Inviting Earth Ninjas to join us in making our world a cleaner, happier, better place!

Zemyna Foundation invites children between the ages of 11-15 to join us for an 8-week Fellowship Program, where you will gain an applied understanding of Systems Thinking (which is, simply put, seeing the connections and relationships between the different parts of the whole) and learn how to best serve the environment by way of experiential projects.

Click here to register.

Last date for Registration: June 3, 2020

Through the 8-weeks, Fellows will: Learn, Act and Share by working on their chosen projects. 

  • Phase 1: Learn – Explore Interconnectedness — How do my actions impact the people and things around me? Community? Earth? 
    • Introduction to Systems thinking – DIY projects
  • Phase 2: Act – Meaningful Projects — What can I do to have a more positive impact on the people and things around me?
    • Collaborative Projects – Experienced support from mentors – Peer Review 
  • Phase 3: Share – Spread the Word — How can I inspire others to become Earth Ninjas?
    • Creative Sharing of Projects – Community Engagement, Blog posts, Podcast interviews, 

Program Details

  • Duration: 8 Weeks 
  • Time of Commitment: ~ 3-4 hours per week (1.5 hours of live zoom call every week and the remaining time for project work)
  • You can expect to engage with like minded kids from a diverse background and work on a local project of your interest, while learning about Systems Thinking, the Earth Charter, UN Sustainable Development Goals and more…while having fun with juggling!

Eligibility Criteria

  • Ages: 11-15
  • Access to a device with Wi-Fi that can access Zoom
  • Ability to mark out 2-3 hours per week according to the course requirements

Selection Criteria

  • Clarity of Thought 
  • Clarity of Intention / Project
  • Previous Experience of Environment related projects
  • Demonstration of Creativity
  • A brief email recommendation from two references – ideal references would be from 1) someone that the applicant has worked with on a project, 2) teachers or 3) someone else that the applicant has been around for an extended duration of time (preferably not parents/family members). 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is Zemyna Foundation all about?
    • Zemyna Foundation was set up with the mission to bring awareness of systems thinking by way of engaging children, youth and women in sustainability projects that do not have any adverse impact on the environment through their life cycle. Some examples of projects we have undertaken are tree plantation, vocational training of women to help them learn how to make bags out of old  bed sheets etc.
  • What is Systems Thinking? What is The Earth Charter?
    • Systems thinking is simply an understanding that everything that we know of exists as a system. Each of its parts has an impact on the whole and that all of its parts are interconnected. The Earth Charter is a very important document that explains what we need to do to keep the planet healthy!
  • Who are/What is Earth Ninjas?
    • Earth Ninjas is an initiative started by the Zemyna Foundation to bring awareness of our interconnectedness with nature amongst children. We do various community programs like nature walks, story telling, group projects, film screenings etc. To know more, you can write to: earthninjas@zemynafoundation.org
  • How much screen time does this involve?
    • We do not want to add to your screen time and hope to try and limit your screen time during this fellowship to the time we spend together during our weekly Zoom calls. Any collaboration work you plan with your teammates is left up to you.
  • Do I get a certificate at the end of this program?
    • Yes, Zemyna Foundation will offer you with a certificate once you have completed the 8 week program. The certificate will also indicate the new skills you may have gained through the course. The minimum requirement for the certificate is participation in at least six of the eight live calls and submission of the completed project.
  • What kind of projects are expected / possible to do?
    • That is up to each individual / group, though all projects will be focused on improving the environment. We encourage you to focus on your immediate environment. Examples could be exploring the water usage in your daily life, the kinds of products you use, starting a community garden etc.
  • How will I benefit from this program?
    • Apart from meeting other cool Earth Ninjas like yourself, you will be introduced to new ideas and practices that can make not just your life, but that of people around you better as well! You are sure to learn more about the environment, delve into social change projects and have fun along the way especially as we introduce the juggling Challenge.
  • Is there a fee to this program?
    • This program is priceless! 🙂 It is sponsored by the Zemyna Foundation and is offered on a gift basis to you. This means we have not set a fee though we invite any donations you might want to make so we can further our work with more Earth Ninjas! Just so you know, we are paying approx. INR 5500 (USD 75 / GBP 60 / Euros 65) per participant for this program so you may choose to pay that amount or any other amount that is comfortable to you via the donation link on the zemynafoundation.org website or via PayPal to one of the facilitators. In case you are unable to pay any amount, we understand that too and respect your choice.
  • Do I get paid for doing this project?
    • Since this is a fellowship program, we hope your journey would be your reward and you make good use of your time gaining new experiences and skills along the way!
  • What is expected of the parents of the participant?
    • We respect that parents are busy during this time, so we do not expect parents to be involved in the activities throughout these 8-weeks. However, we do expect parents to support their children if they need to get materials for their projects and to reach out to us in case of any concerns or issues. We plan to send weekly update emails to parents who might be interested in knowing what is going on in the course. 
  • Will my pictures or videos be shared at any point?
    • No, we respect your privacy and will not share any pictures without you and your parent’s permission and written consent. 
  • How will my project be used by the organisers?
    • We are happy to share your project on our website blog and other social media with due credits to you and with your permission. We would also be sharing your project work as examples for future Fellowships. 
  • Whom can I connect with for more information?
    • You can write to danrudolph108@gmail.com  in case you are unable to receive a response from earthninjas@zemynafoundation.org.

