About
Learn more about Graine de vie Luxembourg...
WHAT MAKES US ACT
Committed to working alongside communities for sustainable solutions
Our commitment originates in Luxembourg and is built with our partners in Africa.
From the first seed planted in Madagascar in 2013 to the projects carried out today in five African countries, our commitment has remained the same: to make trees a lever for action to support communities in the preservation and restoration of ecosystems, the development of agroforestry and the strengthening of sustainable livelihoods.
Over the years, we have grown, learned and continually improved our practices in order to increase our impact on the territories and lives we support.
Planting trees is a lever. Training, listening and co-creating are essential.
We are constantly evolving our practices in order to integrate equity and to sustainably anchor our actions in the territories.
Because restoring ecosystems also means strengthening the communities that are their guardians.
OUR STORY
From a seed to a vision
Graine de Vie Luxembourg was founded in 2013 based on a simple conviction: to restore ecosystems by placing communities at the heart of the action.
The first nursery in Madagascar marked the beginning of a concrete commitment on the ground. Very quickly, the initiative grew: structuring of projects, development of solid partnerships, and establishment in Luxembourg.
Year after year, our approach has become more refined.
From planting trees to restoring entire ecosystems.
From reforestation to agroforestry.
From local action to certified programs aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Today, Graine de Vie Luxembourg is an independent and accredited NGO in Luxembourg, with clear governance, a structured strategy and an assumed ambition: to develop nature-based solutions, with communities and for communities.
The same seed.
A strengthened impact.
A vision focused on the future.
OUR TEAMS
Sowing together, deciding together.
Based in Luxembourg, our team provides strategic leadership, financial management, and project coordination in close collaboration with field teams. Our work is based on a clear and collaborative structure: the Board of Directors defines the strategic direction, while the Management Committee, which meets weekly, ensures the operational and financial monitoring of projects. Our Finance Manager oversees budgetary discipline, compliance, and sound resource management. Project managers coordinate the implementation of activities with local partners, and the communications team ensures the visibility and consistency of our actions.
Edouard Lambrechts
Passionate about ornithology since childhood, he became aware of environmental challenges early on. His travels in Africa reinforced this awareness. With friends who wanted to take action, he founded the non-profit organization Graine de Vie Luxembourg, which has since become a recognized NGO. Despite his legal and economic background, he remains a dedicated volunteer.
President of GDVL
Marc Willem
Administrator and Project Manager
Marc, a retired former deputy CIO of an international organization in Luxembourg, is an expert in IT, eBusiness, and eProcurement. With a background in agriculture, he practices permaculture and livestock farming. A volunteer with Graine de Vie since 2022, he structures projects and manages those carried out in Benin.
Barnabé Lekama
Administrator
Dr. Barnabé Lekama is a Cameroonian entrepreneur and author active internationally in logistics, transportation, and real estate. President of the Lekama Group, he manages several companies in Europe and Africa. An award-winning poet, he is also committed to sustainable development in Africa through Graine de Vie Luxembourg.
Makéda Remie
Legal & Compliance Advisor
A lawyer specializing in investment funds, she combines regulatory rigor with social commitment. Holding a Master's degree in Human Rights, she joined Graine de Vie Luxembourg in 2024. She ensures the association's development by addressing legal issues, in order to sustainably support reforestation and local communities.
René Arnoldy
Vice-president
Julia Desmarquest
Administrator and Fundraising Project Manager & ECM
Specializing in sustainable development and holding a master's degree from the University of Sussex, she applies her project management expertise to the reforestation and conservation efforts of Graine de Vie Luxembourg. As project manager for Cameroon and Tanzania, she also leads enterprise community management (ECM) and fundraising.
Patrick de Briey
Administrator and Project Manager
Patrick de Briey began his career with Doctors Without Borders, working in field positions and then in coordination. He then moved to the private sector, notably the WAKO Group, where he held management roles. Since 2024, he has been a volunteer board member of Graine de Vie and oversees their projects in Madagascar.
Yembe Kayembe Ntumba
Administrative and Financial Manager
As the administrative and financial manager of Graine de Vie Luxembourg, he oversees administrative, accounting, and financial processes, as well as project budget monitoring. A business engineer specializing in accounting, he has 27 years of financial experience in Luxembourg and joined the NGO in November 2025.
Andrea Di Nicola
Communication Manager
After working at the Belgian Embassy in Luxembourg, where Andrea developed his communication and public relations skills, he now works at lux-Airport and volunteers as the communications manager for Graine de Vie Luxembourg.
Alex Mouget
Web designer
Currently pursuing a Master's degree in Business Engineering, I joined Graine de Vie Luxembourg in July 2025 to design its website. This project represents a concrete way for me to contribute, on my own scale, to the reforestation initiatives and solidarity actions carried out by the association.
Michel Vandevoir
Treasurer and HR Manager
Michel was a professional in the social impact finance sector. With over 15 years of experience in microfinance and SME financing in emerging markets, he was co-founder and CFO of an investment fund specializing in financial strategy and risk management.
Charlotte Bouret
Administrator
With a strong background in finance, I have held positions of responsibility, including CSR manager, developing expertise in management and strategy. Committed to Graine de Vie Luxembourg, I wish to support an initiative combining reforestation, social impact, and sustainable development, and to pass on values of commitment and responsibility to my children.
Vincent Pringiers
Administrator
Isabelle Ingabire
Partnerships & Events Manager
Originally from Rwanda, she is passionate about preserving African ecosystems. A banking professional, she leverages her extensive network for Graine de Vie Luxembourg. She is involved in organizing events and developing strategic partnerships to support sustainable reforestation projects across the continent.
We work in close partnership with public institutions and businesses
private companies and civil society actors, to transform climate ambitions into measurable actions.
Thanks to this agile and collaborative governance, every voice counts and every action has an effect.
Because trust cannot be decreed: it is built, day after day, with clarity and consistency.
NOS RACINES EN CHIFFRES
Transparency as a compass.
Our impact is not limited to planting trees.
It is measured in restored ecosystems, regenerated lands, and engaged communities.
Two of our projects are now Plan Vivo certified on the voluntary carbon market — an international recognition that guarantees a measurable climate impact and a direct redistribution of revenue to local communities.
All our projects are subject to structured monitoring:
regular on-the-ground presence, supervision of local teams, independent audits and transparent governance in Luxembourg.
We work for the long term.
We prioritize quality over quantity.
We measure what we do.
Restoring forests means strengthening territories.
And behind each number, there are lives, knowledge, and a future taking root.
Our actions make a concrete contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals.
We reduce poverty by creating local jobs and supporting income-generating activities.
We are strengthening food security by distributing cash tree seedlings and creating food forests.
We raise awareness among young people about environmental issues through educational activities in schools.
We promote gender equality by integrating a balance of men and women into our teams.
We are boosting the local economy by creating sustainable jobs and supporting agroforestry.
We integrate minorities into our projects to reduce social and economic disparities.
We are fighting climate change by capturing CO₂ through tree planting.
We restore mangroves to preserve marine biodiversity and protect coastal ecosystems.
We restore terrestrial ecosystems through agroforestry practices and reforestation projects, including in protected areas.
We collaborate with NGOs, communities and local authorities in the south.
Annual reports
Each year, Graine de Vie Luxembourg prepares a narrative report presenting the main activities carried out, the progress of projects and the results of the past year.
This document is shared with our sponsors and partners to report on the actions taken and the impact achieved on the ground.
