Lignin is a polymer found in trees.

It transfers to paper and when paper is handled the polymer breaks.

At this point, it releases a vanilla-like smell, which is why old bookshops smell so delicious!

We chose the name because lignin's properties are powerful, just like the work we feel called to do here. It also resonated because it fits one of our life mantras - that beauty and hope push through everything, especially brokenness. The polymer has to break for the comforting smell to exist.

When we embrace this mantra we release ourselves from a sense of helplessness and from stories that don’t serve us, from a sense of ineptitude and brokenness.

This release allows us to embrace wisdom, beauty and hope and as adults we gift these qualities to our children.

This has a huge impact on their lives.

When parents, teachers, and caregivers approach their relationship to children and young adults through deep connection, we open the world up into a playground of possibility.

This has certainly been our experience and one day soon we will tell you more about how storytelling healed us and is now healing the families, schools, voluntary and government organisations that work with us.

But, meanwhile, we want to share some of the wisdom, beauty and hope that Lignin Stories has shared with our global community since its inception, in 2017.

Over the past three years, our team of storytellers have told stories to over ten thousand 5 to 10 year old children.

They have listened to us, wide-eyed and emboldened whilst we listened to them empowered and inspired by their experience of the world.

STORYTELLER/ FOUNDER

Giuliana Fenech

Dr Giuliana Fenech (PhD) is a professional storyteller and researcher of children's literature and cultural traditions. She lectures at the University of Malta and is the founder of Lignin Stories, an agency that supports parents, teachers, and caregivers of children and young adults to introduce positive story solutions to their family, classroom, and community lives. 

Throughout her career, she has worked on numerous international partnerships including projects with; 

• Seven Stories, The National Centre for Children’s Books (UK) and Esplora Interactive Science Centre (Malta) on intergenerational storytelling, girls and STEAM;
  
• Edinburgh Storytelling Centre (UK), Centro Storie Italiano (Italy) and Ziguzajg International Festival for Children and Young People (Malta) on storytelling through fairy tales and the regeneration of indigenous folktales;
  
• Federation for European Storytelling (FEST), Giovanna Conforto, Ivanir Sibylla Hasson, Maja Bumberak, Spela Kaplja and indie publishing house Kotba Calleja (Malta) on storytelling and natural heritage;
  
• the TATE Modern (UK) and the Victor Pasmore Gallery (Malta) on multimedia storytelling, poetry and painting.
  

Giuliana is passionate about sharing the wisdom and magic of old stories with families and communities all across the world because she understands the wellbeing this will bring to both children and adults in this highly accelerated and demanding age.

RESEARCHER/MENTOR

Marcela Fratescu

Ms Marcela Fratescu (MSc) is a learning and development expert with experience in educational and corporate settings. She is currently a Senior Learning and Development Associate at PWC (Malta) where she focuses on optimising employee training and growth strategies.

Throughout her career, Marcela has been involved in mentoring students in both formal and informal settings and was part of the core team setting up the Not Alone Foundation in Groningen (Netherlands). 

Marcela is passionate about sharing the power of connection and helping people to harness their emotions to raise themselves and their communities higher.  She firmly believes that self-awareness and non-violent communication can transform personal and professional lives in radical ways, especially in an age of disorientation and disconnection.