The Wnderers, founded by Imani Igwe, which connects young people in The Netherlands by bringing them together on nature walks. Through organized bus trips to natural areas across the country, participants not only explore the environment, but also learn about climate change and build meaningful connections with one another.
What is the mission of The Wnderers, and where does your drive come from?
“The mission of The Wnderers is to get young people into nature, to meet one another, and at the same time to discover the natural world around us. That drive comes directly from my own busy life. I kept rushing from one thing to another until I asked myself: when do I actually take time to slow down? I started wondering if I was the only one who needed this—and of course I wasn’t! By now, we’ve become a very diverse group with all kinds of backgrounds. The more people join, the more fun it becomes—and the better the walks.
‘By combining experiences in nature with reflection on identity and connectedness, the project made climate action more accessible to people of colour.’ – Imani Igwe
Why did you decide to apply for Connect for Global Change?
“Grants often come with strict conditions and, for example, are limited to specific municipalities. That’s not the case with Connect for Global Change, which gave me a lot of freedom to bring a creative idea to life. The funding allowed me to literally break boundaries and think bigger with The Wnderers.
With The Wnderers, we organize bus trips for young people to nature areas. Our activities are low-threshold and specifically designed to connect people of colour with nature. During the walks, we were often accompanied by a guide who shared knowledge about the environment and the impact of climate change on nature. By combining immersion in nature with reflection on identity and connectedness, the project made climate action more accessible to people of colour.”
Your project is now nearing completion—how has it gone?
“What a year! I could cry with pride when I see how The Wnderers has developed. In just one year, we’ve reached over 10,000 people. And as if that wasn’t enough, nearly 350 enthusiastic participants actually laced up their boots and joined our activities.
We start each edition with an energetic Kahoot quiz to test our knowledge of nature (let’s be honest—who doesn’t enjoy a bit of competition?). We also head out with professional guides who share their expertise with us. So not only do you get moving, but you learn something along the way!
My biggest lesson from the past year is the realization that this is so much more than just a fun project. The Wnderers is truly becoming a community! New friendships have formed, and people are genuinely involved. Whenever something needs to be organized, a whole group of enthusiastic walkers is immediately ready to help.”
And what is your dream for the future of the project?
“I want to expand and raise awareness about nature—and ideally even walk beyond national borders. Now that the funding is ending, I absolutely don’t want money to become a barrier for our participants. My goal is to keep developing, while preserving that intimate and trusted atmosphere. Because no matter how big we grow, we will always remain that close-knit family!”