A group of young people with experience in social intervention, international cooperation, and research gathered in Cartagena, Colombia, with the mission of addressing the urgent need to ensure access to basic services in vulnerable communities and to explore how social technologies could be the key to transforming lives.
As a result of this commitment, in April 2016, TIERRA GRATA was born—an organization dedicated to promoting development and productivity among rural families through access to essential services. We firmly believe that the basics should not be a privilege: essentials are for everyone.
She is the Global Human Resources Director at Reckitt, leading the Hygiene division and all corporate functions of this business unit. She holds a degree in Business Administration and Management from ESADE Business School and a Master’s in Human Resources. Laia joined Reckitt in Barcelona, Spain, in 2013 and has successfully held various local and global roles in the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands, including compensation and benefits as well as human resources. She is a strong advocate for Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) and has supported various initiatives in this area throughout her career, such as being a member of the LEAD Network Committee. In addition, she is a One Young World ambassador and mentor for several Lead 2030 initiatives, including ‘Tierra Grata’ and ‘Eko Group’ in Colombia.
She has been a trainer, facilitator, and project director at Cewas since its founding in 2010. With 18 years of experience and degrees in Chemical Engineering, a Master’s in Environmental Engineering, a Certificate in Development Cooperation, and an MBA in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development, she has played a key role in developing training packages and workshops on Sustainable Sanitation and Water Management (SSWM), business development in water and sanitation, and Resource Recovery and Safe Reuse (RRR). In addition, she serves as a trainer in Cewas programs in Willisau, Switzerland, and has conducted in-person incubation programs in Zambia, Tanzania, South Africa, Uganda, India, and Peru, as well as online programs for Latin America and the Middle East. Leonelha is a global entrepreneurship coach, with a special focus on startups in Latin America. She is also a senior partner at the Swiss consulting firm Seecon, where she serves as a Board Member and Deputy Executive Director.
“He is an expert in entrepreneurship and green technologies. Currently, he focuses on helping entrepreneurs around the world implement startup acceleration programs related to climate, connecting them with valuable resources, advisors and experts, funding, and potential financing sources—all with the goal of generating greater climate impact. With more than 4 years of experience in designing and creating entrepreneurship programs and mentorship initiatives in various regions, Christian also serves as a strategic and business mentor. He has worked with successful social entrepreneurs for the past 7 years, particularly in Latin America, the Philippines, Myanmar, Tanzania, and South Africa. Prior to that, he worked as an account executive for German SMEs at Hewlett-Packard, where he led business relationships for a couple of years. Christian is a frequent traveler and has visited more than 35 countries across all continents, learning from their cultures and traditions.
Director of Development and full-time Ambassador at One Young World, the world’s largest community of young leaders. Passionate about sustainable development, he discovered early on that social entrepreneurship and youth-driven initiatives would become his purpose in life.
After graduating as an industrial engineer from Universidad de los Andes, Gereda became involved in causes such as the Colombian Youth Network, which aims to empower new generations seeking to transform their communities through practical tools, and ID Social, a platform connecting businesses with philanthropic initiatives.
After leading One Young World’s strategy in Latin America and completing his Master’s in Social Business and Entrepreneurship at The London School of Economics (LSE), Gereda took on the role of Director of Development in 2022. He is committed to continuing to build bridges between global leaders and the ambitions of young people across five continents.
His achievements have earned him recognition such as the TOYP (The Outstanding Young Persons) Award in the category of ‘Leadership and Academic Achievement’ in 2016, and the University Social Responsibility Distinction (DRSU) awarded by the Dean of Students at Universidad de los Andes in 2010.”