Nienke Vierstra is a Dutch-based trainer with extensive experience in international contexts. She has worked across Latin America, Asia, and Africa in various roles, including trainer, facilitator, and program director, within international NGOs. Her work focuses on empowering individuals and strengthening organizations that engage communities around education, gender equality, and peacebuilding.
Her journey with Nonviolent Communication led her to Northern Uganda, where she founded a local community of practice. What began as a small initiative has grown into a network of seven trainers and twenty-five practitioners, bringing NVC to over twenty local communities.
In addition to her community work abroad, Nienke facilitates NVC-based training for schools in the Netherlands, supporting management, teachers, and students to cultivate more compassionate and connected learning environments. She has developed practical and accessible materials to make NVC meaningful and relevant in both community and educational settings.
Believing that another world is possible, one built on empathy, mutual respect, and shared power, Nienke’s approach is rooted in the partnership paradigm central to NVC. Starting in 2026, she will also offer training in the Netherlands for individuals and groups who wish to integrate NVC into their personal and professional lives.