“Education is the most powerful tool which you can use to change the world.”
Nelson Mandela
Leadership2Impact Academy is proud to partner with Re Jala Peo through our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program, demonstrating our commitment to community development and environmental sustainability in Botswana. As part of this initiative, Katja, plays a key role in supporting Re Jala Peo’s mission of empowering children and promoting environmental awareness.
Re Jala Peo, meaning “Plant a Seed,” is a Botswana-based foundation dedicated to creating a world where all children have the opportunity to grow, learn, and lead their lives with strength, care for their community, and respect for the environment. The foundation was established with the belief that education goes beyond academics.
Since 2018, when Katja introduced the Aflatoun social and financial education program to the Maun region, she has been committed to empowering children to take control of their futures through life skills education. In addition, she is passionate about promoting environmental awareness through initiatives like school gardens, tree-planting activities, and other conservation efforts, in collaboration with the Junior Ranger Botswana Program.
“As a child, I was always eager to learn from nature and the world around me. My travels and experiences, especially working as a volunteer in Peru’s slums, opened my eyes to the potential in every child. I saw the same dreams in those children—becoming doctors, teachers—as I did in children from my own country, the Netherlands. But I asked myself: how can they achieve these dreams without quality education and an inspiring environment? That’s why I founded StartUp4Kids Foundation in the Netherlands in 2009 and, in 2024 together with Theda Knyphausen, Re Jala Peo in Botswana. Our mission is to give children in Botswana the chance to create a happier, healthier and greener life. Together, we are planting the seeds for a brighter future.”
Katja Visser (co-owner Leadership2Impact Academy)