In a prestigious ceremony held recently at Swansea Arena in the UK, a 14-year-old Filipina was honored with the Child of Wales Award in the Environmental Champion category. The annual event, which celebrates the remarkable achievements and resilience of children and young people in Wales, recognized Alyssa Faith Fallorina Dean’s inspiring contributions to environmental causes.
Alyssa, who has been passionate about environmental protection from a young age, expressed her joy during an exclusive interview with The Global Filipino Magazine: “It makes me feel really happy to win the award knowing that my work has been recognized.”
Growing up in the scenic Welsh countryside near the beach, Alyssa developed a love for her surroundings, which inspired her to engage in environmental activities such as litter picking and beach clean-ups. However, her efforts didn’t stop there.
“At first, I started collecting crisp packets to send to TerraCycle, but I saw a group on Facebook about making crisp packet blankets. So I started doing it during the lockdown and have now made over 500 crisp packet blankets,” Alyssa shared.
Her initiative, known as the Crisp Packet Project, has not only allowed her to reuse waste materials but has also provided warmth for people in need, with her blankets made from recycled crisp packets. She regularly holds workshops for those interested in learning how to make these blankets and continues to work on this project in her spare time.
As a proud Filipino, Alyssa acknowledges how her cultural roots influence her environmental advocacy.
“Having a Filipino heritage, recycling is normal—we try and recycle everything. That is already in our blood; it’s our culture. By recycling, we are helping our environment,” she explained.
In her message to young people who wish to contribute to the environment, Alyssa emphasized the importance of starting small: “Try to do as much as you can now to help the earth, even if it’s little, because this is our future we will be living in.”
Looking ahead, Alyssa hopes to expand her impact by hosting online workshops accessible to people internationally.
“My goal is to make online workshops on Zoom as it would be accessible internationally to everyone,” she said, sharing her plans for the future.
The Child of Wales Awards is a platform that not only celebrates the achievements of children like Alyssa but also supports charities such as 2wish and Joseph’s Smile, dedicated to helping children and families across Wales.
