Malaika Vaz

Malaika Vaz
Born (1997-04-13) April 13, 1997
Saligao, Goa, India
Alma mater United World Colleges
Occupation Athlete, Explorer, Environmentalist, Social Entrepreneur

Malaika Vaz is a teenage Athlete, Explorer, Environmentalist and Social Entrepreneur from, Goa India and the youngest person to have been on an expedition to both the Antarctica and Arctic at the age of 16.[1][2][3][4]

Personal life

Malaika Vaz was born to Marusha Vaz and Mac Vaz, and has two younger brothers, Mikhail and Marc.[5] As a competitive windsurfer, sailor and advanced PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) certified scuba diver she has developed a strong connection to the ocean and has seen firsthand the effects of unsustainable tourism on the Marine ecosystem. This inspired her to campaign for ecological protection and work towards conserving India’s natural resources through initiatives such as the Leave No Trace campaign,[6] that reduced plastic waste drastically at Asia’s largest music festival Sunburn held at Candolim, Goa, India.

Education

Malaika completed her schooling from Sharada Mandir School in Goa. She represented India along with students from 92 countries at UWC Mahindra College, one of the 15 United World Colleges spread out across the world.

Social Entrepreneurship

Through her non-profit organization Kriyā, Malaika works to empower women; victims of sexual violence and disadvantaged teenage girls through adventure sport and outdoor education.[2][7][8] Under Malaika’s guidance, the Kriyā Ambassadors summited Stok Kangri and Lungser Kangri in the Indian Himalayas to raise money for the Sherpa communities in the Khumbu Valley who were devastated by the April 2015 Nepal earthquake.[9]

Awards and Reorganizations

References

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