Ecology,
Culture,
Action.
These are the Core Values that our work at Love For Life is guided by.
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Rooted in ReverenceReverence for life is an attitude of honoring and holding all life as sacred. We believe that reverence arises from a heart-centered consciousness that enables us to awaken to, feel and experience that all life is fundamentally interconnected. Living with reverence means challenging modern cultural values and re-examining our relationships with self, each other, and the living Earth.
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Igniting ImaginationIgniting our imagination allows the mind to transcend the limitations of the past, embrace the potential of the present moment and nurture the blossoming of a new future that our heart knows is possible. Imagining includes holding space for the pain, destruction and injustices in today’s world, while seeing and amplifying the wonder, love and beauty that is equally present.
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Weaving ConnectionsWeaving connections is both a practice and an invitation to embody the interwoven nature of life. It involves engaging as equals in shared power models, facing challenges together, and exploring the possibilities of our interconnectedness. When diverse people collaborate for a common purpose, they forge outcomes and paths that did not exist before unleashing our collective potential.
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Awakening IntuitionIntuition awakens as heart and mind come into coherence and our understanding is informed within us from a seemingly intangible source. We see intuition as access to inner wisdom that is connected to the greater Whole, guiding our lives and from which we develop authentic power. Beyond rationality, it can be felt by everyone as a sense of inner knowing.
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Cultivating CourageCultivating courage for us means being true to who we are, living from the heart and embarking on a journey into the unknown, where new possibilities arise, while embracing the risks of uncertainty, difficulty and resistance. Derived from the Latin root 'cor', meaning heart, courage is the inner strength expressed when we allow the wisdom of the heart to guide our actions.
Meet
the Team
Cristina is a visionary creator, guided by her heart and in service of life. In 2013 she founded Love For Life following her life-long passion to bring together the inner and outer work, recognizing that our state of doing is informed by our state of being. Cristina studied ‘International Development’ and a Master of Arts Program in ‘Peace, Development, Security and International Conflict Transformation’. As a humanitarian and peace worker she lived and worked in numerous countries around the world. For the United Nations, she worked in the IDP camps in northern Uganda while documenting and codifying the traditional restorative justice system (re-)discovering voices of peace and reconciliation in the 2008 peace process. She served on the first congressional campaign of Marianne Williamson which initiated a new political conversation and called for a politics of love to shift our attention upon healing the experiential divide that lies at the root of much of what is unravelling today. Cristina is a multiple-trained, trauma-informed teacher and perpetual student of inner and embodiment practices, social entrepreneur, and Nature lover.
Rose, from Costa Rica, sees life as a journey to enjoy and to be thankful for, especially if we can spread love with everything we do. Rose is Love For Life’s Regional Director in Central and South America overseeing all our projects and programs and coordinating with our partners in the region. Her gift and passion of communicating with compassion, wisdom and patience allows her to connect around the globe. Prior to joining LFL, Rose worked for the UNESCO and for other national and international NGOs in the cultural, educational and environmental sector. Rose loves to learn languages and to get in contact with other cultures. She has a Master’s degree in ‘International Relations’ with a focus on Project Management in International Cooperation. Rose enjoys to empower others to feel good about themselves and to expand their potential. She is convinced that we can make this planet a better place for all by starting to get to know ourselves and to take care of ourselves, each other and the Earth, so that we can embody the change we want to see in the world.
Born in Mexico into a bi-cultural family (German, Spanish), Thomas has soon recognized his global citizenship with rights, privileges, as well as responsibilities towards humanity and the Earth. At Love For Life he follows his vision to mediate among people, creative ideas, and powerful initiatives fostering the transformation of structures on micro and macro levels. He has worked as project manager for various institutions (GIZ, UN ECLAC, MI) and civil society organizations engaged in social inclusion, international cooperation, humanitarian relief and sustainability. Based on his regional focus on Latin America and South Asia, Thomas has lived and worked in Brazil, Chile, India and Sri Lanka. He holds a Master’s degree in International Relations/Political Science (at Humboldt & Free Univ. Berlin, Univ. Potsdam) and conducted his M.A.-Thesis on community-led natural resource management with a focus on gender (as DAAD scholar in New Delhi). Driven by the beauty, but also the inherent contradictions of our world, he embarks on a journey committed to unlearning and building new narratives of interconnectedness, peace and collaboration.
