Our foundation’s board

All board members, as well as volunteers, work unremunerated for Teachers for Africa Foundation.

Carine van den BergFounder and Board Member

“I was born in South Africa and emigrated to the Netherlands when I was eight. I founded Teachers for Africa in 2009 and have been the driving force behind the foundation up to the present day. My passion for education, South Africa and internationalisation all come together in this position. As a high school teacher I like to stay committed to the cause of equal opportunities in education in my country of birth.”

Esther MooijTreasurer

“Six years ago, I came into contact with Teachers for Africa through a friend, and was immediately enthousiastic. Since then, I voluntarily work for the foundation in the field of finances and in the autumn of 2017, I joined the foundation’s board. In the past, I used to think that education was a necessary evil, but now I realise that it is an amazing privilege that everybody should be able to enjoy! It offers you opportunities in society and makes you independent, which in its turn creates freedom. I love to contribute to the less fortunate with this group of energetic people!”

Gerard DamChairman

“In 2016, I went to South Africa for a year to work as sport and education coordinator for Teachers for Africa. At the versatile projects in and around Phalaborwa I could truly give my passion for sport and development a place. After I came back, the love for the country, the projects and children certainly did not fade away. That is why I have stayed active within the foundation as a general board member, next to my job as teacher on the HAN Sport en Bewegen in Nijmegen, Netherlands. Through my involvement I hope to give the local children extra chances for the future.”

Coenraad SassenSecretary

“I had been doing occasional volunteer work for Teachers for Africa foundation for quite some time, and when Carine asked me to join the board I happily said yes! As a person with a heart for South Africa, the foundation and its goals really appeal to me. It feels like a wonderful opportunity to make a real impact on the lives of people disadvantaged compared to us. With Teachers for Africa, I can turn my passion into concrete steps, and together with the team we strive to make positive change. Currently, I am mainly concerned with improving the organisational facets of the foundation, such as creating a new website.”

Bert KrielenBoard member

“In the third year of my Sport and Physical Activity Education studies, I did a six-month internship in South Africa, where I set up various projects at a social skill centre and a primary school, among other things. When I returned, I realised how much I had enjoyed this work. This combined with a love for the country itself made me look for ways to continue this work. So in 2020, I started the master’s in Sport and Activity Innovation, for which we address an issue and implement an innovation. For me, the choice was easy and, through Gerard, I ended up at Teachers for Africa.”