Our story

MaNaBu Movement is a 501 (c)(3) USA non-profit organization empowering children and youth and providing accessible opportunities for every young individual to reach their full potential through practical skills, community, collaboration, and life experiences outside the classroom. We aim to help youth build a world where collaboration, sustainability, and universal prosperity are the underlying foundation upon which this world is constructed.

Young people share a natural, bright-burning curiosity that can become dimmed or even lost as they enter the adult world. MaNaBu aims to nourish young minds with food for thought and nurture this curiosity into an eternal flame.

We achieve this by providing them with essential life skills to thrive, teaching the importance of compassion and human understanding, and generating an environment where collaboration, co-creation, and a sense of community are the keys to success.

The future will bring many new challenges, and our hope is to raise mentally strong young individuals who will be empowered to tackle them head on without bias but utilizing logic and empathy.

our story

Our vision

Empowered youth take the world into their hands, live their dreams and beliefs, and accomplish ideas that help propel our humanity.

The MaNaBu Movement projects make youth grow, glow, and collaborate, boosting their confidence, creativity, curiosity, and problem-solving skills and understanding the importance of circularity, gratefulness and compassion.

Our goal is to entertain and educate, but even more so is the desire to bring that MANABU DNA of learning and change to every young individual. To boost collaboration and sense of community while raising caring human beings who realize their potential, no matter how small, to make a difference.

MaNaBu reach to the Global Audience

By collaborating with a diverse group of thought leaders, educators, non-profits, businesses, artists, and athletes, we're on a mission to create a kinder, more regenerative futures for all.

MaNaBu Movements

Community-based actions empower children, families, and educators to unite, collaborate, and make a positive impact today.

MaNaBu Movement provides an alternative educational experience where the highest deference is paid to the way children want to learn – through means that are fun, engaging, and above all, encourage children to explore the skills and things they enjoy the most. It promotes a culture of collaboration, communication, and understanding among young people.

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Founders

Tihana Pavic Smitran

As an entrepreneur, producer, and business mentor, Tihana is dedicated to regenerative futures, educational entertainment, and global projects that empower children and youth worldwide.

Her unique blend of creativity and business acumen has allowed her to build successful ventures and focus on transitioning towards a regenerative economy to create businesses and projects that deliver value to people and the planet alongside profit.

Her formative years were shaped by the harsh realities of a 5-year-long homeland war, during which children were left to fend for themselves. As a pianist and young athlete, she personally discovered the significance of grit and persistence in achieving success despite challenging circumstances.

This early lesson became the foundation for her commitment to uplifting peers facing similar struggles, underscoring how even the smallest gestures of support and empowerment can trigger transformative change in a child's life.

In 2017, she received the award for the 'Best Startup Female Entrepreneur in Croatia.' She is a US State Department Professional Fellow in Tech, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship and an alumna of the leading Silicon Valley Accelerator for women entrepreneurs and the Estonian Media-Tech Accelerator for the future of content. She holds an MA in Finance - Economic and Business International Program from the University of Zagreb and certificates from Harvard University, the United Nations Academy, and Futur.io Institute as a Leader in Sustainable Development and Execution (COP26).

Andreas Wil Gerdes

Andreas Wil Gerdes is a thought leader in the digital nomad movement and a key contributor to the telecommunications industry, having parlayed the technology that powers remote work.

He sold his first business at the age of 20. Working out of a garage, he successfully built what would become part of Orange PLC. He was one of the 7 winners of the European Award "Elite of the Future" (Elite der Zukunft), the nominators of which included BMW, Deutsche Bank, and many others.

Andreas has also been prominently featured in the Financial Times publication ‘101 Leaders of the New Economy’. He has inspired hundreds of entrepreneurs – creating a supernova effect through the power of his vision in motion.

But that’s not what he wants to be known for, he prefers another title, #father. His content across social media preaches a new ‘life-centric’ movement that allows parents to spend far more time with their children than the traditional educational system would like to see.

