🎙 GINI’s voices – Ep. 01 - Virginia Scheele: roots & heritage ✨

In this first episode, Virginia Scheele, founder of GINI, shares her personal journey of growing up in a small Dutch village as one of the few families of colour, navigating identity, bias and belonging.

She reflects on:

🔸Childhood; trying to fit in with brown skin and curly hair

🔸How history stories shaped, and limited, her worldview🔸Encounters with racism in school, work and love

This episode sets the tone for GINI’s voices: amplifying overlooked stories, honouring heritage and reclaiming erased histories.

📚 Resources & mentions:

🔸⁠De zeven vinkjes⁠ (in Dutch) - Joris Luyendijk

🔸⁠Hallo witte scholen⁠ - Anousha Nzume

🔸⁠Sexotisch⁠ - Kelly-Qian van Binsbergen (not mentioned but relevant)

🔸⁠De plantage van onze voorouders⁠ - Maartje Duin (not mentioned but relevant)

🔸⁠Omek⁠ - by Kemo Camara

🔸Connect with Virginia: ⁠LinkedIn⁠

✨ Discover more:
🌍 GINI experiences
📸 Instagram: @gini.impact.travel
🧡 Connect with Virginia: LinkedIn

💡 Fuel GINI’s mission: Donation
If you enjoyed this episode, please hit follow and leave a 5-star review. Your support helps us share these important stories with the world!

✨ Tune in to this episode and let Virginia’s story inspire you to see travel as a force for truth and justice. ✨

Azada Noori is an entrepreneur based in Amsterdam who transformed self-doubt and social anxiety into a thriving career in networking and business.

Her journey started as a waitress, later building a marketing agency, and now running one of Amsterdam’s biggest networking events. But it wasn’t always easy, she had to push through social fears, personal challenges, and a whole lot of self-doubt.

In this episode, we dive into:

✨ How fear challenges helped Azada step out of her comfort zone.
✨ The power of networking and community in personal growth.
✨ Overcoming self-doubt and imposter syndrome as an entrepreneur.
✨ The unexpected paths that led to her success.

Get in contact with Azada

🔸 Connect with Azada on LinkedIn and Instagram
🔸 The book she recommended: Reality Transurfing by Vadim Zeland

🌍 Make travel a force for change!

GINI’s mission is to create greater equality through travel and storytelling. Right now, we’re running a crowdfunding campaign to scale our impact and YOU can be part of the movement!

Here’s how you can help:

🔸 Support GINI’s mission, every contribution, big or small, makes a difference! If you're planning a trip, check out our trip rewards.
🔸 Share this episode & campaign, send it to three people who would love what we’re doing.
🔸 Connect us, know any impact-driven leaders or advocates? We’d love an introduction!

Join the GINI movement today! Check it out!

Discover more:
🌍 Explore GINI experiences: Website
📸 Follow GINI on Instagram: @gini.impact.travel
💡 Connect with Virginia: LinkedIn

If you enjoyed this episode, hit follow and leave a 5-star review. Your support helps us share these powerful stories with the world!

✨ Tune in now and learn how stepping into discomfort can open doors to new opportunities! ✨

🎙 GINI's voices - Ep. 05 - Virginia: The journey to entrepreneurship 💡

Welcome to the fifth episode of GINI's Voices! In this solo episode, I, Virginia Scheele, take you on a deeply personal journey through the highs and lows of entrepreneurship.

From starting as a microbiologist with no thought of running a business to becoming the founder of GINI, a travel company that empowers overlooked communities, this episode dives into the twists, challenges and breakthroughs along the way.

I share how the COVID-19 crisis sparked my leap into freelancing, the lessons I learned building resilience after 65 job rejections and how I discovered my company’s mission to connect people across cultures through travel and storytelling. This is an unfiltered look at the courage, persistence and self-discovery it takes to be an entrepreneur.

Make travel a force for change!
🔸 Support GINI's mission: Our crowdfunding campaign launches Wednesday on Indiegogo!

GINI's voices is the podcast of GINI, the travel company that goes beyond travel. GINI empowers overlooked communities through GINI experiences, including workshops, retreats and trips designed to create lasting impact and drive transformation.

Discover more:
🌍 GINI experiences: Website
📸 Instagram: @gini.travel
🧡 Connect with Virginia: LinkedIn

If you enjoyed this episode, please hit follow and leave a 5-star review. Your support helps us share these important stories with the world!

