I started focusing on pro bono work during the pandemic.

And I LOVED it!

I continue to devote time to helping women over 50 translate their wisdom and experience into a project that will help their community become safer, healthier, and happier.

¨My daughter had died suddenly of cancer, and I gained custody of my two granddaughters, then ages 2 and 4. I was still grieving from the loss of my husband the year before, and had a stressful job as a social services director. I was completely overwhelmed.

Maya showed me that I could help other custodial grandparents. I had worked with many in my job, and now I truly understood their challenges. 

In our session, it became clear that I could start by creating support groups within the agency I worked for. I really enjoyed helping other grandparents, and decided I was ready to start my own organization. 

Within a few months, I quit my job to expand my services to grandparents abroad. This allowed me to work at home, where I can spend time with these precious girls. 

I would have never managed this without Maya´s help. Her mentorship changed everything for our little family.¨ 

¨I turned to Maya after a young woman in Beirut was severely injured while reporting on the street. I was heartbroken. As a former war correspondent here years ago, I knew I wanted to help these brave new reporters protect themselves from harm. 

Maya encouraged me to partner with one of my former conflict-experienced colleagues to offer free training and mentorship to street correspondents. The work they do in bearing witness and creating informative videos for social media and news sites is crucial for Lebanese citizens and the world. 

Maya´s support has been invaluable. I am grateful to do my part to help these committed citizen reporters stay safe.¨

¨Our city was destroyed. My son and I fled to Poland. As a psychologist, I recognized the severe trauma that all war refugees were experiencing, but I was terrified to try to help anyone. I felt too fragile. I feared I would be overwhelmed by their grief. 

Maya helped me to see that I could use my grief as my power. I had empathy and the skills to guide others through this unimaginable misery. 

I started a free clinic for Ukrainian mothers here. Working with them has helped me to heal myself each day.

Now, I have brought my remaining family members here, and I support them through the work I do with private clients. Although the horrors continue, we focus on caring for each other and finding small everyday joys.  

This is the most deeply fulfilling work I have ever done. I am so thankful for Maya´s kindness.¨

¨My clients (farmers) were suffering. They had lost crops due to floods, tornadoes, and other weather events. My heart ached as I watched them struggle to recover. 

I had an idea. I wanted to encourage them to redo at least some of their acreage using regenerative farming techniques. But these were conservative older men. I was afraid they wouldn´t be interested, and would even lose respect for me.

Maya coaxed me into talking to my two most loyal clients. We had a frank but respectful conversation about their losses and options. They were relieved when I suggested I could help them rebuild in new ways! Their adult children loved the idea, and became highly engaged in the process. They worked together to create a positive future for the next generation.

I now focus ONLY on regenerative farming. It has been absolutely exhilarating as well as successful. I thank Maya for giving me the courage to move forward with this!¨