MAYA is the result of an unlikely tale of encounters and trips to the Philippines that never go exactly as planned and all ended up in lengthy discussions in airport waiting rooms.
In March 2018, Nicole joined Fabien in the Philippines for a few weeks and enjoyed first hand this culture of smiles and joy of life. In June 2018, Fabien visited for the first time an orphanage on the island of Palawan and discovered the daily life of these children and of the adults who accompany them on their path.
In the summer of 2018, Laura too travelled to the Philippines and embarked Fabien on a week of eco-volunteering in Malapascua to collect plastic waste on the beaches of the island and introduce local schools children to the pleasure of diving in the sea.
From this trio was born the idea of an association with children, laughter and many projects for the people and the planet.
Since then, the MAYAs have collected ideas to speed up existing projects or plant new seeds, which all have mothers, teenagers and young adults at their very roots.
Because, at MAYA, we believe that the golden age of the planet goes through happy children and fulfilled mothers.
Laura Wasserscheid
After a childhood shared between the French countryside and the African bush, Laura studied law, first in France and then in Canada, where she was enthusiastic about discovering the North American culture.
Returning to Europe in 2006, she moved to Geneva where she worked for 10+ years for a large American group in international finance. She perfected her knowledge of American law and passed the New York bar exam in 2013. She met Fabien along the way.
Laura enjoys traveling the world to discover other cultures and other ways of thinking. Through all the countries she visited and the cultures she met, she acquired the conviction that the societies that recognize the role of women and take care of mothers and children are the most advanced. She took on the mission of working to improve the quality of life of these key actors of the human society. This is where her path crossed Nicole’s.
When not busy dealing with the legal issues of her clients, Laura teaches law at university and tirelessly pursue her own learning and development. She enjoys reading contemporary novels, writing short stories and looking after her horse.
Fabien Bossus
Fabien was born and raised in Geneva. At 18, he began working in the world of Private Banking and soon enough the urge to travel took hold. At 21, he flew to Australia where he lived for a year learning English and discovering this wild and wonderful country.
Back in Geneva, he started working for an American asset management company and stayed there for 15 years. During this period, he met Laura and Nicole.
In 2016, after an epic trip around the world, he decided to settle in the Philippines and opened a restaurant there. Discovering the relatively precarious living conditions of the local population, he decided to engage in various charitable actions, in particular by providing support to the children of an orphanage on the island of Palawan.
He now shares his time between Asia, which he particularly likes, and Switzerland.
Nicole Schwitter
Early on, Nicole knew she wanted to become a school teacher. During her studies in Educational Sciences, she discovered other ways of teaching that led to a BA in Special Educational Needs.
After 12 years of coaching people with a disability and a change of course in 2012 to enter the political arena, her desires to share her knowledge and serve others remain strong.
The creation of an association brings together her love of fellow human beings, her needs to be of service, as well as the joy of meeting new people, either in Switzerland or during the multiple trips abroad that she is lucky enough to experience. The privilege of living in a rich country and being able to travel the world makes it possible for her to bring this project to light today.