Andreas is one of many parents in the digital nomad community like Lona Alia, Lizz Quain, and Lily Bruns who are showing a new model for parenting while teleworking from every continent on earth and living a full life with their children.

In the 1990s, Andreas recognized Malta’s potential for teleworking and online innovation, making it his family’s home base and contributing to its growth as a digital nomads' and remote business hub.

Advisory circle

John Heinsen

John Heinsen

HEAD OF ADVISORY CIRCLE & SENIOR ADVISOR - CREATIVE STRATEGY & PARTNERSHIPS
John Heinsen is an Emmy-recognized multi-platform producer and former Vice President of the Producers Guild of America with over two decades crafting breakthrough storytelling for global audiences. His leadership spans ABC/Disney, FOX, and Castle Rock Entertainment, including serving as showrunner for the Academy Awards (Oscars) for three years and holding executive board positions at the Producers Guild of America and the Television Academy. Passionate about stories that drive social impact, John founded Bunnygraph Entertainment to produce content that builds community and meaningful change. His historical project Return to Le Cateau 1917 has exhibited internationally, using storytelling to foster empathy and remembrance across generations. At MaNaBu Movement, John leads the Advisory Circle and champions future-focused storytelling and innovation inspiring young people to confidently shape their futures.
Marc Buckley

Marc Buckley

REGENERATIVE FUTURIST & OFFICIAL UN SDG ADVOCATE
Marc Buckley is an ecological economist and regenerative futurist dedicated to redesigning the systems that feed, fuel, and sustain humanity. Trained by former Vice President Al Gore as a Climate Leader, Marc has spent his career advocating for climate action, food reform, and scalable solutions that protect both people and planet. As an Official UN SDG Advocate, Marc advises the UN Climate Change Secretariat, UN Resilience Frontiers, and Neom's Liveability Thesis. A member of the World Economic Forum's Expert Network (WEF) and Impact Circle on AI, he shapes transformation strategies for global cities and accelerator boards driving systemic change. His work in sustainable food innovation has inspired corporate and policy shifts toward regenerative production worldwide. Through his podcast, teaching at institutions like the Berlin School of Sustainable Futures, and his activism on global stages including COP28, Marc empowers the next generation with the tools to create resilient, desirable futures. At MaNaBu, Marc's mission is clear: help children understand they can change the world - and show them how.
Martin McDonald

Martin McDonald

CHIEF CURIOSITY & EXPLORATION OFFICER
Courageous advisor. Excellent moral compass. Journey: Law, Automotive (BMW, Toyota, Lexus), Motorsport, (Formula 1 and WRC Teams, FIA & UIM Rights Holders, Moto, Powerboats, Sailing). Co-Founder P1 World Championship, Racing Simulators, Computer Games & Virtual Reality. Designer & founder of a Platform to connect humanity for evolutionary collaboration. Strategy/advisory for governments, blue chip, SME, Startups & personal brands. Passionate about real outcomes for Earth, humans, animals, sealife, impact investors, super delighted to be invited to Manabu Advisory Team.
Kamilah Gray Bains

Kamilah Gray Bains

Global Marketing, Strategy & Operations
Kamilah Gray-Bain is a global marketing and operations leader at the forefront of creator-driven innovation. At Meta (Facebook & Instagram), she led strategies empowering creators to mobilize communities for societal impact - from pandemic public health initiatives to climate action and civic engagement campaigns reaching millions. She now leads integrated global marketing for TikTok's creator ecosystem, driving programs that scale innovation and cultural impact. With over a decade spanning Bloomberg, HBO, AMC Networks, and CAA, Kamilah combines creative vision with operational excellence and a commitment to media as a force for good. She advises MaNaBu to help empower the next generation of young changemakers worldwide.
Ante Pavic

