Malta
Cristina is an Earth Systems graduate, sustainability enthusiast, and team member of the Maltese e-NGO Żibel. Her love for the environment began in secondary school, where she fell in love with geography and environmental studies, an interest further fuelled by a National Geographic subscription gifted to her by her father. This interest turned into something deeper during a school outing to the National Aquarium, where, from her front-row seat, watching images of fish and birds filled with plastic, she was confronted with the reality of plastic pollution.
Realising the scale of the issue, she sought out proactive ways to help: at home, in her daily life, and in her community through volunteering at Żibel — a place where she could really exercise her passion and practice what she was preaching to friends and family. Aside from a chance to volunteer and do her part, it was also a way of discovering new coastlines of Malta, meeting people from different backgrounds, building new skills, and being surrounded by like-minded individuals.
At the time, Cristina chose Żibel because she believed they were one of the only NGOs on the island doing this kind of work on such a structured level. The organisation’s ambition and level were something that stood out to her, and she admired the team itself — a group of young changemakers she hoped to one day follow in the footsteps of. Interestingly, now being part of the team and contributing on a higher level, Cristina reflects on that dream-come-true, full-circle moment.
Being on the inside also opened her eyes to the reality of NGO work. From the outside, you don’t always see the nonstop effort put in by a very small team — everything from planning and executing cleanups to looking for funding to keep the work going — and she couldn’t help but mention all the heavy lifting she’s done since joining: “It is truly back-breaking stuff at times, but seeing our impact and everything come together is always super rewarding.”
She also described how equally rewarding it is to see the high number of new and regular volunteers joining them and following their mantra, “it starts with you.”
“This community has become one of the organisation’s greatest strengths, and without these very individuals, our work wouldn’t be the same.”
Since 2017, Żibel has collected over 200 tonnes of waste from Maltese coastlines and engaged thousands of individuals. In today’s environmental landscape, this work is more necessary than ever. With a strong focus on the seabed and coastline, it is often NGOs like Żibel that are actively keeping beaches clean and ecosystems protected. This is especially important for an island like Malta, where the sea is a central part of local life and tourism. The coastlines and waters used to promote the country’s image are the very same ones Żibel works tirelessly to protect — not just for today, but for all future generations.