Welcome to our January NbS Foundation Course Scholars

We warmly welcome our scholars, who join a diverse cohort of participants from all over the world for our January 2024 executive education course on nature-based solutions.

Serge Angali (Democratic Republic of Congo)

Serge is a Biomonitoring Intern for the African Wildlife Foundation at Lomako Fauna Reserve in Western of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He holds a bachelor’s degree in ecology and Natural Resources Management from the University of Kisangani, and a master’s degree in Ecology from Northeast forestry University of Harbin in China, funded by the Chinese Government scholarship. Serge volunteered for One Tree planted as a tree ambassador for five months, and then worked as a Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) assistant. His volunteering work enabled him to consolidate skills in wildlife management, protected areas management and conservation technology.

Joseph Badevokila (Republic of Congo)

Joseph works for SouthSouthNorth as the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) programme Manager for francophone Africa. He previously worked at the World Bank’s local office, where he oversaw the NDC Partnership support and implementation, developing a country roadmap for a post COVID-19 economic recovery. Joseph also volunteered with the Blockchain & Climate Institute (BCI) to promote the use of blockchain technology to leapfrog access to climate finance, enhancing transparency of support and action, and accelerating the climate resilience priorities in Africa. With over a decade of experience in climate and environmental management, Joseph served as an Advisor at the Presidency of the Republic of Congo and at the Ministry in charge of Environment Affairs.

Yessy Garay Arce (Peru)

Yessy is a sovereign debt analyst at the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Peru and holds an SCR certificate, with responsibilities including projecting Peru’s public debt, identifying potential risks in its trajectory, and providing policy recommendations to preserve Peru’s fiscal sustainability. Yessy was motivated to apply for the Nature-based Solutions Foundation Course to acquire the necessary tools to promote the implementation of public policy measures that tackle climate risks and promote sustainable development while simultaneously ensuring the conservation and restoration of nature.

Christine Majeni (Kenya)

Christine is a marine conservationist and founded the Wi-blue.org that works to advance the contributions of girls and women in the development of an inclusive and sustainable Blue Economy. She has been instrumental in promoting sustainable tourism, campaigning for clean seas and encouraging the use of nature-based solutions in the restoration of the coastal ecosystems. She works with Global Peace Foundation Kenya as a Youth Environment Volunteer coordinator where she spearheads youth involvement in climate action. Christine formerly held the title ‘Miss Tourism Kilifi County’ and served in the Stockholm+50 Global Youth Taskforce. Christine is committed to building a climate resilient future for coastal communities and believes that nature-based solutions are a crucial and effective approach to achieving this goal.

Vicente Pavani Matte (Chile)

Vicente works in the support of tech and scientific-based startups who are pushing the boundaries for a more breathable, liveable, sustainable, and equitable future. He previously practiced law in corporate affairs, infrastructure development, and public affairs at a governmental level. Vicente is enthused to join the Nature-based Solutions Foundation Course, to gain a conceptual and practical framework on the potential of nature-based solutions as a critical component of the portfolio of actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Even further, to explore the innovative solutions that can be crafted by leveraging law, science and entrepreneurial drive so we can enter into a new agreement with nature for a respectful development of life.

Rasha Sukkarieh (Lebanon)

Rasha is a Lebanese architect, researcher, and project manager, who is deeply immersed in community development and interested in the intersection of academia and practice. She focuses on bridging theory and application through practice-based research, addressing challenges in the context of climate vulnerabilities and socio-political unrest. Rasha’s hometown has rich biodiversity, yet the concept of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) remains relatively unexplored, and given the vulnerabilities inherent in the region, NbS emerges as an indispensable tool for sustainable development. Rasha is eager to explore the realm of NbS, and envisions leveraging this knowledge not only to implement transformative projects in Beirut but also to contribute substantively to the literature, thereby advocating for policy change and fostering community engagement.

Find out more and apply for the next course intake here.