A special Joke-Waller Hunter initiative meeting
By
Daan Robben
On Friday March 29 a special JWHi meeting took place at the Both ENDS offices, making the most of the unique situation having several grantees in Amsterdam for various reasons. The meeting facilitated the rare opportunity to bring together perspectives of the various actors in our fund: the advisory committee, the JWHi team of Both ENDS and last but not least the grantees from Kenya, Brazil and Colombia.
The four grantees present were Milka Chepkorir Kuto and Julius Karanja Mbatia from Kenya, Mariana Monteiro from Brazil and Lina Fernanda Rengifo from Colombia. Two other grantees, Siyabonga Myeza from South Africa and Illia Yeremenko from Ukraine were unable to join us, but recorded a video to contribute.
The meeting intended to facilitate a fun exchange of experiences from all sides. First, Irene Dankelman and Sjef Langeveld from the advisory committee gave more insights about Joke Waller Hunter's life story and why she has entrusted Both ENDS in achieving her wish to support young environmental CSO leadership within developing countries. Irene and Sjef, who both are instrumental to where Both ENDS and JWHi currently stand, clearly articulated the special life path Joke has walked and her connections to Both ENDS.
In the second part, the advisory committee and the Both ENDS staff could listen to very inspiring stories from our grantees. This was very special, because it was great to hear grantees explaining their motivation, ideas and activities beyond what we usually read on paper when doing the selection and administrative tasks. Julius spoke about his dream to become a green champion within Kenya, Milka talked about the importance of having a Master's degree (on gender and environment) to achieve more impact, Mariana laid out the importance of having a better knowledge of the legal frameworks regarding her work in Forum Suape, and Lina explained how she envisions enhanced sustainable landscape planning in Cali, her city in Colombia.
Although time was short, it was great to see so many parallel challenges, opportunities and options identified to work together, even among just these four grantees. We can only imagine what happens when a network of all current and former 265+ grantees could be activated. It makes us even more motivated to build our grantee network, which our new volunteer William has started to work on last month, as well as exploring many other possibilities for the future of the JWH initiative.
For more information
Read more about this subject
-
Dossier /
The JWH Initiative: supporting young environmental leaders
The JWH Initiative aims to stimulate leadership of young people in environmental organisations by giving small grants to individuals to expand their…
-
External link / 28 March 2025
-
Blog / 27 March 2025
Fair trade and equal partnerships: only then can Kenya stand on its own
Several media outlets, including de Volkskrant, focused last week on the shift from “aid” to “trade,” partly in response to the state visit of the Dutch royal couple to Kenya. The idea is that it would be beneficial for Kenya to stand on its own two feet. A beautiful ideal—one I whole heartedly believe in…
-
News / 21 March 2025
Dutch Royal couple visits Thogoto Forest: a green oasis on the outskirts of Nairobi
This week, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima visited Thogoto Forest as part of their state visit to Kenya. They were able to see the impact of…
-
Dossier /
Seeking justice for the affected communities of Vale’s mining disasters in Mariana and Brumadinho
In 2015 and 2019, the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais experienced two severe mining tragedies in Mariana and Brumadinho, due to the same mining company: Vale. Since then, the affected communities have been seeking justice, via the criminal punishment of the responsible parties, and a fair compensation for the loss of their loved ones, their homes and their livelihoods. Both ENDS supports local CSOs by amplifying their quest for justice within an international audience and, more specifically, by raising awareness amongst Dutch investors in Vale about the high risks this company’s…
-
Dossier /
Towards a socially and environmentally just energy transition
To address the climate crisis we need to urgently transition away from fossil fuels towards clean, renewable energy. However, this transition is not only about changing energy sources. It requires an inclusive and fair process that tackles systemic inequalities and demanding consumption patterns…
-
Blog / 30 January 2025
Brumadinho’s painful “seas of mud”
By Carolina de Moura
Six years ago, Brumadinho tailings dam I, from the Paraopeba Complex, owned by mining company Vale, collapsed. January 25th, 2019, forever changed the lives of thousands. The scars remain open, and the quest for justice, remembrance, and prevention of future mining crimes endures despite all adversities. This was manslaughter coupled with socio-environmental devastation of proportions difficult to measure. These are irreparable losses and damages that could have been avoided if it wasn’t for the greed, negligence, and irresponsibility of decision-makers at Vale, the German…
-
News / 24 December 2024
Dare to Trust: a journey of culture, renewal, and empowerment of Sengwer women
