About

Dominique Vanderhaeghen is a Belgian-Flemish official at the foreign trade department, who has been seconded since September 2016 to development cooperation as Regional Director of the international NGO `Rikolto in Indonesia` (formerly known as VECO, Vredeseilanden). This iNGO based in Denpasar and with it`s international office in Leuven, Belgium, has a long tradition in Indonesia of empowering and supporting farmer organizations in inclusive and sustainable agriculture and business, with among others projects in cacao, rice, coffee, cinnamon and seaweed in locations such as Flores, Central Java, South- and West Sulawesi and Jambi. From 2007 to 2011, Dominique has been assigned to the Embassy of Belgium in Jakarta, bringing his total work- and living experience in Indonesia to almost seven years. Given his interest for eco-sustainability, he had the experience to run his own import-distribution business in certified organic food for 8 years. Dominique holds degrees in Japanology, business economics and conflict & development from universities in Belgium and Japan and loves playing the piano, speaking different languages and eating and drinking delicious food, wine, and beer, by preference organic. Dominique is married to Valerie Boone, a fellow Japanologist ? fashion-designer and has three children, Zoë studying arts in Belgium, and Babette and Remi, both high school students at Green School Bali.