Andrea is a systematic thinker & number cruncher with a strong connection to the natural world and feminine values. Andrea studied Business Administration in Berlin. Since 20 years she is working internationally in large, mid-size and small corporations in Accounting & Controlling. Already early at the beginning of her career she felt the need for change and transformation. In her own journey of personal development this feeling became clearer and formed into a strong vision for life-centered businesses. Life-centered business serve all living creatures now and in the future by providing security for all participants along the circular value chain. These businesses take responsibility to encourage personal development and enable a baseline for a triving future. Andrea’s commitment to Love For Life springs from her heart and the wish to be part of a team creating wonderful and important impact in the world. Andrea ensures that Love For Life’s accounting, budget control and project finances are in perfect order and immaculate.
Among many things, Iva is a granddaughter, daughter, sister, niece, aunt, friend, neighbor, Latin American, traveler, communicator, observer, and above all, a person deeply in love with photography. Over the past half-decade, Iva has had the privilege of documenting projects and people with significant social impact. Her journey has led her to remote rural communities, where she has strategically harnessed digital communication to champion the cause of sustainable development. As Communications Coordinator of Love For life she is dedicated to contributing to a better future for all. Her deep passion for working with Indigenous communities allows her to connect with and learn from their wisdom, enriching her own understanding of our interconnectedness. Now, more than ever, she believes that it is crucial to understand and strengthen our connection to the Earth and it is her pleasure to do so as part of the Love For Life team.
Meet
the Team
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Asociación de Mujeres Indígenas Kábata KönanaAsociación de Mujeres Indígenas Kábata KönanaKábata Könana is the women's organization of the Indigenous Cabécar rainforest territory of Talamanca in Costa Rica. The organization empowers Indigenous women and their families through socioecological, educational and economic activities. Kabata Könana is dedicated to Indigenous women’s leadership and the protection of their land, forests and mountains together with the restoration of their ancient traditions, culture, language and medicine. -
Asociación de Mujeres Artesanas Indígenas EmberáAsociación de Mujeres Artesanas Indígenas EmberáAMARIE is a non-profit organization founded by women artisans of the Ipeti Indigenous Emberá community in Eastern Panama. Its objectives are to train and strengthen the leadership skills of Indigenous women and youth, reinforce their cultural identity and medicine, promote environmental conservation, and improve their economic, social, political and spiritual quality of life based on their cosmovision, traditions and wisdom. -
Coordinadora de Mujeres Líderes Territoriales de MesoamericaCoordinadora de Mujeres Líderes Territoriales de MesoamericaThe Coordinator of Territorial Women Leaders is the semi-autonomous women’s unit of the Mesoamerican Alliance of Peoples and Forests (AMBP). The CMLT coordinates and proposes programs for the inclusion of women and their territorial rights in environmental policies, coordinates dialogue, and advocates for a gender-just and women-led defense of territory, ecosystems and culture of forest communities and Indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica. -
Asociación de Desarrollo Integral del Territorio Indígena Talamanca CabécarAsociación de Desarrollo Integral del Territorio Indígena Talamanca CabécarThe Association for the Integral Development of Talamanca Cabécar represents the Indigenous territorial governance of the Cabécar Territory of Talamanca. ADITICA promotes the social, political, economic, cultural and ecological development and protection of their territory. To ensure the well-being and self-determination of the Cabécar peoples, ADITICA also works closely with the local government, and other public and private institutions. -
AmisachoAmisachoAmisacho is an educational organization dedicated to social, ecological and economic restoration in the northeastern Ecuadorian Amazon. Working together with local and Indigenous communities, Amisacho strengthens and celebrates community resilience and socioecological justice through ecosystem restoration, ecological education, innovative research and production, processing, and commercialization of Amazonian products. -
Clínica AmbientalClínica AmbientalClinica Ambiental is an Ecuadorian non-profit organization that promotes socio-ecological restoration, equality and health in harmony with nature. Clinica Ambiental addresses the most pressing challenges in the Ecuadorian Amazon, combining scientific knowledge, community participation, and technological innovation to create comprehensive, long-term solutions. -
Alianza CeiboAlianza CeiboThe Ceibo Alliance – named after the sacred Ceibo tree of the Amazon symbolizing hope – represents the Ai’Kofan, Siekopai, Siona and Waorani Indigenous peoples of the northeastern Amazon region of Ecuador. The alliance of four Indigenous nationalities was formed to preserve their lands and cultures together in peace. Ceibo supports local programs that address the needs and visions of Indigenous communities.
