Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dalayna Marji. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Dalayna, appreciate you joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

My journey across Creative, Marketing, Social Media, Email Campaigns, Videography, Photography, VAVV Mission Trips, and Founding a student-led club has been an exhilarating ride – all in service of learning how to Communicate the Mission I believe in. While Directing Communications at Vera Aqua Vera Vita, my passion ignited and my expertise flourished with research and guidance. Vital skills like adaptability, creativity, and impactful communication fueled my success amidst challenges, from juggling tasks to staying in tune with the ever-shifting digital landscape. Navigating the changes since the rise of TikTok and Short vertical videos may be my biggest challenge yet. However, new technology continues to speed up my progress and my experiences have taught me the beauty of perseverance and resourcefulness. Aligned with Vera Aqua Vera Vita, I’ve harnessed the power of communication to break boundaries and make an enduring impact, and I’m committed to an unwavering journey of innovation and transformation.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I thought I knew about our water crisis. Growing up in a harsh Southern California drought, I’ve always been aware of my local water shortage. It wasn’t until I met Jacob Niemeier, Vera Aqua Vera Vita’s Founder, while I was attending the University of Dallas that I really learned the harsh reality of the global water crisis:

“Every 90 seconds a child under 5 loses their life to a water-related disease… but we have the power to change that fact.”

Those words stick with me to this day. While this crisis predominantly impacts developing nations, its echoes resonate across the entire globe. As a Newspaper Editor at that time with a knack for unraveling stories, I felt a compelling need to share this heartbreaking yet hopeful story and catalyze immediate, sustainable change. I quickly teamed up with Jacob and Vera Aqua Vera Vita and began spreading the mission of empowerment and establishing sustainable access to clean water.

Bringing communities together what makes our organization continue to grow and thrive is that everything we do is about service and a tailored approach. This principle guides not only VAVV’s Clean Water initiatives but also throughout every pixel and caption in our communications. For me, it’s all about weaving a narrative that not only tugs at heartstrings but also stirs real action.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I’m on a mission to flip the script on the global water crisis. That jaw-dropping fact – a child’s life lost to water-related issues every 90 seconds – is a heart-wrenching wake-up call. I’m here to translate that statistic into an accessible narrative, to make people sit up, take notice, and most importantly, take action. I truly believe that together we can put the global water crisis in the history books by changing the narrative and empowering holistic health.

Through my creative talents in Marketing, Social Media, Videography, and Photography, we’re weaving stories to turn bystanders into advocates. We’re on a mission to spark empathy, show real impact, and rally communities behind that real, sustainable change. Together we’re changing the narrative person by person, and community by community, to where water isn’t just a lifeline, but a beacon of hope.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Right from the start, I had to unlearn the myth of one-size-fits-all success. Just because a strategy hit the bullseye on one platform doesn’t guarantee a repeat performance elsewhere. It’s like assuming a universal solution for everything – an enticing trap.

This rings true for Vera Aqua Vera Vita’s clean water projects too. Crafting a compelling story for one medium doesn’t guarantee success in another, and similarly, we can’t expect a single blueprint to fit all communities. It’s all about listening and customizing plans to meet distinct needs.

The bottom line? Embracing authenticity over shortcuts. In a world of quick fixes, the personalized approach resonates. Whether in creative ventures or life-changing initiatives, every audience, every community, deserves its unique story, solution, and impact.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://veraaquaveravita.org/meet-our-team
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veraaquaveravita/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veraaquaveravita/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vera-aqua-vera-vita
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/veraquaveravita?lang=en
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWxgGXMoVAc3GnAfWqIPWRw
• Other: https://www.guidestar.org/profile/82-1884413

Image Credits
Vera Aqua Vera Vita, https://veraaquaveravita.org/