Board Members

Marijn Wiersma, treasurer

Marijn is a medical anthropologist who has worked since 1995 in several African countries for organisations such as Médecins Sans Frontières Holland and the World Food Programme of the United Nations.
“From 2003 untill 2007 I lived with my husband and four children in Zambia. Since 2004 I have been working as senior project manager for PharmAccess international (PAI), a foundation that aims to provide access to highly active antiretroviral therapy for more HIV/AIDS patients in developing countries by means of the private sector. My work experience in several African countries has shown me that education can play an important role in improving the living circumstances of many people, especially when it is aimed at reinforcing the health system. The Lusaka Health Institute and the Getu foundation do that in a very concrete manner: training nurses is vital for tackling a number of serious problems in Zambia.”
Since January 2008 Marijn works as a social specialist for FMO (Netherlands Development Bank).
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Fons van Hoek, chairman

Fons studied biomedical sciences in Leiden and hotel management in The Hague.
“I work as operations manager for a large hotel chain. I got involved in the LNI due to my long friendship with Marijn and her family, we have always visited them wherever they were stationed, and have in this way experienced a lot in several African countries. I love travelling on the African continent and the things you experience there.
When Marijn started with the school, it soon became clear that in the first years a considerable amount of outside funding would be needed to get everything going. There I saw a role for myself in facilitation and support. The next logical step was to establish a foundation in the Netherlands to raise funds for the school in a more professional way. It is good to inspire people in our own environment to make them see the importance of such a school in Zambia. Thus the love for Africa goes further then just travel and enjoying all the beautiful things.”
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Jasper de Grood, secretary

Jasper is secretary as of July, 1, 2010.

Marco Oskamp, member

Engineer, entrepreneur and Africa-traveller
“During our long travels in Africa my wife Myrthe and I have spent quite some time in Zambia, a fascinating country. After we had travelled and worked there, we wanted to make our personal contribution. When Marijn, whom we met by coincidence in Lusaka, told us about her plans for the nursing institute, everything fell into place. Because we have gained an understanding of how people think, live and work in Africa, we can help with African thinking and combine it with European action. Together we manage a company that helps people preparing for adventurous 4x4 travel in Africa. The passion for Africa is what has brought us to support the LHI.”
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