Ambassadors
On this page we like to introduce our Local Changemaker Ambassadors and their organizations . We support them in Visibility and knowledge exchange. We believe in the potential of these diaspora organizations and the local communities and love to empower them.
In 2025 we launch the Ambassadors and Knowledge exchange project where they play the main role and share their successtories. On our STORIES webpage you can find a monthly update about their work.
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Abubakarr Bangura
Stichting Youth Initiative
Sierra Leone
Abubakarr comes from Sierra Leone but has been living and working in the Netherlands for years.
In 2005, he founded the Youth Initiative Foundation to stimulate the self-reliance of children and young people in Sierra Leone.
In 2018, Abubakarr and his Foundation entered into a partnership with SEP (Student Entrepreneurship Program). This resulted in 2 important projects with a focus on the development of the Clothing and Agricultural industries.
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Abubakarr: " Our first project contained a sewing workshop for young people (especially girls) and the other project focuses on the production of cassava. This project is for small farmers to create a more stable income and contribute to the national goal of being self-sufficient in their food supply."
In the Netherlands, the foundation provides information to schools and approaches funds to finance projects in Sierra Leone. The foundation also receives financial support from the Municipality of Tilburg.
A documentary was recently released about Abubakarr's work.
You can read more on the website: www.slyi.nl
Nellie Ekua Kirschner-Timmer
Stichting To Be Worldwide
Ghana
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Nellie Ekua Kirschner-Timmer was born in Ghana and is half Ghanaian and Dutch. In 2002, Nellie founded the To Be Worldwide Foundation.
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Nellie: "I want children to get the most out of their education and develop skills that contribute to a better future and the development of their own local community."
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In 2004, Nellie and her Ghanaian mother set up the first To Be Worldwide Educational Resource Center. This includes a children's library and facilities for computer training, as well as an extensive activity program tailored to local needs. The aim is to inspire children' and stimulating their eagerness to learn.
The Center is so successful that a second To Be Center opened in Cape Coast in 2010.
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In the past years Nellie and her local partner introduced some new and succesful projects like the empowerment backpack, with educational materials to inspire the kids.
Nellie: "We go to communities a bit further from our Centre, as these children cannot walk to the Centre."
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The other project is called "Nose for Plastic" and educates children about the detrimental effects of plastic on the environment. In addition to learning, children actively collect plastic in their communities, which is then picked up by a recycling company.
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You can find more about Nellie at www.tobeworldwide.nl
Abdisalam Ali
KAALO Nederland
Somalia
​Abdisalam was born in Somalia and moved to the Netherlands in 1991. He wanted to provide support to the vulnerable communities in Somalia and therefore founded the KAALO Nederland foundation in 1994. The execution of the projects is mostly done by the local partner, Garowwe, in the area around Puntland, the most North-Eastern part of Somalia.
The KAALO Foundation has been doing projects with a lot of success for decades. They know how to do fundraising and are always eager to learn and professionalize their organization. At this moment Abdisalam Ali and the KAALO Foundation are working on 3 projects:
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Improving educational facilities for children in Somalia, with electricity and electronics. These are powered with solar energy.
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Facilitating higher education for young woman, who otherwise would be deprived of this opportunity.
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Fostering sustainable livelihood and a steady form of income among nomadic communities by facilitating a transition into the fishery sector.
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Abdisalam: “The goal of KAALO Nederland is to support the Sustainable Development Goals(SDG´s) by protecting human rights, empowering women, reducing poverty, supporting Climate Action, and lowering unemployment in Somalia.”
For more information check: www.kaalonederland.org
Julliènne Doppenberg
Tosanga Foundation
Congo
​Tosangana was founded on February 10, 2006. Juliènne, the founder, set up the organization in honor of her parents.
Her parents raised a total of 17 children, although some of these children were not their own. Her parents placed great value on education; everyone in their household had to graduate first before they could do anything for themselves. Few children in her area had this opportunity.
After the death of her parents Juliènne wanted to continue their work
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Juliènne: " Next to the educational projects I am also involved in projects concerning the position of women in society and in professional life.
The conflict situation in Congo has strengthened the desire and need for women's emancipation and the empowerment of women and girls."
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You can find more about Juliènne at https://www.tosangana.com/
Eamonn Hanson
KETSO
Sierra Leone
​​​​​Eamonn Hanson was born in Sierra Leone and moved to the Netherlands after his parents divorced. His mother is Dutch and because of the civil war it was better to return to The Netherlands. Eamonn’s father became ill and died a few years later. His last wish was to start a farm, and he asked Eamonn to do that for him. Eamonn didn't like keeping pigs and chickens, but gradually he came up with the idea of ​​planting trees.
Eamonn founded KETSO (Kauka Educative Tree Seeds Orchard) in 2004 and moved back to Sierra Leone to set up the cooperative (social business) that is run by young locals.
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Eamonn: "We buy poorly maintained agricultural land and plant new trees with which we restore the land. The young people in the village earn an income with this project that they run for us and the trees provide biodiversity. We started with 200 seeds and now there are 30,000 trees on 120 hectares of land."
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When Eamonn returned to the Netherlands, he set up the Plant N Boom Foundation to support the KETSO Foundation and focuses on companies to raise funds. The aim for the cooperative is to be financially independent.
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Eamonn: “We want to sell young plants to farmers in the area where we are located. With the money we earn, we can set up projects that improve the lives of people. Apart from that, we look for innovative projects and solutions such as using solar panels to extract water from the ground and irrigate the land. The villagers indicate what they need, and we give support. After all, it is about their existence.”
For more information check: www.ketso.nl and www.planteenboom.nu
Mamy Sawa Teme
Misa Foundation
Congo
Mamy Sawa Teme is a passionate African woman who was born in Congo-Kinshasa but has been living in the Netherlands for 30 years. She came to the Netherlands all by herself as a teenager with the hope to build up a better life for herself.
In 2009 Mamy returned to Congo because her sister died. She was ill but they could not give her the right medication. Mamy was shocked when she was there and saw that the country had deteriorated a lot. She got in contact with a priest that showed her around and they talked about the problems regarding teen moms and children living on the streets. He asked her to help. After this conversation, Mamy decided to put up the Misa Foundation to support the integration and emancipation of vulnerable groups such as women, teenage mothers and (street) children.
Mamy: “In Congo, our main goal is to bring street children back to their parents and in the Netherlands we guide women and children of migrants to integrate into society and be themselves. We give language courses and organize dialogue evenings”
In all those years the Misa Foundation has done many projects and made a big impact.
These past years the organization is doing extra activities like offering vocational training in sewing and IT to help individuals become self-sufficient and teaching families to cultivate their land and create sustainable food sources.
Mamy:” My wish is to put up a social enterprise in the future that will help meet the problems and needs of important issues in society, we want to be a source of income and create sustainable jobs for young people in difficulty and also for ourselves.”
For more information check: www.missionaire-du-salut.org