Libre Foundation Worldwide
'Be the change you want to see in the world.'
Mahatma Ghandi
Completed projects
Trained local leaders
Projects annually completed
Local Project
Coordinators
Our Belief
We envision a world where self-development is the norm, and everyone has the opportunity to pursue their dreams. That’s the future we’re working towards. We start with the most courageous: leaders of community-based organisations (CBOs) in developing countries. Despite facing numerous challenges, these leaders are striving to improve lives in their communities and promote fairness.
Our Support
We contribute by doing what we do best: providing training in leadership and communication skills. We don’t rely on subsidies or donations—we fund our programmes independently. The profits we earn in the Netherlands enable us to offer this training free of charge. This way, local leaders of small organisations, who would otherwise never have access to such training, can develop essential skills.
What We Do
Five-Day Leadership Training
Many of these leaders are already experts in their fields, but expertise doesn’t always translate into effective leadership. Our five-day training equips them with the skills they need to excel in their roles. Participants practice handling real-life situations involving their teams, target groups, local authorities, and donors. They share their personal learning goals and challenges, and our trainers guide them through the process with practical models and exercises.
Libre Foundation Trainer Neelienke Toering was interviewed by the Cape verdean Broadcast! She explains the goals and the concept of our five-day trainings.
Follow-Up training
About a year later, participants are invited to a two-day follow-up session. Together, we reflect on their progress and assess the results. Often, we find that they are able to lead their organisations with greater confidence and ease. During the follow-up, we focus on refining their skills and providing deeper insights to tackle current challenges more effectively.
Our Approach
Each training project in Africa, Asia, or Latin America is organised by a local project coordinator. Working with our experienced international project coordinators, Angela and Daphne, they identify potential participants. These leaders are typically from organisations that focus on street children, education, poverty alleviation, human rights, or community-based initiatives like nutrition, reproductive rights, and agriculture. The common thread? They are all grassroots leaders working to strengthen their communities.
Our International Project Coordinators
Angela Regimbeau-Gonzaléz
Angela has been working for the Libre Foundation since 2017 coordinating social projects in Latin America.
Previously she worked in her country Honduras as a mathematics teacher at the Catholic University and as a production manager at Fruit of the Loon.
She is an Industrial Engineer and has a Master's degree in Business Administration and a specialization in teaching at a higher level.
Daphne Meijer Willems
Daphne has spent over 15 years traveling to and working in Africa and Asia. She previously worked with the Netherlands-African Business Council (NABC), where she organised numerous trade missions, before joining Libre Foundation as an International Project Coordinator. She holds a Master’s degree in Political Science, specialising in International Relations.
Our Trainers
Dutch Trainers
We have a pool of over thirty trainers from the Netherlands, all of whom are experts in leadership development and have extensive experience living and/or working abroad. These trainers are deeply committed to making a positive impact by volunteering their time and expertise.
Local trainers
We are increasingly collaborating with trainers who live in or near our target communities. This approach allows us to work with trainers who share the participants’ native language, reducing cultural barriers, travel distances, and project costs.
We apply the same principles to our global trainer network. Trainers must be highly experienced and successfully pass our rigorous assessment. Like their Dutch counterparts, local trainers volunteer a few days each year and receive a modest fee for additional work to ensure fairness for everyone involved.
Libre’s trainer network now spans 14 nationalities, making it truly diverse and inclusive.
Meet our local trainers
Map of Libre Foundation Trainings
Some of our projects
Malawi
Our first training in Malawi!
Rumphi and Kasungu
In 2024 we facilitated our first Libre training in Malawi. Our Libre trainer Alette Broekens travelled to the north of Malawi for a 5-day training in Rumphi. A few months later our Libre trainer Ruth Bourne went to Kasungu, in the center of Malawi, for the second 5-day training. This year the Follow-Up trainings will take place and new 5-day trainings will be executed in Mzuzu and Mua.
Uganda
Article written about learnings
Bugiri
In March 2024 our Libre trainers Annette Meulmeester and Philippe Bailleur went to Bugiri in Uganda. It was their first trip to Uganda and they wrote an article about Sensemaking after their trip. You can find it via this link.
Nepal and India
Summarizing in a song
Temni
In Nepal we have a local trainer, Ram Chandra Paudel, and every year he facilitates several Libre trainings in Nepal and India. At the end of the training Ram often asks the participants to summarize their learn effects in a local song.
Sri Lanka
We are back!
Moratuwa
Last year we organized two 5-day trainings in Moratuwa, Sri Lanka in cooperation with SERVE International. After many years we returned to Sri Lanka.
Colombia
His first 5-day training!
Valle del Cauca
Moritz Tenthoff started supporting Libre as a local coordinator, and in 2024 became part of our team of local trainers. He developed his first 5-day project in Valle del Cauca, Colombia.
Bolivia
Our first local trainer!
Cochamamba
Andrea Toro, our first local trainer in Latin America developing her 15th project, Cochabamba, Bolivia.
Interested in our trainings?
Please check out these documents: