Rina Teeuwen-van der Ende is an external Ph.D. candidate specialising in grassroot level community development among the most vulnerable. Previously she worked among the most vulnerable communities in Afghanistan, Pakistan and a number of African countries. Currently she is working alongside minorities in the Middle East.

Rina has 30 years’ experience under her belt, and is armed with a Master of Arts degree in International Development, she is part of the INGO scene and an extensive network of international development experts. Throughout her career she has focused on building understanding, insight and capacity in community development for the most vulnerable to discover their strength and resilience.

She is well versed in walking together with the most vulnerable, to search for ways to strengthen resilience in a participatory way, utilizing available capacities and resources. This process of participatory action research enables co-creation of knowledge and insights to jointly explore the potential transformative role of women to counteract violence and hostility.

Rina’s aim is to make a significant contribution to both the academic discourse and practical applications in the field of community development, peace studies and to the potential role for religious minorities in building peace in a hostile environment.