People & Partners

Isa Maria Klaassen

Isa Maria Klaassen holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Development from Stellenbosch University, where she graduated cum laude and developed a deep passion for transformative education. Isa is currently an MPhil student in Sustainable Development at the Centre for Sustainability Transitions.

Her research focuses on addressing educational disparities faced by children in underprivileged communities, particularly exploring the potential of ecological education and informal learning experiences in fostering resilience and inner transformation. Isa’s inquiry is rooted in participatory action research, collaborating closely with children and community stakeholders to co-create culturally relevant and socially inclusive learning experiences that empower children to navigate the profound social-ecological challenges they face.

Having co-founded Moya, an informal children’s foundation, Isa is committed to creating just and sustainable opportunities for children to reconnect with nature and develop the inner transformational dispositions to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Her work is informed by a personal journey of overcoming the limitations of traditional education, driving her vision of co-creating an eco-school that reimagines learning for underprivileged children in South Africa.

• Ecological Education
• Inner Transformations for Sustainability
• Participatory Action Research
• Informal Learning Experiences
• Culturally relevant and socially inclusive pedagogies