Originally from Nigeria, Maria Igwebuike moved with her family to the UK as an asylum seeker when she was 11 years old, but was fortunate to discover her passion for fashion and design from an early age, dedicating most of her free time to sketching, hand-sewing, and upcycling second-hand clothing.
Igwebuike later on launched Maria Castillo, a brand that produces sustainable bridal lingerie and loungewear using reclaimed fabrics and old wedding dresses. In 2021, she introduced the Trinity Project as a subsidiary of Maria Callisto that aims to to support individuals (especially women) from refugee and disadvantaged backgrounds by hiring them and being a point of entry into the fashion industry.Â
Unsurprisingly, Igwebuike has just been named as one of 20 recipients of the 2024 Visa Everywhere Pioneer 20Â honours.
Launched on World Refugee Day, WeAreTheCity and Visa had called for nominations to the 2024 Visa Everywhere Pioneer 20 awards, in order to shine a spotlight on the tireless efforts of 20 incredible refugee women who were giving back and supporting their communities across Europe.
Following nominations accompanied by the most incredible stories of resilience, tenacity and strength, the 2024 Visa Everywhere Pioneer 20Â finalists represent incredible women who are breaking stigmas and stereotypes, advocating for change, and empowering women and girls by transforming narratives and lives.
Says Vanessa Vallely OBE (Founder, WeAreTheCity)
Their journeys are not to be underestimated, not only have they had to move to new countries to rebuild their lives, they have chosen the very difficult route of being a female entrepreneur. The pathway these women have taken to build their businesses has been tough, they have had to learn new languages, operate with zero support networks and find ways of funding their businesses in their new countries.
Click here to read the stories of the remarkable 2024 Visa Everywhere Pioneer 20