THE TEAM
7 Countries & 8 Individual
Life Stories
Ingrid Bremmers - Journalist
I am Ingrid from The Netherlands. I am a twenty-one-year-old Cultural Anthropology student at Utrecht University. Cultural Anthropology, a study that is all about emerging yourself in a different culture through the practice of participant observation. A practice of ‘being there’. I joined the Wonderful Maluku Project, to put this into practice and to most of all ‘live like a native’. ‘Going native’ and participating in the villagers’ everyday life gave me insights about life (in its purest form) that I never could have quested before entering the project. On how each life, each heart, and each mind consists of a different story. Something I found in Kaibobo. Kaibobo, a village where the impossible is possible and where the villagers show their care and love for you by the light in their eyes and the warmth of their hearts.
​
Teresa Cancola - Journalist
My Name is Teresa, I am from Austria and 26 years old. I started my adult-like journey studying Environmental Sciences and Geography in Graz after I had finished my studies in English literature. After that I started focusing on art with the main tool of photography and by now it is 2019 and I study at the Royal Academy of Art in Den Haag in The Netherlands. In 2017 though, I wanted to only focus on the project - which I did! With all my heart and my soul I tried to leave this island having left a positive impact on the villagers and its home.
I wanted to join this project because of its uniqueness and usefulness. Usefulness for both parties involved, the villagers and me. Since for me, it was a huge chance to get even more deeper into the field of environment, anthropology, photography and journalism. Besides this, I was also ready again to go on a next adventure of travelling. An adventure that I spontaneously started by just buying a flight ticket and no plans. This spontaneous action has led me to Kaibobo. A village so incredibly interesting and teaching my mind everlasting. With all the experience made, the people I've met it has taught me that it is the small things in life, the simplicity, which is the main key to true happiness. But also that you should not ask what is wrong, but ask what is possible. And by learning this I have also learned to follow the signs and to take the risks to find my way to my own glorious adventure.
Tessa Jansen - Product Innovation
I am Tessa, a twenty-one-year-old student from The Netherlands. In September 2017 I will start my master Supply Chain Management in Rotterdam to reach my ultimate goal: develop sustainable global food supply chains. In this way I hope to contribute to the improvement of quality of life for all people around the world. In Kaibobo, I want to contribute to this by exploring its potential. This is partly why I wanted to join the Wonderful Maluku Project. The other part would be because it enables me to experience life in a non-western country and work together with an international group of students. Furthermore, I joined this project in Indonesia because I was curious how the Dutch colonization left its footprint in the country. A country that has opened its borders for me to explore Kaibobo. A village in which there is something new to discover every single day because of the beauty hidden in the people and the unexplored, but most certainly beautiful environment.
Facundo Huentelaf - Marketing
My name is Facu, short for Facundo. I am twenty-seven-years-old and come from Argentina. I love to practice any kind of sport, even more when they are connected to ‘Mother Nature’. Nature, an important phenomenon in my life and something I try to respect as much as possible. It also plays a significant role in Kaibobo. Because besides its beauty, the villagers also use it a lot for farming and fishing. The villagers on the other hand are full of kindness. But before I came to know this, I wanted to join the Wonderful Maluku Project because I wanted to do something totally different from what I was doing. Something more meaningful, something with a positive impact on society.
Giorgia Fumagalli - Marketing
I am Giorgia, Gio, a twenty-three-year-old master student in International Business. The latter takes place in France, even though I am originally from Italy. By finishing this master, I would love to come closer to fulfilling my dream: working in a multinational company for the corporate social responsibility unit, and developing business initiatives that respect the environment and human rights. This social and humanitarian aspect is part of why I chose to join the project. Another main reason would be that I wrote my bachelor thesis on business initiatives at the bottom of the economic pyramid (aiming at improving peoples’ life in underdeveloped countries) and therefore I loved the idea of putting into practice what I have been researching for a while. Also, I loved the idea of trying to promote tourism since I am a ‘passionate’ traveler. A traveler that has found her way to Kaibobo. An isolated but amazing village where you never know what is going to happen next. But through all of these experiences I have had so far in Kaibobo, I have come to realize how simple and basic life is for some people. On top of that, me and many others, would come to appreciate the small comforts that we have in the western world. But at the same time, the village life, makes you feel like you miss the kind of simplicity, easiness, wilderness, peace and quiet that you can find in a place like Kaibobo.
​
Tom Fajersztein - Business Development
Hi, I am Tom. A twenty-four-year-old student from Paris, France. At the moment I am studying at a business school to later on become a financial manager. And as much as I love my city, I needed something totally different from my daily life and routines. On top of that, I wanted to see if people on the other side of the world, who are less connected to Internet, were less happy. And besides this, I also wanted to help the villagers to get a better life, which is why I joined the Wonderful Maluku Project. It is here, in Kaibobo, that I discovered the opposite of everything that I know. I discovered a new way of living. A way in which people are definitely not less happy than in France. They are proud of where they come from and I have come to realize that the less you have, the happier you are. And even though the villagers are already really happy, it is cool to help them in improving their living standards. What we get in return? Kindness.
​
​
​
Roman Risch - Business Development
My name is Roman and I am a twenty-four-year-old from Germany. I studied Economics and Business in Basel (Switzerland) and joined the Wonderful Maluku Project because I wanted to experience Indonesia. A country where there is a total different culture compared to the western cultures. I also wanted to help people in the village so they can make more out of themselves. That is why I came to Kaibobo. Kaibobo, a village where the children are always in for doing something and where the scenery is simply amazing. The same goes for Ula Island and Kasa Island.
​
​
​
Pham Thi Thien Moc - Business Development
I am Moc, a twenty-four-year-old woman from Vietnam. Before taking part in the Wonderful Maluku Project I studied Finance and Banking and took part in other social projects around the world. I wanted to join this particular project though, because of the cultural diversity between the volunteers that joined the project and the cultural diversity within Asia. Besides learning a lot about these differences, I have come to love Kaibobo for the people. The people, whom are very kind and take care of one another.
Nurul Rezkianti - Project Coordinator
My name is Nurul (nickname Cici), twenty-one years old and I am from Palu (Indonesia). I study English Language in Malang and I am the vice president of the marketing department in my local AIESEC association. Even though this had already brought me closer to finding out my passion in life, it still felt like I did not have the full AIESEC experience. That is why I joined The Wonderful Maluku Project. A project in which I could experience new things.
The project in Kaibobo did not disappoint. I learned about myself, my limits, my own country and the respect I should have for myself. Actually, a lot of things I could not find in the place I live, I found here. But I also learned a lot from the volunteers. They taught me how to listen more, and how to put myself forward. They taught me about confidence. But most of all, I learned me how to look at challenges: not as a problem, but as a solution that needs to be found. The latter, I also got better at because of the Wonderful Maluku Project.