✨ Tune in to this episode and discover the realities of entrepreneurship and the power of pursuing your passion despite the odds. ✨

🎙 GINI's voices - Ep. 04 - Haik: The power of resilience 💫

Welcome to the fourth episode of GINI's voices! In this episode, I’m joined by Haik, whose incredible journey takes us from his roots in Armenia, through nine years growing up in Dutch refugee camps, to earning a seat at the table with royals and global leaders.

Haik shares his deeply personal story, reflecting on the resilience it took to overcome immense challenges, the strength he found in his Armenian identity and how he turned adversity into opportunity. From navigating life as a refugee to becoming a leader in innovation and tech, Haik’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance and resilience.

🔸 Connect with Haik: LinkedIn

GINI voices is the podcast of GINI, the travel company that goes beyond travel. GINI empowers overlooked communities through GINI experiences, including workshops, retreats and trips designed to create lasting impact and drive transformation.

💡 Support GINI's mission
GINI is still a start-up and every bit of support, whether it’s sharing our story or contributing funds, makes a huge difference. If you’d like to support us financially, you can make a small donation and please watch out for our upcoming crowdfunding round! Check it out!

Discover more:
🌍 GINI experiences: Website
📸 Instagram: @gini.travel
🧡 Connect with Virginia: LinkedIn

If you enjoyed this episode, please hit follow and leave a 5-star review. Your support helps us share these important stories with the world!

✨ Tune in to this episode and let Haik’s story remind you of the power of resilience and identity. ✨

🎙️ GINI's voices - Ep. 02 - Tamsir: Climate justice beyond borders 💫

Welcome to the second episode of GINI's voices! In this episode, Virginia sits down with Tamsir Salah, a passionate climate justice advocate from Gambia, whose story takes us from rural farming communities to international platforms for change.

Tamsir shares his powerful journey of advocacy, resilience and cultural pride. From his roots in agriculture to his global activism, his story highlights the unfair realities of the climate crisis and the vital role of youth leadership in driving meaningful change.

🔸Connect with Tamsir: LinkedIn & Instagram
🔸Read the blog here: GINI's voices - Tamsir

Hosted by Virginia Scheele, founder of GINI, the travel company that goes beyond travel. GINI empowers overlooked communities through GINI experiences, including workshops, retreats and trips designed to create lasting impact and drive transformation.

Discover more:
🌍 GINI Experiences: www.lifeofgini.nl
📸 Instagram: @gini.travel
🧡 Connect with Virginia on: LinkedIn

If you enjoyed this episode, please hit follow and leave a 5-star review. Your support helps us share these important stories with the world!

Tune in and let Tamsir's story remind you that climate justice knows no borders. 

🎙️ GINI's voices – Ep. 01 - Minh Thu: Home away from home 💫

Welcome to the very first episode of GINI's voices! In this episode, Virginia sits down with Minh Thu, whose story takes us on her journey of being home away from home.

Minh Thu shares her inspiring journey of resilience, self-discovery, and cultural connection. From navigating personal challenges to embracing her identity, her story is a powerful reflection of transformation and growth.

🔸Connect with Minh Thu: LinkedIn
🔸Read the blog here: GINI's voices - Minh Thu

Hosted by Virginia Scheele, founder of GINI, the travel company that goes beyond travel. GINI empowers overlooked communities through GINI experiences, including workshops, retreats, and trips designed to create lasting impact and drive transformation.

Discover more:

🌍 GINI experiences: www.lifeofgini.nl
📸 Instagram: @gini.travel
🧡 Connect with Virginia on: LinkedIn

If you enjoyed this episode, please hit follow and leave a 5-star review. Your support helps us share these stories with the world!

Tune in and let Minh Thu's story inspire your own journey. 🌟

🎙️ GINI's voices - trailer 🌍✨

Welcome to GINI’s voices, the podcast sharing true stories that bridge heritage, culture and connection.

Hosted by Virginia Scheele, founder of GINI, a movement of cultural remembrance through travel with impact. GINI transforms tourism from extraction to regeneration by offering impact journeys and experiences that truly leave an impact.

Expect episodes about:

🌱 Roots & heritage - personal stories from around the world

🌊 Impact movements - conversations with individuals and organisations driving cultural, reparations, and systemic change

Discover more:🌍 Website

📸 Instagram

💎LinkedIn

💫 Fuel GINI's mission

If you enjoy this podcast, please hit follow and leave a 5-star review. Your support helps amplify these voices and make travel a force for truth!