Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain (JA) is proud to name Mazza FarajAllah as the 2024 JA Shooting Star of the Year. The JA Shooting Star of the Year recognizes a JA champion who is newly involved with the organization yet makes significant contributions by effectively rallying support for JA’s mission. The inaugural winner of this award, Mazza has been with the Western Union Foundation for just over three years and in that time has become a great advocate for JA.
Mazza was born and raised in Saudi Arabia to Sudanese parents and moved to Colorado in November 2020. Six months later, she started working for the Western Union Foundation, which creates access to economic opportunity for people who migrate in pursuit of a more prosperous future. She works to engage Western Union employees around the world with innovative nonprofits that the Foundation supports through volunteering and donations, including JA.
“The foundation’s purpose and focus align with JA’s mission,” said Mazza. “JA does fantastic work with students in this community who deserve access to better opportunities.”
Although JA’s partnership with the Western Union Foundation has been in place for over the last decade, before Mazza joined, she first became familiar with JA while living in Saudi Arabia. Having always been in the Corporate Social Responsibility field, she worked at a quick-service restaurant company that was heavily embedded with organizations in the community, including Saudi Arabia’s JA, INJAZ.
“I remember how fun the programs seemed for the students,” said Mazza. “Kids could go into the cockpit of a plane and see what it would be like to be a pilot. They had restaurants, a grocery store, a pharmacy, etc. It was cool to see them teaching children how the economy works and how they could take on those professional roles.”
For the past two years, Mazza led Western Union’s efforts for the company’s JA Bowl-A-Thon. In 2024, she played a key role in encouraging more than 120 employees to participate, raising more than $21,000 for JA. Becoming more involved in the organization through this event has given her the opportunity to appreciate the lessons that JA instills in the next generation.
“Not everyone will go down the same path. Rather than just teaching children about graduating high school, going to college, and getting a job, JA helps them understand how entrepreneurship and business can impact their journey.”
Mazza’s parents were university professors who worked in Saudi Arabia for over 40 years and taught her and her siblings about the value of hard work and giving back to the community where you live, as well as your family back home. Her background allows Mazza to have a unique and well-versed perspective on what JA does.
“My parents taught me that things won’t be handed out to you on a silver platter, you need to roll up your sleeves and work hard to chase your dreams,” said Mazza. “The values I was taught of hard work, dedication, commitment, and seeing things through resonate very strongly with what JA teaches their students. Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not.”
