Exhibition: Women in Malta – Sylvana Brannon
Location:Pjazza Teatru Rjal
Sylvana Brannon – Director at Stem Cells Malta Ltd.
I’ve known Sylvana for a while. She is one of my awesome clients and friends, we created some really amazing photographs together. We had good time during the photo shoot and after the photo shoot. We went partying and dancing together. We talked a lot about life but never talk about much about work.
She has the quality and the strength of a woman that I admire and she is one of my inspirations for starting this project actually. I wasn’t going to invite her to participate in project, firstly she is my friend, secondly I’ve already photographed her before I know she is going to do some mischief during the photo shoot and that would make my job extra harder. I love my friends and family but to be honest, they are the most difficult people to photograph. They don’t really listen to instruction and just find me very funny.
ne day I met Sylvana, we were talking about my project “Women in Malta”, she said to me, “I’ve done a lot for women in Malta, you know.” Then she sent me messages, talked me into invite her to join the project.
Her work and ideas are very much focus on empower women. She is one of those rare endangered species I feel people should get to know more.
She has a company “Stemcell Malta”, you can go to her website to know more about her business.
She encourages natural birth at home and any other kind of birth, as long as women can make their own choice. She told me, “women should have options about what she wants for her and her child.”
“There are many women run a household or company successfully, they have clear mind, making all the difficult decisions precisely and carefully. But when it comes to child birth, they give away all their power to other people who don’t know her body as well as herself.” She said she finds it very strange and not correct. “Women should be the one to decide what she wants.” That I totally agree.
That just some of the conversation which struck me.
The meeting with Sylvana was to talk about her work, she was all very serious, we didn’t joke much at all. Very unusual.
“What I want is that women knows the options and choices they have and they make the decision.” She said.
“Giving birth is something about life and death, many women don’t have knowledge about it, so it’s naturally many women would listen to the medical experts.” I said.
“Just because it’s life and death so women should do more research about it, learn more about it. They need to trust their body and take a proper action. If they do none of these, it’s totally disempower.” Sylvana uses her hands as gesture as she talked. “They need to educate themselves that they have power.”
She advice women, “ Turn off the volume of the experts saying, mother, grandmother, whatever other people say. Listen to your inner voice and your child, trust your own gut and listen to your child about what they want.”
She talked about the society is very judgemental for women. It’s like women are forbidden to talk about their true feelings. And a lot of women when they become married or a mother they stop to look after themselves. “I’m a mother now so I don’t care. “ But it’s not true. Their lack of self-esteem problem would eventually rolling to bigger problem. The worse of all is the problems pass on to the next generation.
Her way of thinking breaks tradition rules, about parenting she said, “Women shouldn’t think that they are better parent. “ They should let men help.
“Women should allow themselves to be selfish. When you are happy, you have more to give.” She said.
Q& A
1)When you feel down, what you usually do to make yourself feel better? How do you deal with stress?
I dance.
2)What you enjoy the most about your work?
Hearing the stories of women, individual stories, the truth.
3)Have you been professionally photographed before? How did you feel? (Before the shoot with Amanda)
Yes. Feeling uncomfortable, then to over come that, behaviour stupid, then setting happy medium.
4)If you knew then what you know now, what
would you tell your 18-year-old self?
I will tell her just do what she loves, what she passionate about, because she does what she loves, the life turn out well.
5)When things get tough, how do you keep your- self going?
At first I shut everyone out, centre myself a bit, then I reach out a few friends, they give me the energy I need to continue. Space and time to yourself, then reach out to my friends.
6) How do you define success?
It’s be happy your own skin, be happy with your decision. Even some- times it’s seem wrong, but it’s your decision. Imitation is the best form of flattering. When people coping what I do.
Links about her:
https://www.smartcellsmalta.com