sayomi’s passion is to create future a generation of conservationists by assisting young adults find rewarding careers in nature conservation and tourism.