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Alianza Mesoamericana de Pueblos y BosquesAlianza Mesoamericana de Pueblos y BosquesThe Mesoamerican Alliance of Peoples and Forests is a dialogue and coordination platform for Indigenous governments and community forestry organizations that manage and influence major forests of Mesoamerica. Together, they enhance dialogue on community resource management and advocate for Indigenous rights, benefits and contributions in biodiversity conservation and climate change strategies, influencing policies and international cooperation. -
Red Indígena Bribrí y CabécarRed Indígena Bribrí y CabécarThe Bribrí-Cabécar Indigenous Network includes Indigenous territories of the Atlantic region of Costa Rica (Limón, Talamanca; Siquirres). RIBCA advocates for the fundamental rights of the Bribrí and Cabécar peoples, coordinates local development plans with public institutions and communities, and collaborates with the central government. Since 2005, RIBCA has been working to improve the quality of life of Indigenous peoples. -
Asociación de Comunidades Forestales de PeténAsociación de Comunidades Forestales de PeténThe Association of Forest Communities of Petén is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Guatemala's Maya Biosphere Reserve, focusing on biodiversity and cultural heritage protection. ACOFOP promotes community forestry models, sustainable and certified timber production, marketing, and tourism services, thereby enhancing Petén's territorial governance and ensuring long-term ecosystem and cultural heritage conservation. -
Colectivo WaybilColectivo WaybilColectivo Waybil is an educational organization that aims to share the philosophy and principles of syntropic agriculture, promoting a lifestyle in cooperation and harmony with Nature. They facilitate learning processes in diverse social and environmental contexts, through courses, workshops and programs in collaboration with NGOs, local institutions and private organizations. -
YAKUMYAKUMYAKUM is a non-profit organization working with Indigenous communities in Ecuador’s Amazon region to protect their rainforests, and build cultural, medicinal and food sovereignty, through reforestation with carefully selected native tree species that guarantee production of culturally relevant foods, handicraft materials and medicines. YAKUM also engages in territorial resource mapping and community training for rainforest protection and restoration. -
Amazon FrontlinesAmazon FrontlinesAmazon Frontlines is an international non-profit organization based in the western Amazon. Its mission is to support the struggles of Indigenous peoples to defend their rights to land, life and cultural survival in the Amazon Rainforest. Amazon Frontlines works hand-in-hand with the Ceibo Alliance to create a model of Indigenous resistance and international solidarity, rooted in the defense of Indigenous territory, cultural survival, and rainforest protection.
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Honnold FoundationHonnold FoundationThe Honnold Foundation envisions a world where marginalized communities lead the transition to renewable energy, with the resources they need to adapt and thrive. We believe in solar as a proven, environmentally sound solution to global energy poverty, and we award grants to community organizations whose projects are innovative, equity-focused, and have the potential to shift the narrative on what’s possible for energy access worldwide. -
Alternaid Foundation for People in NeedAlternaid Foundation for People in NeedALTERNAID Foundation for People in Need is a private charitable foundation established in 2007 by the owner of ALTERNATE GmbH. he foundation is committed to supporting people in need, particularly children, young people and their families. The focus is on securing basic existential needs, health and family care as well as education, schooling and vocational training. -
Foundation for International Developement Cooperation Baden-WürttembergFoundation for International Developement Cooperation Baden-WürttembergSEZ has been promoting globally responsible action since 1991. Its mission is to raise people's awareness of the fact that our local actions in Baden-Württemberg have an impact all over the world. SEZ also wants to show how everyone can do something for a fairer world. The foundation's team promotes and networks private, municipal and regional initiatives to improve and deepen partnerships and cooperation with the countries of the so-called Global South. -
Rapunzel One World Organic FoundationRapunzel One World Organic FoundationThe Rapunzel One World Organic Foundation is committed to strengthening organic agriculture, socio-cultural engagement and health promotion in Germany, Europe and worldwide. Our concern is a sustainable, liveable and healthier world in which the well-being of people, plants, animals and the environment are equally taken into account.