Historically, the Sengwer community has lived in harmony with their environment, relying on forest resources for sustenance and integrating conservation into their daily lives. However, recent government policies aimed at forest protection have limited their access to these ancestral lands. Although these regulations intend to protect the environment, they often disregard the traditional conservation practices of indigenous communities like the Sengwer, who have been natural stewards of these lands for generations. Faced with these restrictions, the Segerger Women’s Conservation…
-
News / 24 December 2024
Fórum Suape empowers women's groups with Dare to Trust-grants
Fórum Suape decided to help several women’s groups in their network. First, they wanted to understand the desires and needs of each group, with the aim of fostering collective thinking and understanding their collective interests and goals. Five groups were selected, one group had difficulty in…
-
News / 23 December 2024
Dare to Trust: Our stories (Instituto Cordilheira)
Instituto Cordilheira in Brazil has a vast network of grassroot organisations in Brazil. With a lot of creativity they were able to assist many of them with…
-
Blog / 2 December 2024
COP29: devastating outcomes, but our partners are a beacon of hope
By Daan Robben and Marius TroostWhat to think of the outcomes of this year’s Conference of the Parties (COP29) of the UNFCCC? As it has been so many times, we look back with mixed feelings. On the one hand, the negotiations had very devastating outcomes. On the other hand, working so close together with our many partners and…
-
News / 11 November 2024
Kenya Terminates Bilateral Investment Treaty with the Netherlands
The government of Kenya has officially terminated its bilateral investment treaty (BIT) with the Netherlands, marking a significant win for economic justice and environmental protection. Kenya’s decision reflects a growing global trend of rethinking outdated treaties that often prioritize corporate interests over public welfare. The Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development recently confirmed that Kenya unilaterally ended the treaty in December 2023, rendering it inoperative from 11 June 2024. Kenya now joins South Africa, Tanzania, and Burkina Faso as the fourth African country to…
-
News / 1 November 2024
Both ENDS at COP29: advocating for gender just climate finance
On November 11th, the 29th UN Climate Conference will start in Baku, Azerbaijan. Just like previous years, Both ENDS will be there to advocate for local access to climate finance, and to support our partner organisations in their advocacy work. How do we do that, and what are our hopes (and worries)…
-
News / 21 October 2024
Disappointment over failure to submit National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
We are deeply disappointed and frustrated that the Dutch government has not submitted its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) for…
-
News / 3 October 2024
CVM trial of Vale Executives over Brumadinho Dam Collapse brings new momentum
Fabio Schvartsman and Gerd Peter Poppinga attended a Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM) trial session, last Tuesday, October 1st. Poppinga was convicted by one of the CMV directors, but the second CMV director requested more time to review the case files, postponing the judgment by 60…
-
Blog / 29 August 2024
Local action for resilient wetlands and riparian lands of the Athi river basin in Kenya
and Kyra Pohlan
Communities throughout the Athi river basin rely on healthy and resilient semi-aquatic ecosystems, such as riparian and wetland areas, for their well-being and livelihoods. These habitats have become ever more important for local communities in adapting to the effects of climate change, in particular the more frequent and more extreme periods of drought and flooding. By conserving and re-establishing riparian lands and wetlands, groups from the…
-
News / 26 April 2024
Communities Urgent Warning Ahead of Vale S.A.’s Annual Meeting: Stop Ongoing Abuses of People and Environment
As shareholders in Brazilian mining giant Vale S.A prepare to gather online for the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), communities from Brazil to Indonesia criticize the company’s track record on human rights and environmental stewardship. They also point to the almost $50 billion in mounting…
-
Blog / 26 February 2024
Brumadinho: 5 years without justice
On January 25, 2019, Brumadinho region witnessed a tragedy-crime that claimed 272 lives, including two unborn children, affectionately called "Jewels" in response to VALE’s declarations that the company, as a Brazilian jewel, should not be condemned for an accident. However, the investigations…
-
Blog / 26 February 2024
Impacts of the fossil fuel sector in Guanabara Bay
Last September, together with our Brazilian partner FASE, Marius Troost of Both ENDS visited Guanabara Bay (near Rio de Janeiro) to map the impacts of the fossil fuel sector there. During the trip, he was struck by the braveness and fearlessness of the local fisherfolk who protest the injustices faced by…
-
Letter / 24 January 2024
Letter to investors in Vale
January 25th, 2024 is the solemn 5-year mark of the Brumadinho upstream mining dam collapse, Brazil’s worst environmental and industrial disaster that killed 272 innocent people and unleashed 12 million cubic metres of ore tailing into the surrounding areas including the Paraopeba River – a crucial tributary of the second largest river in the country.