The Team
Julia Lalla-Maharajh OBE
Julia Lalla-Maharajh OBE began her career in the corporate world before moving into social change in 2006. Her approach was shaped by volunteering in Ethiopia, where she was confronted with the complexity of female genital cutting and the limits of externally imposed solutions. This experience led her to focus on community-led change, rooted in empathy, dialogue, and shifting norms from within.
As founder and CEO of Orchid Project, she helped build a global movement to end female genital cutting, working with communities to create lasting change at scale. She now serves as Chair of the International Board at VSO, the world’s leading volunteering development organisation.
Julia’s work centres on shifting systems, behaviours, and mindsets - inspiring people to think differently and take ownership of change within their own communities. She was founding chair of Under One Sky and now leads the organisation as part of a collaborative leadership model.
