Kirsty Sword Gusmão is the former First Lady of Timor-Leste and Founder of the Alola Foundation. She was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1966. She successfully completed her studies at the University of Melbourne in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours), majoring in Indonesian. and Italian, and a Diploma in Education.

In 1991, Kirsty Sword Gusmão decided to join the Refugee Studies Program at Oxford University after previously working as Administrative Secretary at the Overseas Service Bureau (Australian International Volunteers). In the same year, she traveled to East Timor (Timor-Timur) to assist Yorkshire Television documentary film called Cold Blood: The Massacre of East Timor as a Researcher/Translator. This film itself tells about political and social developments in the region.

From 1992 – 1993, she lived and worked in Jakarta,  Indonesia as English and Management Programs International (EMPI), humanitarian aid worker  and human rights campaigner. Between 1993-1998, Kirsty Sword Gusmão returned to work at the Overseas Service Bureau (Australian Volunteers Abroad), Melbourne, Australia. During this period years, she work for the East Timorese independence cause intensified and brought her into contact with the independence leader, Xanana Gusmão, who was serving a 20-year sentence in Jakarta’s Cipinang prison and whom she married in July, 2000. Her resistance code name was Ruby Blade, later changed to Mukya (lit. ’fragrant’) by Xanana Gusmão.

Kirsty Sword Gusmão has lived in Timor-Leste since October 1999, as a human rights activist, she also campaigned for cases of human rights violations that occurred after the 1999 referendum, one of which was the case of the forced kidnapping of Juliana dos Santos when the Ave Maria Church in Suai was attacked by militia. Together with other human rights activists, Kirsty Sword Gusmão advocated for the case of Juliana dos Santos to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

In the same year, 2001, motivated by the violence that occurred against Juliana dos Santos and other Timorense women after the referendum, Kirsty Sword Gusmão decided to establish a Foundation known as Alola, Juliana dos Santos’ nickname. In the future, the Alola Foundation will become an organization that strives to address the needs of East Timorese women and their families through advocacy, schooling, health support and economic opportunities.

On 26 March 2003, Kirsty Sword Gusmão received the Paul Harris Fellow award by the Rotary Club of Melbourne South, Australia. On 1 November 2003, she published an autobiography entitled A Woman of Independence.

In October 2007, Kirsty was appointed by the President Dr. Jose Ramos Horta as Goodwill Ambassador for Education. This appointment was in recognition of Kirsty’s tireless efforts to date and to formalize future endeavours in addressing the educational priorities of Timor-Leste.

On 14 May 2014, Sword Gusmão was admitted to the degree of Doctor of the University (honoris causa) by Victoria University for her community service in championing the importance of education and improving the lives of women and children in Timor-Leste.

In June 2015, Sword Gusmão was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) “For distinguished service to Australia-Timor-Leste relations through the development of mutual cooperation and understanding, particularly in the education sector, and as an advocate for improved health and living conditions for the Timorese people.

Kirsty Sword Gusmão has three sons, Alexandre, Kay Olok and Daniel.