Our story: how did we get here?
Our journey began under the shade of a fig tree in the Ethiopian highlands, where farmers gathered to express growing worries about land degradation and climate changes. Among them were doctoral students Sil and Miro, joined by forest expert Seifu. Motivated to act, they launched the EthioTrees project in 2016, aimed at restoring ecosystems and supporting smallholders and landless farmers through agroforestry practices. To guide their efforts, the Plan Vivo standard was chosen for its inclusive and community-rooted vision of climate action.
In 2020, the Tigray famine brought immense uncertainty to the region. While many projects withdrew, EthioTrees remained and provided critical support to affected communities. This resilience proved the durability of the community-driven model and inspired the creation of Climate Lab.
We expanded this approach across Mozambique, Cameroon, Madagascar, and Bolivia, building a global network where knowledge is shared, and people collaborate to restore landscapes and strengthen communities.
Their Vision is Our Mission
We partner with communities to implement nature-based solutions that foster environmental resilience and meaningful social change. Our mission is to co-create the conditions for communities to mobilize their own resources and bring their vision to life.
Marceline
Farmer (Voa Aina)
Julien
Farmer (Voa Aina)
Teame
Landless farmer (EthioTrees)
Navarana
Community agent (Voa Aina)
Letay
Farmer (EthioTrees)
Roland
Farmer (Fes Enying)
Haffu
School director (EthioTrees)
We believe in
Meaningful Social Impact
We are committed to driving meaningful, measurable, and lasting change. Through rigorous assessments, we ensure our projects meet community needs, track all impacts, and we adapt our actions accordingly.
Committed Communities
We partner with communities to create the conditions that enable them to mobilize their resources and drive change. By engaging communities at every step, our projects foster meaningful knowledge exchange and a deep sense of ownership.
True Partnerships
Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do. We forge strong, trust-based partnerships with local communities, organizations, and stakeholders to co-create solutions that are equitable, effective, and sustainable.
High-Integrity Carbon Credits
We ensure full transparency and accountability by generating ex-post removals, guaranteeing that every credit reflects realized carbon sequestration with immediate environmental and social benefits.
Science-backed solutions
We believe in the power of data and robust research to inform our actions. Our projects are grounded in scientific evidence, ensuring that our solutions are impactful, scalable, and adaptable to evolving climate and community needs.
Our team
We are a passionate, multidisciplinary team from diverse backgrounds, united by a shared mission: to restore the environment and support the communities that rely on it.
Miro Jacob
Co-founder
Ialy Rakotoarivelo
Project Coordinator Voa Aina
Sil Lanckriet
Co-founder
Jade Timperman
Project Lead
Seifu Gebreslassie
Project Coordinator EthioTrees
Lianne Pieterson
Social Impact and Media Officer
Samuel Sibanda
Project Coordinator Kukumuty
François Yoboh
Project Coordinator Fes Enying
Claudio Vazquez Salinas
Project Coordinator BoliTrees
Key Roles
Our team brings together hundreds of dedicated individuals, from rangers working in the field to our support team in Belgium. Every role is essential in turning our project’s vision into reality.
Gebrekidan
— Project Support Officer, EthioTrees
“Our ultimate goal is to foster a sense of ownership among the communities we work with, for them to see the tree as theirs, something they care for and protect.”
Seguin
— Nursery worker, Voa Aina
“We don’t just share seedlings, we share our knowledge through new farming techniques”
Léa
— Communication and sensitisation responsible, Fes Enying
“This work has transformed me. It has taught me to listen with my heart, to understand the realities on the ground, and to believe even more in the power of human commitment.“
Juste
— Technical Expert, Voa Aina
“We need both nature and development, it’s all about finding the right balance”
Suzie
— Social Expert, Voa Aina
“Working with communities means caring, listening, and supporting, but above all, it means accepting people as they are“
Atakhi
— Ranger, EthioTrees
“I protect our exclosure from illegal cutting to maximize benefits to our community. Restoring our land is the greatest reward, it’s our insurance for the years to come.”
Odile
— Technical Assistant, Fes Enying
“When the community unites for nature, nature blesses the community”
Guesh
— Sub-Office Coordinator, EthioTrees
“Some farmers have started growing their own seedlings in response to the rising demand. This shift is a direct result of the on-the-job training provided in the nurseries, creating new income opportunities for our farmers.”
Armand
— Nursery worker, Fes Enying
“I started with my own small nursery at home, now I am responsible for the nursery in Moinkoing. I like helping the farmers take care of their plants after the distribution.”
Siméon
— Technical director, Fes Enying
“In my job, you have to be in contact with all the traditional chiefs and sectoral representatives, not forgetting the communities. It’s a new family. “
Tsige
— Nursery worker, EthioTrees
“We use grafting techniques to improve fruit production and quality, while also keeping the trees shorter so farmers can harvest more easily. All of this helps increase their income.”
Partner with us for traceable change
Join us in co-creating sustainable solutions that tackle climate change, protect nature, and support vulnerable communities.