Our Team
Malaka Shwaikh
I am a Palestinian academic from the Gaza Strip, currently based in Scotland where I teach and research prisons as spaces of power, resistance, and peacebuilding. Much of my research has been on the dynamics of prison hunger strikes. In addition to my research commitments, I am a trustee of BRISMES, Firefly, and STEPS. In 2021, I co-founded Freelancers in Gaza with Candace Amani to connect youths in Gaza with clients around the world and provide them with mentorship. In my spare time, I love to spend time hiking in our beautiful Scotland or swimming in the North Sea whenever it is warm enough. And I have recently become interested in yoga and meditation. I find purpose in giving back to my community, whether it is through teaching, mentorship, volunteering in organisations that fit my life purposes, or simply taking good care of the people I love and myself to stay able to give back.
Candace Amani
I am a Caribbean-born writer, marketing consultant, graphic designer, and chocolate connoisseur currently based in the US. Throughout the years I have worked with clients across different industries, some in the capacity of giving back to their communities, improving their online presence and getting connecting to their target audience. In 2021, Malaka had an idea to create a platform for Palestinian freelancers in her homeland of Gaza, Palestine; then i came along and volunteered my skills with what was needed. It’s been amazing to see the growth so far in the connection of youths in Gaza with mentorship and freelance opportunities. When I’m not working with people in the digital landscape; im happily typing away on my vintage-style typewriter working on my first poetry collection, playing top-chef in the kitchen trying out different recipes, getting into Pilates (as a former ballet girl), and finding ways to further serve my community near and far.