Mvintage will be hosting the Mvintage Woman of the Year Awards for the second year in a row. The Awards are designed to celebrate and honour exceptional women who have dedicated themselves to selflessly uplift the people and communities around them.
The 2023 nominees who were chosen by the public are Francesca Fenech Conti, Josette Frendo, Isabelle Bonnici, Izi Micallef and Karen Vella. These five amazing woman have all worked tirelessly over the years to leave a positive impact and make a difference in the community.
Meet the 2023 nominees:
Francesca Fenech Conti
Francesca Fenech Conti from Women for Women Foundation (Malta), is an avid women’s rights activist with a passion for human rights. Francesca started the Facebook group Women for Women (Malta) in 2015, which now has a following of 52,000. The aim of the all-female group is to give a voice to previously voiceless and marginalised women and to bring certain undiscussed issues to light. As Francesca and her colleagues like to say, “when women support women, incredible things happen”. Francesca believes that helping and empowering mothers to look after their children is the best solution towards ensuring a safe and stable home environment.
Josette Frendo
Josette Frendo from Smiling with Jerome considers herself to be “a voice for families and children who are suffering, often in silence”. She set up the NGO Smiling with Jerome along with her husband Kenneth after they lost their son Jerome, who died at the age of 20 after a tough battle with cancer. The NGO offers various forms of assistance, including financial support, to families of those diagnosed with cancer, as well as those whose children have disabilities, rare diseases, or severe health conditions. Josette and her family believe that the best remedy for grief is to find a way to touch the lives of others.
Isabelle Bonnici
Isabelle Bonnici started a fight for justice for her son Jean Paul Sofia, Għal Jean Paul, following his tragic death in a construction incident last December. In her own words: “Losing your only child is the most harrowing experience a woman can endure. I want Jean Paul’s legacy to improve the current system and save lives. I feel proud that my son managed to unite us with the colour of love”. Isabelle campaigned tirelessly and managed to convince the government to conduct a public inquiry to take an in-depth look into the system and to bring about the changes that are necessary to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
Izi Micallef
Izi Micallef is the creator of 'Women over 40 let's hang out MT', a Facebook group dedicated to bringing women (married, single or in a relationship) together to make new friendships and get together for a variety of events and activities. Izi has two sons, and in her late 40s she felt that women can benefit from meeting other women to socialise and support one another. “Many women in this age group may be alone, sometimes having lost friends and family. This group offers a safe space for women to come together – it's incredible how big a difference hanging out, listening and sharing can make in people’s lives.”
Karen Vella
Karen Vella is an exercise professional who has been doing sports for as long as she can remember. Exercise empowers her and those she surrounds herself with to feel alive. It helps her during her worst moments, and it brings out energy and strength when she’s on a high note. Karen offers training, advice and consultations, and she says that her clients, friends and other people she meets on a daily, basis give her the courage and the additional strength she needs to continue growing emotionally and mentally. In Karen’s words, “I see a nominee in everyone, because everyone is fighting their own battles, and everyone shines in their own unique way”.
Each one of these women is remarkable but only one can take the award home with her.