Ante Pavic

IT AND BANKING EXPERT
Accomplished professional and visionary leader at the nexus of Technology, Banking, and Cybersecurity. Ante seamlessly combines his extensive experience in technology and banking with a compassionate commitment to youth empowerment and environmental sustainability, showcasing a unique blend of professional prowess and societal impact.
Nick Bain

Nick Bain

Writer, Producer & Co-Founder, Pickering Animation Studios
Nick Bain is an acclaimed screenwriter and producer with over 15 years shaping high-end film, television, and animated storytelling across Hollywood, Europe, and India. His work spans multi-million-dollar productions for major studios - including Netflix's global hit Jagame Thandhiram (#1 in eight countries), Warner Bros., Disney, and Showtime. Today, Nick is Co-Founder and Head of Story at Pickering Animation Studios - an emerging UK studio building what industry insiders are calling "the Pixar of the UK" - where character-driven stories and bold creative voices are at the heart of everything they create. A champion of original worlds, Nick has developed projects alongside Academy Award®-winning talent including Peter Ramsey (Spider-Verse) and Jim Uhls (Fight Club). At MaNaBu, Nick crafts stories that show children how great things are accomplished through small, persistent steps - inspiring courage, curiosity, and hope in young audiences worldwide.

Leadership

Lumjana Shehu

Lumjana Shehu

Balkan Project Lead
Passion-driven Youth Empowerment Advocate and Marketing Manager focused on leveraging social media and new tech to drive positive change and reshape our world.
Hannah Dixon

Hannah Dixon

VA Program Training Lead
Founder of Virtual Excellence Academy, renowned Virtual Assistant & Freelance Coach who empowered over 30k+ Virtual Assistants globally, Ft. in Forbes, Biz Insider, Entrepreneur+
Priyanka Modi

Priyanka Modi

Worldschooling Education Lead
Visionary founder of EducationNext.in, an educational platform that aims to revolutionize the way people approach learning. With a deep passion for education, she advocates interest-based learning and embraces alternative methods of learning to empower individuals of all ages.
Enes Petromilo

Enes Petromilo

Virtual Assistance Project Trainer
Enes Petromilo is a vibrant young professional from Tirana, Albania, with a deep-seated passion for blending communication and creativity. His passion has always been engaging in projects that merge these interests, both professionally and personally. As a dynamic communicator and creative thinker, he’s committed to driving positive change and fostering an environment where potential meets opportunity.

Young Ambassadors

Maya & Magnus

Malta / Bulgaria
’We care about the planet and the planet’s pains. We want to understand it. We mean, we trash it. We would love if we would be more kind to the planet, anytime, anywhere.’

Jakov

Croatia
A creative soul, very empathetic, sensitive to the destruction of nature and inequality. Always curious and looking for answers, working on creating things that can help people lead better lives.

Annika

Southern California
I'd say the most important environmental issue is the role industrialization plays in our air quality. How can we call it "progress" when in the end we are poisoning ourselves and our planet?

Adi

India
Adi loves to travel, meet people and experience different cultures. He loves technology and wants to make a positive difference by helping others.

MANABU Center - Andes, New York

The MANABU Center is envisioned as a serene sanctuary for youth to immerse in nature, form bonds with peers from various backgrounds, and gain essential skills to thrive in life. It's a haven for fostering mindfulness, a holistic learning, and empowerment through a deep connection with the natural world.

Our Impact

Nobody is too young or too small to start a change in the world.

MaNaBu's first Movement was started by Maya, who, amid the pandemic, invited her peers and neighbors to clean up her favorite park in Croatia from cigarette butts. This wholehearted idea of a 7-year-old girl was followed by local TV and news. Although it seemed rather peculiar to see children cleaning, her honest efforts incentivized more than 22 local actions run by amazing families and children who joined our MaNaBu Movements throughout 2021 to clean up parks, gardens, schoolyards, beaches, and rivers.

Join us / Take part