Our Team
Katerina Soland
I come from Russia but grew up in Finland with my parents, two brothers, and a couple of dogs and cats. I decided to pursue my studies in The Netherlands right after completing high-school, where I met the rest of my wonderful team.
Although my main passion is anything climate change related, I recently got into exploring cultural history and characteristics, to see how our culture informs our actions. I am also very interested in exploring this question in other cultures all over the world, to see diversity of the realities that shape our lives.
Katya´s vision on the wellbeing Framework
There are several key changes I would like to see within the well-being system.
Firstly, I would like for the definition of well-being, and the metrics according to which it is measured, to be open to more diverse perspectives. Despite what may be proposed by the dominant social paradigm, there is more to well-being than personal success, employment, and attainment of certain educational standards.
Secondly, I would like people (including myself) to learn to take a critical look on the intentions with which we approach the attainment of well-being. For instance, by considering whether we are working on our well-being for the sake of being well, or for the sake of being well enough to continue to being productive at work to reach financial goals.
Finally, I would like the definition of well-being to be more balanced. By promoting the idea that the status of well-being involves the absence of negative emotions and experiences, we are setting an unnecessary and unrealistic standard for ourselves. Instead, we should come to recognise that feeling the entire spectrum of human emotion is entirely natural, and that we should strive to maintain a healthy balance between the negative and the positive.
Zarina Boekhoudt
I was born and raised in Aruba, a tiny island in the Caribbean.
My family has been on the island for generations, and I am so grateful to be one of the lucky few that get to call this place my home. Coming from a country that has quite a colonial history, I have always had an interest in decolonization and seeing where these colonial patterns still exist within our society. Especially since moving away, I have been confronted with the harsh reality that we are still facing the consequences of other countries’ actions on Aruba, and to truly decolonize Aruba, there’s a lot of work that still needs to be done.
Initially I had an interest in learning about the way that language can influence our well-being. Over time, it has developed into this beautiful journey of gaining understanding on the topic of well-being as a whole, with all its different definitions and intricacies. By learning all the different facets of well-being and exploring how different parts of the world define it, I can see the impact that it has had on my life this semester. While it has been helpful and healing to learn about how history has impacted the well-being of people all over the world, it has also been so eye opening to understand that there are different, more community focused, less commercial ways of getting well.
Zarina´s vision on the wellbeing Framework
I imagine well-being growing into a subject which individuals naturally engage in open conversations about, rather than one surrounded in sensitivity and taboo. Well-being has traditionally been seen in my local community as an extremely personal and delicate topic.
My intention is to help bring about a paradigm-shifting transformation of this perception and promote open discourse.
By addressing the misunderstandings around well-being, we foster a more open environment where people are comfortable expressing who they really are. Through this change, we are able to embrace and present the real, complete versions of ourselves. I firmly believe that this shift is achievable through a steady process of empowerment, where individuals become living examples of well-being in action. By living these values as a collective, we can naturally create a space that accepts and normalises conversations about wellbeing and promotes a stronger sense of community.
Louisa Edekobi
I was born in Berlin, Germany, and grew up in various cities across the country.
My mixed German-Nigerian heritage provided me a unique connection to two different cultures, offering diverse experiences and new perspectives. I’ve always been interested in emotional well-being and diverse ways/approaches of human re-connection, and especially the Value Creators programme exposed and introduced me to alternative value systems and social structures. By pursuing my current study in the Netherlands, I met my loving team.
Together, we initiated this exciting journey, delving into the complex system of well-being.
My fascination about the topic grew, as we deeply explored the impact of our global value system and cultural dimensions on human well-being and recognised their influence on our interrelatedness/connection to ourselves, others and nature. Acknowledging and learning about the existing well-being crisis and examining its historical context, deepened my passion and engagement within the well-being movement, including the challenges of individual, collective and planetary well-being.
Louisa´s vision on the wellbeing Framework
Within the well-being framework, envisioning change involves addressing the identified strong imbalance within the global scheme and acknowledging a notion of disconnection. Hence, by acknowledging the need and urgency for transformative change and reconnection, the focus extends to redesigning the human presence on Earth.
Throughout the Value Creators programme, our interactions with cultural concepts and social systems centred on individual, collective and planetary needs, underlining the pressing urge for a paradigm shift within the global society. I hope that we can recognise and accept the current pain in the system and collectively move towards a reconsideration and redesigning of our impact on the planet, in order to enhance a more balanced and interconnected human well-being.
Sarah Ghasemi
I was born and raised in Ecuador with a mix of Ecuadorian and Iranian heritage. Throughout my life, I've actively engaged in projects and initiatives focused on social change. During my final school year, I conducted research shedding light on the double exclusion faced by indigenous women in Ecuador. Witnessing the disparities and recognizing the need for collaborative efforts, my passion grew for advocating women's rights, preserving ethnic identity, and fostering positive social change. Therefore, I'm committed to contributing to a more equitable, compassionate, and inclusive world.
At the beginning of my Value Creators journey, my aim was centred on indigenous peoples' rights. Yet, discussions with my team uncovered the depth of various cultures, echoing the sense of community and gratitude. This sharply contrasts with today's prevailing social paradigm, which fosters individualism and consumerism. This awareness ignited my passion to delve deeper into this subject, working towards positive change in both the system and ourselves, which will contribute to a more compassionate world.
Sarah´s vision on the wellbeing Framework
I imagine a world where individuals are intricately connected, valuing not only each other but also the profound interconnectedness with nature and surroundings. I envision a moment where people pause, recognising that life is not merely about survival but a journey toward happiness and peace—with oneself, others, and the natural world.