The Team

Barbara Somers

My name is Barbara. I am from the good year of 1956, born in the Netherlands. I met my husband Kawsu in 1996 in Senegal. We moved to The Gambia and built two guesthouses in local communities named Kairoh Garden. Our focus is to organize programs, meetings and journeys in which it is possible to learn in, and from, other cultures. Next to that I am the secretary of the VSG Verenigde Stichtingen Gambia (Association United Foundations Gambia). In the Mala project I am both a client and a supervisor. Gambia is in a transitioning phase today. Empowerment and entrepreneurship, especially for the youth, is an important subject, because they are the ones who are carrying the future of the country. Making strong and effective connections between vocational education and entrepreneurship would help the youth, and would contribute to the development of themselves, their families and community.


Otto Kroesen

My name is Otto Kroesen. I have been the supervisor in the project from the side of the Delft University of Technology. I am assistant professor in cross-cultural entrepreneurship. My focus is the question how small and medium enterprises can start-up and grow in a different cultural (values) and social (institutions) environment. The project supervision and teaching in cross-cultural entrepreneurship takes place within the framework of the minor program International Entrepreneurship and Development. 


Merel van der Ven

My name is Merel and I am an University College Bachelor student. Due to my double major in International Relations and Economics & Business at the Erasmus University I got very interested in the subject of sustainability and development aid.  During my Student Board year at Unicef Students Rotterdam and my exchange semester in Hong Kong these interests were intensified even more. This is why I feel very enthusiastic about our upcoming project in the Gambia. Due to my academic background I will mainly focus on visualizing and mapping the existing economic market in the Gambia hereby identifying potential problems and hopefully giving the involved Gambian stakeholders a voice. 


Hibbe Amema

My name is Hibbe and I am a third year Architecture student working on the minors program of International Entrepreneurship and Development. Starting this project really appeals to me and especially the fact that we will carry our knowledge forward to The Gambia to help the country and its citizens to grow. With my architecture and the built environment background I'm going to focus on the production and the sustainable aspect. 


Amber Liqui Lung

My name is Amber and I am a third year clinical technology student. At this point I'm doing my minor in International Entrepreneurship and Development. In my free time I coach high competition rowing and I recently started playing rugby. Since I was young I love to travel, meet new people, experience new cultures and enjoying all the beauty's of nature. In this project, my focus lies on the local people and our culture differences. How do we communicate with them? How can we motivate students to become young entrepreneurs?