Marija Burgieva

Hi! I am Marija, a 20-year-old international politics and diplomacy student from Skopje. But this is not all that I am. Since I was 13, I wanted to contribute to my community in the same way it helped me throughout my life’s struggles. Therefore, I started volunteering and I became an activist on human rights and civic responsibility, and it opened up a whole new world of possibilities and knowledge. I went on youth exchanges, training courses, academies, workshops – you name it, I have probably done it! However, the biggest issue I am facing every day is environmental protection and restoration. It has motivated me to find innovative solutions to local problems and awaken the entrepreneurial spirit within me so today I am a social entrepreneur: CEO of O-krug, a circular business that turns orange peel waste into products while employing marginalized youth; CMO of Mamaorgana, a social startup that tackles the food waste problem; and co-founder of eco-habitat.com, the first Macedonian platform for eco-friendly and biodegradable products. 

One of my favourite authors and political activists, Helen Keller, said: ‘Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much!’