Faculty Profiles

Daniel Rudolph 

Daniel considers himself a professional explorer. Born and raised in Upstate New York. he had a very diverse upbringing owing to a big refugee center in close proximity to his home, due to which  he was exposed to different cultures, their ways of doing things and connecting with their lived environment.
After growing up in Upstate New York, Dan has spent the past 10+ years living in different countries, including; 4 years in rural Thailand, 2 years in Beijing and 2 years in rural India.  His higher studies were in the field of education with his most recent certificate in International and Comparative Education.
From a young age, Daniel has had a deep connection with nature, spending most of his childhood in the forest areas and ravines behind his house. This carried on into adolescence and into adulthood, leading into his current hobbies like trekking, gardening, meditating outdoors, forest and nature healing walks. These lived experiences coupled with study through courses have led to Daniel developing a deeper curiosity for nature.
Daniel speaks Chinese, Thai, Laotian, Spanish, Hindi, with English as his native tongue. Living in countries with deep cultural and spiritual roots Daniel has had deep experiences that include ~ being ordained and living as a monk, practicing Tai Chi with an experienced master and taking part in extended group chanting. 
Professionally, education has been Daniel’s vehicle for the past 13 years, with his most recent experience as Head of Curriculum Development and Teacher Training at Barefoot College, in rural India. From these experiences exploring formal education in different contexts, Daniel is curious to explore non-formal education, specifically through community learning hubs, and as a result, is in the process of shifting to a rural circus community in Brazil that predominantly caters to children that are not involved in formal school. 

Nnaumrata Arora Singh

A spiritual eco-feminism writer, speaker, conscious living coach, social change catalyst, circle convenor and workshop facilitator, Nnaumrata holds the vision to awaken and galvanise the feminine spirit for a planetary transformation of consciousness. Founder of the not-for-profit organisation, Zemyna Foundation (Zemyna means Earth Goddess in Lithuanian) and the coaching organisation 
Life Beyond Motherhood, Nnaumrata is a certified professional coach from the International Coach Academy, Australia. With a work experience of over two decades, of which 14 years has been in Talent Development leadership positions with leading MNCs like Accenture, Sapient Corporation, GE and Vodafone, Nnaumrata catapulted her second career in 2012 with the aim of making a difference to women and the environment.
In 2015, Nnaumrata published her book ‘The Possibility of Balance’ and since then, has been writing blogs, magazine articles, newspaper columns and book chapters on the subject of compassion. 
Post completion of the Change.Org’s ‘She Creates Change’ 1-year program for women changemakers in 2018, Nnaumrata has facilitated sessions at various national events and premier institutes like IIM Bengaluru. She has been presenting workshops at key international forums such as the Parliament of World Religions at Toronto in 2018, the Climate Change and Consciousness Conference at Findhorn, Scotland in 2019 and the Mind and Life’s Summer Research Institute at New York in 2019.
Nnaumrata is based in Bangalore, India with her husband and her 11 year old daughter.