People in PRACTICA

Marjolein Meerburg MSc

Director

Background in hydrology, with 4 years of experience in (geo) hydrological en environmental studies. 8 years of experience in program/project management of dry infrastructure and housing (a.o in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh), both in the commercial as humanitarian sector. Experienced trainer in project management and strong in setting up training programs in humanitarian construction sector. Believes in strengthening people’s capacities to become more resilient and take ownership of their future.

Gert Jan Bom BSc

Unit manager Energy and Motors

Mechanical engineer, 34 years of experience with the development, introduction and maintenance of water and energy related technologies in East Africa, West Africa, North Africa, India, Bangladesh and Nicaragua, including hand pumps and energy saving small engines.

Arjen van der Wal BSc

Unit manager Well Drilling

Environmentalist and drilling expert; with eight years experience with (manual) drilling for environmental research in the Netherlands and Belgium and after attending a training course on the manual sludge drilling method and orientation on the production of the rope pump in Nicaragua as training assistant, is now one of PRACTICA’s specialists in manual drilling and rope pump production. Presently involved in PRACTICA’s capacity building projects on manual drilling and/or rope pump production in Senegal, Ghana, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Chad.

Jan Nederstigt BSc and MSc

Unit manager Pumps and Filters

Mechanical (BSc) and Agricultural engineer (Wageningen MSc), specialization in social-technical change processes. 5 years of experience with design and application of different (including appropriate) technologies, of which 2,5 years in the Netherlands and 2 years in Ghana, India and Sri Lanka. Specialized focus on an anthropological approach to technical problem situations in a development context. Facilitating interactive processes like workshops and training sessions, leading multi-stakeholder processes.

Robert Vuik BSc and MSc

Interim manager Small Scale Irrigation

Mechanical Engineering (BSc) and International Land and Water Management (MSc). Specialization; small-scale irrigation and integrated water management processes in developing countries. Experience in modelling and spatial mapping of water resources and involved in projects for capacity building, rural development and technical training programs. Experience in Malawi, Spain, Tunisia, Ethiopia, India and Zambia. Presently involved in PRACTICA’s projects on feasibility studies and efficiency programs for manual drilling and low cost pumping.

Herman Jansen MSc

Project coordinator

Long experience in product development and general management in the chemical industry as founder, managing director and owner of a business in coated anodes. Now within PRACTICA working on ceramic water filters with focus on knowledge sharing and R&D activities.

Patrick de Boer

Finance & book keeping

Responsible for project finance and PRACTICA overall budgeting and accounting.

Stephan Abric MSc

Country representative Madagascar office

10 years of experience in international projects (World Bank, USAID, FAO, UNICEF French and Spanish Cooperation) on water supply and small scale irrigation in Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Mauritania and Madagascar. Specialist in the development and diffusion of appropriate and low cost technologies for irrigation (manual drilling, treadle pump, low cost pump sets, drip and spray irrigation systems, Californian and lay flat hose irrigation systems) and in the study of technical-economical aspects in the introduction of low cost technologies for irrigation of off-season vegetable growing.

Xavier Gras

Water and sanitation engineer

Over five years resident field experience in Guinea, Viet Nam, Mauritania and Madagascar, managing environmental and watsan projects. Specialist in low-cost wastewater treatment.

Vonjy MAVO ANDRIAMAROANDRAINA

Madagascar consultant

10 years of experience in steel construction, design and development of agricultural tools and water low cost technologies in Madagascar.
Involved with Practica on various project (FAO, UNICEF, CARE, MEDAIR) on the implementation of training session on the rota sludge (tool production and drilling method), the production of treadle pump and the installation of small scale irrigation technologies (spray, drip and californian system)

Haja Serge ANDRIAMAROANDRAINA

Trainer and field technician Madagascar

Specialist in the installation, monitoring and evaluation of water low cost technologies.
Involved with PRACTICA on the development and field testing of small diameter pump and the modification of pump sets running on kerosene, technical support to CARE in the introduction of small scale irrigation technologies in the South of Madagascar.

Martijn Treffers MSc, MA

Country representative Ethiopia

Specialist Rural Innovation & Social Change. Responsible for implementation of the programs in Ethiopia.

