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Denis was born and raised in a village in Cameroon. He comes from a large family; his father had two wives and 13 children. The lifestyle of Denis’ family was pretty much self sufficient. Everyone in the family had to do their bit to help out, so from an early age, Denis knew about hunting, gathering and farming. Growing up in a village near the rainforest undoubtedly had a huge impact on Denis’ sense of connection with nature, and gave him a deeper understanding of how diverse ecosystem the earth is.

Yo was born in a small town in the Netherlands. She lost both her parents when she was very young. She grew up with different families, and later  in a house with other young people in similar circumstances. Yo has an older sister who started squatting houses when Yo was in her early teens. So collective ways of living and the unconventional is something Yo is very familiar with and comfortable with.

Steven grew up in a small village in Flanders in times where everything was possible and there were no limits. In his early teens he began questioning things, and he became more and more involved in North – South issues, human rights and justice. On a trip to Bolivia, at the age of 26, he was confronted with the reality of the situation for the first time, and seeing with his own eyes the disparity, he was determined to do something about it.

Carolien became passionate about nature and social equality at a young age. She was devastated watching the news about animal species getting extinct, and her empathy for people, other creatures and nature was awakened.

Tom grew up in several small towns around Leuven with his mother and brother. He was always interested in plants and gardening, and it was his role in the family to take care of the plants and vegetables. Tom didn't however imagine farming as a successful profession, as a farmer's incomes is not only determined by the weather but also by wholesalers and food chains. Despite having enjoyed working as a social worker for a while, his heart kept bringing him back to the fields.