About Future Islands

Future Islands is an independent knowledge and collaboration platform committed to accelerating sustainable development in the countries within the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. We bring people, knowledge, and initiatives together to realize practical solutions that fit the local culture, economy, and natural environment.

Our role is two-fold: we strengthen collaboration between the islands themselves and ensure that the voice of the Caribbean region is also heard in the Netherlands. The conditions on the islands are different from those in the Netherlands — what works there often requires a different approach here. That’s why we show what is possible, drawing on the strength and innovation that the islands already have.

Future Islands connects public and private parties, education, policy, and practice. We work on projects that do not remain stuck in plans or visions but lead to concrete results in energy, construction, mobility, and knowledge development.

Els Steenhagen

Community Manager

“Sustainable change starts with understanding people, places, and the connections between them.”

Els Steenhagen is Community Manager at Future Islands, where she connects people, ideas, and initiatives to strengthen sustainable collaboration between the Caribbean islands and the Netherlands. Her work focuses on turning knowledge exchange into concrete action in areas such as sustainable aviation, sustainable building, and education.

Trained as a sociologist, Els brings a strong focus on social impact, dialogue, and collaboration. She works as a certified mediator and is a guest lecturer at the University of Curaçao, where she contributes to education at the intersection of sustainability, governance, and society. Having lived and worked in Curaçao for over four years, she combines local experience with a broad network across the Kingdom.

André Hagendijk

Board Member

André Hagendijk, geboren op Curaçao, is board member van Future Islands. In deze rol draagt hij bij aan het verbinden en activeren van partijen rond duurzame ontwikkeling binnen de Caribische regio en het Koninkrijk. Dankzij zijn brede netwerk binnen de Nederlands-Caribische eilanden en zijn werkervaring op zowel Bonaire als Curaçao vervult hij een belangrijke verbindende rol tussen regio’s en organisaties.

Zijn drijfveer is het stimuleren van kennisontwikkeling en kennisdeling rond duurzaamheidsvraagstukken, met een sterke focus op samenwerking en maatschappelijke impact.

Wim Kooyman

Board Member

Wietse Walinga

Board Member

Mission

Our mission is to accelerate the sustainability of the Caribbean islands through collaboration, innovation, and knowledge sharing between the countries and the Netherlands. We harness Caribbean experience and Dutch expertise to develop solutions that contribute to a resilient, circular, and self-sufficient future — for and by the islands themselves.

Vision

Future Islands believes in a future in which the islands:

  • Are self-sufficient in energy, food, and building materials;
  • Manage drought, heat, and sea-level rise in a climate-resilient way;
  • Produce and consume in a circular and inclusive way;
  • Are connected to each other and to the Netherlands through knowledge, innovation, and mutual respect.

As aviation and logistics steadily work toward a more sustainable future, construction and tourism are developing at a rapid pace. That growth also carries risks: progress must not come at the expense of sustainability. Future Islands connects these worlds so that progress and sustainability go hand in hand — and each sector can learn from the other

How we work

Future Islands works through three pillars:

Communicate
We bring stories, knowledge, and initiatives together through publications, events, and online platforms.

Connect
We encourage collaboration between local and Dutch partners, educational institutions, and businesses.

Activate
We translate ideas into concrete projects that contribute to sustainable development in practice.

Why Future Islands

The Caribbean islands face major challenges — climate change, resource scarcity, housing shortages — but also enormous opportunities. Through collaboration, knowledge sharing, and innovation, we connect Caribbean creativity and resilience with Dutch expertise and resources. This way, we build sustainable solutions that really work — for the islands, and from the islands.