Who or what encouraged you to study law?
When I was young, I couldn’t think of anything more thrilling than debating. I remember my third grade teacher nicknamed me “l-avukatessa tal-fqar” because I was always arguing on everyone else’s behalf. And it stuck. My father, Mark, subtly began encouraging me towards a law career by highlighting newspaper articles about interesting cases. As I grew older, I was intrigued by the idea that every article, no matter how diverse, always seemed to be linked to a single word: law.
Nowadays, I don’t label myself as a lawyer. I consider the knowledge I’ve gained to be a powerful tool that can help me bring about change and accomplish my goals.
What inspired you to specialise in international human rights?
After my first volunteering trip to Africa, I wanted to use my legal studies to work on projects that reach out to people who did not have the same opportunities that I had. International human rights law gave me the chance to study about world events, inequalities in different parts of the world, and the tools available to instigate change. I decided that the research for my doctoral thesis would serve as a stepping-stone to learn about the people, organisations and policies that were using international trade to address human rights issues within developing countries.
You caught the travel bug while in Panama. What struck you the most about the country?
Panama was the first country where I immersed myself in a new culture and language, and mingled with local people. I had no itinerary. One day I would be surfing, eating grilled fish and coconut rice on the beach of Santa Catalina, and two days later I would be summiting the peak of Volcan Baru. I remember looking at a star-studded sky on one side of the peak which gave way to the rising sun on the other. I remember that incredible view of Panama’s coastlines around the Pacific and the Atlantic.
Panama felt like a raw experience. I pushed myself beyond my limits, always trying the next thing that seemed out of reach.
You have travelled extensively. Any memorable journeys?
I’ve been lucky enough to travel to over 10 countries, but my trip to Africa remains one of the highlights. I joined a group of young Maltese volunteers with FACES organisation. We set up a temporary clinic in the slum area of Buza, Tanzania. Later we safari-tripped our way through the Ngorongoro crater and onwards to Kenya where we volunteered in an orphanage in Nakuru. Our days were bursting with screams from mismatched-shoed children singing “Waka waka” on the school radio as we helped create a safer and more hygienic school environment.
How did you manage to marry your profession with your love of travelling?
I strive to align what I care about, what I am good at and what I enjoy doing. We’re living in an age in which your degree doesn’t necessarily define your career. I gained a worldview perspective from studying law. Travelling allowed me to develop a freedom-based mindset where less is more. It taught me to think on my toes and to be exposed to culture-sensitive situations. I use the knowledge I gained from my legal studies and travel to different developing countries, learning about the various human rights issues that impact people’s lives on a daily basis and working with grassroots projects to find creative solutions.
We aim to help them avoid at-risk situations before they end up in them
How did the opportunity to work in Nepal come along?
During my six-month backpacking trip around India and Indonesia, I had the time to clearly map out the ideal project I wanted to get involved in. The opportunity presented itself when we unexpectedly landed in Nepal.
There I met Anne, an Australian woman who had been working on social projects for six years. We had the same vision of moving away from the NGO culture and focusing on a sustainable business model that empowers Nepali women. Instead of going home, I relocated to Nepal to help her set up a women’s empowerment project: Kriayt Social Business.
Kriayt is a for-profit social business providing training and employment to vulnerable Nepali girls from different social backgrounds. We aim to help them avoid at-risk situations before they end up in them. They are given the skills to make handmade products, while connecting them to the global market. Our success is measured by the social impact made, rather than high profit margins.
What are the main issues that Nepali women face?
Kriayt works to raise awareness among the women and our international followers about the daily struggles women face in Nepal through our Stitch in Time Saves Nine campaign. The aim is to create an open environment where the women feel at ease to share knowledge about issues that stem from the traditional patriarchal society where women are considered secondary to men.
Here, education for girls is not prioritised, with 48 per cent of girls being illiterate in comparison to 29 per cent of boys. The majority of girls living in rural Nepal are married before the age of 15. They are removed from school to become housewives and mothers. Some 8,000 to 12,000 women each year are trafficked into brothels and private homes. Many of the girls are sent by family members lured by promises of well-paid jobs, marriage and a better life for their daughters.
Education of social issues and financial independence through employment helps build self-confidence and lift the women out of becoming potential victims of circumstances that can have devastating effects.
What is a typical day for you?
My duties include writing the website content, formulating and implementing online marketing campaigns, blogs, press releases and social media. I love spending most of my day in the Kriayt shop with the women, sharing our story with customers and creating campaigns to get them involved in the project.
My days include anything from trips to Kathmandu to buy 35kg of wool, to writing articles for magazines and newspapers on weekends to support my stay here. This unconventional routine fuels my endless curiosity to learn but requires a lot of time management. The more you are open to knowing that it is not always going to be plain sailing, the better equipped you are to come up with creative solutions.
What do you do to relax in Nepal?
I go for a run in the jungle every morning. When I do find time to tune out, Pokhara offers anything from long hikes with views of the Annapurna Himalayan range, eating dal bhat at the local dhaba on my lazy days, to paragliding and socialising with travellers and volunteers on my active days.