• Education Consultant at Karunia Foundation
• PhD Student Theological University Kampen

In 2011, we moved with our family to Wamena, Papua to work at the university there. Working with local colleagues and students gave us the unique opportunity to get to know the culture and society in the interior of Papua. We have built deep relationships with the people there, who stayed after we repatriated to the Netherlands in 2020.

At the same time, we are concerned about the state of society in the interior of Papua. Children and young people often grow up rudderless. However, we have seen with our own eyes that the solution offered by our university of applied sciences works: not only attention for knowledge and skills, but especially for the personal development of our students, who can make a valuable contribution to society as Christians.

We are happy that we can continue to be involved in Karunia’s work after our return to the Netherlands: me as a consultant and my wife Jacomien as a volunteer.