A new crowdfunding campaign that closes on July 20 aims to raise €8,000 to help purchase an ocean plastics recycling machine for Żibel, a registered voluntary organisation and eNGO working to reduce Malta’s waste and restore the island’s natural environment.

To help cover the costs of the new machine, Rebecca Hamilton, a professor of international law at the American University, a collaborator with the Islands and Small States Institute at the University of Malta, and a mother of four elementary-aged children, with no background in any sport whatsoever, will take on her first marathon swim from Switzerland to France across Lake Geneva.

According to the international rules of the Marathon Swimmers Federation, a marathon swim is one of 10km or more, which requires that the swimmer remains in the water for the entire duration of the swim, without making physical contact with any escort vessels, support personnel or other objects.

And, with a direct distance of 13km she must complete within seven hours – the equivalent of almost three times the swim from Malta to Gozo, or 260 laps of an Olympic pool – Hamilton’s marathon swim in aid of Żibel more than fits these criteria. Her feat represents not just a personal challenge, but a call to action for Malta’s community to contribute to a cleaner, healthier ocean.

Our oceans are drowning in plastic and we urgently need innovative solutions like Żibel’s recycling programme

“I discovered Żibel’s inspiring environmental work while in Malta on sabbatical and felt compelled to support their mission,” Hamilton said.

“Our oceans are drowning in plastic and we urgently need innovative solutions like Żibel’s recycling programme to address this crisis. Through crowdfunding, I hope we can make a collective effort to protect our delicate marine environment.”

Giselle Borg Olivier, manager at Zaar Crowdfunding Malta, said that among its many benefits ‒ from increased reach and visibility to community engagement ‒ crowdfunding also empowers people to collaborate with voluntary organisations, safe in the knowledge that their fundraising efforts are done with full transparency and accountability.

“And working together, organisations such as Żibel and individuals across the country can achieve a vital, shared goal: to protect Malta’s environment for future generations,” she said.

One can donate to the ‘Marathon Swim for Ocean Plastic Recovery’ campaign on Zaar.