Having a strong sense of justice, Maaike is committed to fight power structures that create injustices. After witnessing the entrapment of thousands of refugees following the ‘closure’ of the border between in Serbia and Hungary in 2016, she decided to devote her studies to becoming a professional in the field of forced migration. Her aim is to combine direct support and field based experiences with advocacy for structural change. She holds a BA in Political Anthropology from the University of Amsterdam and a Joint Master Degree in International Humanitarian Action from universities in Poland, Malta and Indonesia.