As mother of 2 sons, Sofie is an accountant and tax specialist, active in the family business. Since her children are growing older, Sofie started to use her experience, energy and drive to contribute to the growth and development of others. Her passion for Africa has been strongly rekindled in recent years. Climbing Mount Meru marked a turning point. She discovered the strength and inspiration to translate this passion into concrete actions, not just for herself, but especially for her African fellow human beings.
We have a wonderful team
Founder and Principal
Meet Ilse Melotte
Ilse is an entrepreneur, author and social innovator with more than 25 years of executive experience in the energy and technology sectors. In 2020, she sold her SaaS company and founded Endelea Foundation, driven by a strong belief that sustainable change begins with education, empowerment and local partnerships. Alongside her work at Endelea, Ilse is the founder of Horse Act and the creator of the HorsePower® method, an innovative leadership and personal development framework inspired by horse psychology and behavior. She is also the author of several books exploring what horses can teach us about human behavior, leadership, resilience and mental wellbeing.
Founder and Treasurer
Meet Dominiek Beelen
Dominiek holds degrees in Business and Financial Sciences and Healthcare Auditing. He has a strong financial background and worked for more than 10 years for Waterland, an independent private equity investment group. He began his career in auditing with KPMG and held CFO positions at Carrefour subsidiaries, at Getronics BeLux and Euro Shoe Belux. In 2006, he joined Senior Living Group as the Finance Director and in 2018, Dominiek was appointed CEO of Korian Benelux.
Endelea Advisor
Meet Victor Ochen
Born in northern Uganda, Victor spent 21yrs of his childhood as a refugee in the camps. He grew up amidst violent conflict that displaced over 3 million people, where 60,000+ children were abducted and forcefully recruited as child-soldiers, including his own brother. Forbes Magazines named Ochen in 2015 as one of the 10 most powerful men in Africa, while Archbishop Desmond Tutu attested that “my heart swells with joy to see Ochen as one of the new hope for Africa”. He is the UN Goodwill Ambassador for Peace and Justice promoting SDG Goal16. He is a member of the Global Advisory Group to the UNHCR on Gender, Forced Displacement and Protection.
Project Manager
Meet Sofie Dewil
Head of Tanzania activities
Meet Samson Justo
Samson is the founder of Beyond Child Smile, a community based organization in Arusha, Tanzania. His mission is to empower children and young people through education, life skills, sports, volunteer programs and community development initiatives. He works closely with local families, schools to create opportunities that help young people build a brighter future. He is passionate about making a positive impact in the community and thoroughly believes that collaboration and education can create lasting change.
Partnership Lead
Meet Ynske Peeters
Ynske is the youngster of the team. She’s 24 years old and holds a masters degree in biochemistry and biotechnology, currently pursuing her PhD in crop biotechnics. She is an active and adventurous person, and her interest in traveling started already when she was a child. A trip as a volunteer to Samson’s place in Arusha last year sparked her love for the African culture. Their warmth and lifestyle can only be a source of inspiration for us.
Partnership Lead
Meet Arsenal J. Obunde
Arsenal is a Tanzanian hospitality professional with extensive experience in the hospitality industry. He has served as an instructor in Hotel Operations and Management, where he has trained and mentored students in hospitality skills and professional development. He currently serves as an instructor with the Endelea Foundation’s Youth Masterclass in Travel and Tourism, helping equip young people with practical knowledge and skills for successful careers in the tourism industry. Arsenal is married and is the proud father of three sons: Justus, Solomon, and Moses.
Graphic & Web Designer
Meet Steven Namanya
Steve is a Graphic and Web Designer based in Uganda with over 20 years of experience creating modern websites and strong brand identities. He has been working with Endelea since the early beginning in 2020 and is passionate about developing projects with community and societal impact
Lead of Friends of Endelea
Meet Els Beckers
Els is operational manager of a Belgian horse farm and winery and has more than twenty years of experience as administrative support. With a huge passion for working with horses, Els knows the value of connection, collaboration and care. She is responsible for the development of the Friends of Endelea network. With great conviction, she contributes to strengthening our projects and creating sustainable opportunities all together.
Head of Financial Control
Meet Jan Van de Wiele
Jan is an agricultural engineer from KU Leuven with additional MBA training at Flanders Business School and Vlerick. His career includes petrochemical engineering, ten years at the Belgian Ministry of Agriculture, and senior roles in banking. He now volunteers as a coach for young African entrepreneurs through OVO. With great drive he supports Endelea’s vision, ambitions and charitable goals.