Creating peace within herself, her circumstances, and her outcomes: Her peacebuilding never stops.
This is what a colleague once said about Nienke. Born just a mile away from the International Peace Palace in The Hague in 1067, peace, inclusion and dignity seemed always a topic in her life. Listening is the core element for Nienke. Knowing your own (inner) voice and staying open to hear also others, even what you dislike, there is always something underneath.
Peacebuilding and NVC techniques in communication were used by several peacebuilders, like Dr Scilla Elworthy and Sheva Carr, who trained Nienke. Nienke completed the year-long Program Businessplan For Peace and became a co-facilitator of the Mighty Heart program of Plan for Peace.
Nienke founded the Building Bridge Connecting Worlds initiative. With a group of women, she led the Building Bridges Peace Month in 2022, which included globally published interviews and an international Peace Conference held at the Former Royal Palace Soestdijk.
The Geneva Peaceweek.
For two years, Nienke has contributed to Geneva Peaceweek with a podcast in collaboration with Dr Scilla Elworthy, the Female Wave of Change and Kawtar El Aloui.
Entrepreneurship
Nienke was raised in a family with a mother who had a disability. Growing up in this environment, caring for others became a natural and rewarding part of her life. When the time came to choose a field of study after high school, nursing was a natural choice, aligning with her upbringing and values.
She progressed through the healthcare sector and eventually became a senior manager in elderly care and hospices. However, Nienke felt she had more to offer the world and sought a broader impact.
After earning her bachelor’s degree, and now a single mother, she made the bold decision to become an entrepreneur. She initially focused on the field of personal values and motivational drives, obtaining a license in Profile Dynamics, based on Graves’ Spiral Dynamics.
When the global financial crisis hit in 2008, Nienke began searching for opportunities that would allow her to serve while also providing a sustainable income. This led her into the world of entrepreneurship. Over time, she became a serial entrepreneur, and from the insights and experiences she gained, she went on to coach start-ups and scale-ups for approximately seven years.