Jolanda Schepers roams the world as a traveling Clinical Psychologist in search of what connects us as humans. At its core, we are all alike, seeking the same: a happy and meaningful life. How this looks is different for everyone. Jolanda integrates knowledge from Western psychology with the ancient wisdom of indigenous and traditional peoples, aiming to improve mental health and mental healthcare globally.
Personal motto:
In connection, we are allowed to grow.
Living in balance with- and working together with- all of nature always felt natural to Lorain. As a young girl she was already fascinated by indigenous peoples and their interconnected way of life. Lorain holds degrees in interdisciplinary studies specialised in biodiversity and ecosystems, and is certified in diving and yoga. She has a professional background in (marine) conservation and community engagement, working for international- and local-NGOs on projects, ranging from local to global scale. Currently her focus is on nature-coaching and -education, as well as being in training at the Firekeeper Academy. Lorain’s mission is to help people to (re)connect to both their inner-nature (‘true self’; heart-centred) and their outer-nature (people, places; all of life). The values and principles of Earth Charter deeply resonate with what she stands for and she is simply very happy that initiatives such as Earth Charter and World Connectors exist nowadays.
Persoonlijk motto: “together we can create the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible”
Professional background
Jamilah is a specialist in International Healthcare and Tropical Medicine. After her specialization, she worked with various international organizations in Nigeria, Mali, on the Thai-Burmese border, and Lesbos. Currently, she is pursuing her master’s degree in International Health and working at the Municipal Health Service (GGD), serving as the chair of the Green Muslims Foundation, a columnist for the Dutch Journal of Medicine, and involved in various research projects. Jamilah is passionate about addressing inequalities, particularly in healthcare, and has a special interest in the target audience of asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, and refugees.
Personal motto
Give each other the benefit of the doubt.
Roos Marieke Oosting is a PhD-candidate at the TU-Delft. Her research objective is to develop safe and high quality affordable equipment for global surgery that is suitable for the context of performing surgery in low and middle income countries. She did a Masters in Biomedical Engineering at the Delft University of Technology. She is mainly interested in sustainable and social entrepreneurship and (medical) innovations – in particular the possible impact that these changes have at the other side of the world. Through her studies, Roos tries to get more attention for small, simple technologies that are already available to us, but which could make a big difference somewhere else.
Professional background
Roos has a Bachelor’s in Life Science and Technology and completed a Master’s in Biomedical Engineering at the Delft University of Technology. She has been active in student life in Delft and Groningen, where she also worked as a mentor for students. Furthermore, she has gained travel experience in Asia, India and Africa, where she learned a lot about the chances of her peers who live at the other side of the world. In 2008 and 2010, Roos participated in several projects at a high school in Kigali, Rwanda and is co-founder of the Mukunzi foundation.
Personal motto
”The best way to predict the future is to invent it” – Alan Curtis Kay
Peter Akkerman (1993) is one of the writers of the National Environmental Program. He has a background in diplomacy and security issues. After starting his career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he transitioned to sustainability. While peace and security are important, a livable Earth is the prerequisite.
Addressing biodiversity loss, the climate crisis, and environmental pollution are the challenges of our time, and Peter is passionately dedicated to tackling them. He enjoys working with young people and is the founder of the Youth Environmental Council, chairman of the foundation “Bos dat van zichzelf is” (Forest that Owns Itself), and the creator of Serendicity, an app for greening cities (currently in development).
Additionally, he is one of the organizers of the Symposium 50 Years of Environmental Policy (2021) and the National Environmental Day 2022 – Limits to Growth. Peter is also a creative individual with thousands of ideas, an enthusiast of meaningful conversations, a history buff, and an animal lover with a deep affection for nature.