Our Mission
Pollution is growing at an alarming rate, calling for immediate action. Over the last decades there has been a growing global awareness of pollution and climate change. Happy Green World wants to make its own modest contribution by teaching and empowering children.
Happy Green World is convinced that children who learn sustainable behaviour at a young age, will become adults who actively contribute to a cleaner and healthier living environment.
The foundation believes in small-scale, local projects. Our educational programmes are practical, playful and show that you can achieve results quickly. Students develop an environmental awareness, which will encourage sustainable behaviour with minimal effort.
Children gain self-confidence and increase their involvement in their environment, which can have a positive effect on the adults around them. That is the power of Happy Green World’s educational programmes.
"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children”
- Native American Proverb
"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children”
- Native American Proverb
Our Team
Marlou Jongejan- Bessem
Founder
Marlou started her journey with environmental education in Cairo, Egypt in 2009. She was confronted daily with enormous amounts of rubbish on the streets and was compelled to make a change. She wanted to educate future generations on the sustainable and waste-free lifestyle habits. She then founded Happy Green World in 2013. Marlou loves to collaborate with partners from around the world and has a huge appreciation for the diversity different cultures bring. She loves to be challenged and is always working on a new project!
Petra Houweling
Illustrator
Petra studied graphic design in the Netherlands and has worked as an illustrator on a range of programs for Happy Green World. Petra illustrates primarily for educational purposes. Her style is characterised by bright, warm colours. She loves being able to spend time working on the details of each individual education programs, making sure that each is recognisable to the children of that country. Everything from giraffes to llamas!
Karin van Jeveren
Volunteer
Karin studied Communication & Design in the Netherlands. At the beginning of 2018 she relocated to Australia with her family. In 2020 she started volunteering for the Happy Green World Foundation because she believes in the power of education and the importance of educating children on sustainability, recycling, and climate change from a young age. By starting education early, these sustainable behaviours become a normal way of living.