About Rootd.
Unlocking human capital, contributing solutions.
Rootd. is a Netherlands-based initiative with the aim to unlock human capital, and reduce inequality of opportunities within the Dutch and European Muslim community.
Through the platform we provide, our goal is to cultivate a culture of participation in tackling some of society’s most pressing social and environmental challenges. We aim to achieve this mission through network sharing activities and organizing trainings/events that educate as well as inspire those from less advantaged backgrounds or have limited access to personal/professional growth opportunities. Enhancing access to opportunities, fostering social inclusion, reducing inequality, and thereby, building a more resilient European society are at the heart of our mission.
Rootd. was founded by Karina Soemarwoto and Yasmin Ismail upon realizing the need for a space where Muslim (diaspora) communities can plant their roots and, at the same time, address the under-representation of Muslims in certain social and economic sectors in Europe and The Netherlands.
Founding team
Karina Soemarwoto
Founder
Karina is an Indonesian based in The Netherlands. She works as a consultant specialized in helping institutional investors move their capital towards investments that have a positive social and environmental impact. Prior to this, she was a physicist conducting research related to medical imaging at Leiden University Medical Center. Karina has an MSc in Physics and an MA in Middle Eastern Studies from Leiden University. She also completed a graduate program in “Science-Based Business”, focusing on how to translate scientific research into marketable solutions. Karina knows English, Dutch, Indonesian and Arabic.
Yasmin Ismail
Co-founder
Yasmin is a Zambian-British of Indian ethnicity. She has lived and studied in The Netherlands and Germany for the past five years. She has completed an MA in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter and an Mres in Middle East Studies at the University of Leiden. Yasmin is currently a PhD candidate in Social and Cultural Anthropology at Freie Universität Berlin, Germany. Throughout her academic career, she has specialized in Muslim communities, the changing role of ‘Ulama (Muslim scholars) and Islamic education in minority contexts. Her current research focuses on the use of the English language as a medium of instruction within Quranic schools.
Raisa Ismail
Marketing & Communications
Raisa is a marketing and media freelancer. She has a background in journalism and media, and previously worked as the Head of Production for an advertizing agency in Lusaka, Zambia. Here at Rootd., Raisa is our team’s marketing and media consultant providing her expertise on branding, design, and social media marketing.
Our team at Rootd. works with external consultants specialized in the topics and activities we deal with.
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