Teshome Tefera

Trainer and field technician Ethiopia

Specialist in the installation, monitoring and evaluation of water low cost technologies.
Involved with PRACTICA on rope pump training and on the development and field testing of a small diameter pump.

David W. van Raalten MSc

Chairman of the Board

Land and water management engineer, with more than 10 years of experience in international projects on management of water resources and rural development in South Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. In India he was directly involved in the development of low-cost technologies for the water supply and irrigation sector (fuel saving measures, stone-hammer, treadle pumps, low cost drip irrigation), together with the founders of PRACTICA. David is currently working as senior advisor on water management for ARCADIS.

Frank van Steenbergen PhD

Member of the board

Social geographer, 20 years experience and specialized in water policy change. Worked the last fifteen years in this capacity in Asia, Middle East and Eastern Europe. Senior advisor water management with Arcadis Euroconsult and founder of Meta Meta, a company developing protocols. (www.metameta.nl)

Hilde Toonen BSc and MSc

Member of the board

Cultural anthropologist (MSc), Environmental Scientist (BSc). Currently working for Wageningen University and Research center on a PhD project on Informational governance on Marine Environmental Protection. Also involved in solar cooking implementation and evaluation in Burkina Faso.

Julien Labas MSc

Water and sanitation expert

Over six years resident field experience in developing countries managing international development projects with the World Bank, European Commission, UNICEF, CARE. Extensive experience providing technical assistance and trainings in Water and Sanitation engineering. Specialist in water and sanitation project management and low cost technologies for irrigation and potable water.

Jos Besselink Msc

Mechanical engineer

Worked for twenty years in West Africa with the development and improvements of hand pumps, including research on PVC riser mains, design of fuel efficient stoves, and hand pump maintenance structures.

Michael Schieman

Field technician

8 years of experience with manual and mechanised drilling for environmental research in the Netherlands and Belgium. After attending a Rota sludge training course in Ghana as a training assistant, Michael now is working as a manual drilling trainer in various projects in Madagascar.

Wouterjan Fellinga Ir.

Water and Sanitation Expert

Experienced trainer, project coordinator and advisor. Wouterjan has worked in Water & Sanitation projects in a number of countries, mainly in Asia and Africa for the last 20 years and worked and lived in Bhutan and Uganda. Wouterjan is now applying his wide experience with large scale training programs in a project in Chad where he advices UNICEF on the implementation of a project to professionalize the manual drilling sector.

Régis Garandeau MSc.

Water and Sanitation Expert

After his graduation in Water Management, and experience in water and sanitation projects for Oxfam GB, the World Bank and Veolia Water, Regis joined PRACTICA. Regis is active as a trainer and project manager in manual drilling related projects in Chad, Madagascar and other countries.

Henk Holtslag BSc

Mechanical engineer

20 years of experience in Central America and Tanzania with the development and introduction of low-cost technologies in the field of water and energy, including rope pumps, wind energy, micro-irrigation.

Jan van der Wal MSc

Advisor

Land & water management engineer; over 15 years of experience in managing multi-disciplinary rural development projects in India, Macedonia, Bangladesh, Yemen and Indonesia for the Netherlands Directorate General for Development Cooperation (DGIS), European Union and World Bank.

Former director of PRACTICA foundatation (2005 – 2009) and senior land & water management specialist and quality manager with ARCADIS Euroconsult.

Brendan Baker MSc

Advisor

Business development manager, with an engineering background. Has driven the dissemination of Practica technology, including rope pumps and manual drilling in West Africa through field management of a potable water project. Adapted and designed low-cost, appropriate technology in water and sanitation and agro-processing. Has supported the growth of several development technology-related non-profits through organization-building work at local and national levels. Recently completed a Masters degree in Engineering for Sustainable Development at Cambridge, and is passionate of how social, economic and management contexts influence the spread of technology in Africa.

Joep Blom Msc.

Advisor

35 years of experience with (geo)hydrological research in the Netherlands, Haiti and Iran (12 years), management of rural water supply projects in West Africa (6 years), adviser on policy development and institutional development in the fields of water resources management and water supply/sanitation with the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs (12 years at main office, 6 years in Egypt and Yemen)