Alumni

My passion for human rights started when I was quite young, from family trips to Asia. A trip to India and an orphanage visit in Bali made me feel angry and upset about the conditions facing too many people in the world. I felt so helpless and thought how unfair it was that the children I saw would never have the type of childhood I had been gifted with.

I believe since I have been given the gift of education and the opportunity to study at UWA, I should use this gift to make a difference in the lives of those who will never have that chance.

My passion has always been with women and children rights. Human rights law interests me because it seems like the perfect job that would combine all the things I am passionate about.

There are simply too many injustices in this world and if I have the means to help people, I want to make a difference.

Love Foundation is a charity that raises money for clean drinking water and sanitation projects in Kenya. The main good is to spread a commitment to love and clean drinking water for all. Water is the most fundamental source of life yet over 20 per cent of the world still lives without access to it. Love Foundation aims to reduce that number.

We raise money through live music and art events that promote emerging artists. The musicians play for free and we give them a stage to showcase their talent. Founded in Maastricht, Netherlands, Love Foundation hubs have spread across Amsterdam, Berlin, Santa Cruz (California) and Barcelona.

I decided to establish my own Love Foundation hub in Perth during my first year at UWA, after an exchange student from Maastricht advertised for people to set one up here. I literally fell in love with the idea behind Love Foundation and how university students all over the world were working toward the same goal of clean drinking water for all.

Just under two years on and the Perth Love Foundation team has grown from just me to 20 other UWA students who are passionate about the cause. We have raised over $4000 in that time, and a further $1300 just recently at a live music event at the Claremont Hotel. I’m proud that 80 per cent of our profits go directly to our partner organisation, Viva con Agua, who implement the drinking water projects.

What makes the charity unique is that it is so much fun to be a part of and is completely run by university students who volunteer their time. At the same time, a much wider group of students can feel like they are supporting a good cause just by attending a live music event and buying a Love shirt. The charity has a very international feel as we are often communicating with the other hubs in the world.

My goal for Love Foundation is that it continues to grow, with more people finding out about the work we do, in turn providing more clean drinking water to the world’s poorest countries.

I have had so many great opportunities through my undergraduate degree. So far, these have been the best years of my life! UWA has helped me in many ways and is shaping the person I am becoming.

The amazing clubs and societies on campus encourage students to get involved with as much as we can. I have met some truly incredible and likeminded people here.

My work with The UWA Alumni Fund gave me a platform to connect with alumni and hear their personal stories. As a student caller for the Fund, I am inspired to raise money that makes a difference in the lives of UWA students.

UWA has also given me the opportunity to go on exchange to Madrid, Spain, last year, where I fulfilled my goal of learning Spanish and discovering an amazing new culture. My political science and French degree is so interesting and I can already see it will help me to follow my passion for international affairs. I am very excited to start Law next year!

Since I started at UWA, I have been involved with The UWA Alumni Fund, helping to raise money for inspirational projects that are improving the lives of many UWA students.

I have gained so much from listening to our alumni and asking their advice about my own future. I am particularly moved when I hear the stories of female graduates who struggled to attend university and I am glad that times are changing.

We are calling alumni from May to August this year and I look forward to hearing about their experiences and sharing details of some of the great student projects they support.