WakaWaka, Co-founder Maurits Groen with Tuaca Kelly

Maurits Groen - Vice President

During his study political science he became interested in environmental and developmental issues and joined activist groups in The Netherlands. From '78 to '82 he was chief editor and publisher of 'Friends of the Earth Netherlands'. In 1982 he founded his own consultancy & communication agency which in the past three decades has consulted both government bodies, the top Dutch enterprises as well as national and international NGO's. He produced various radio and TV documentaries, wrote articles and books and was directly involved in writing the first environmental policy of the Dutch Department of Environment in the 1980's.

In 2010, together with Camille van Gestel he successfully initiated a project which is currently compensating the local carbon emissions of the 2010 FIFA World Cup football in South Africa. Millions of LED bulbs (made by Lemnis Lighting) are replacing polluting incandescent lamps.

Maurits about WakaWaka: "I feel my career so far was merely a preparation for my work for WakaWaka. I talk a lot about the environmental, social and economical challenges in the world. WakaWaka is a showcase of how a simple idea can have a profound impact on the world, comprising all those aspects."

 The WakaWaka Foundation has two main goals:

We devise strategies to make sure solar solutions become available to those who suffer from extreme poverty, live in remote regions or are a victim of forced migration, for example due to wars.

We educate children in developing countries about the health benefits and money-saving benefits of making sustainable choices for their family and community.  

WATCH AT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qU031tNQkE