Scholarship recipients for Homeward Bound leadership program

July 2025

Three emerging STEMM leaders from Brazil, India and Kenya have been awarded fully funded scholarships from Intrepid Travel to join the 2025 Homeward Bound program, a global transformational leadership initiative focused on women and non-binary changemakers to lead with impact and to influence change around sustainability issues.

Following a global search and highly competitive selection process, Letícia Benavalli (Brazil), Kohinoor Darda (India) and Karen Cherotich (Kenya) have been selected for their outstanding contributions to conservation, community impact and inclusive innovation.

Each will participate in a year-long virtual leadership program, culminating in the Global Leadership Summit: an immersive leadership activation experience in Tanzania in November 2025. Following the summit, they’ll also join a post-program expedition, designed by Intrepid Travel, to connect them with each other and with the region’s people, culture, rich biodiversity and iconic conservation areas like the Serengeti. Learn more about Intrepid’s Tailor-Made product here.

The scholarships, announced in February as part of Intrepid’s partnership with Homeward Bound, aim to remove financial barriers for underrepresented voices with backgrounds in STEMM, especially from developing countries and marginalised communities.

“We’re proud to support Letícia, Kohinoor and Karen, three exceptional leaders shaping a better future for people and the planet,” said Yvette Thompson, GM ANZ at Intrepid Travel. “Through this partnership, we’re investing in bold, inclusive leadership at the intersection of climate action and gender equity.”

The three scholarship recipients are:

· Letícia Benavalli (Brazil) – A conservation biologist and founder of an NGO working on jaguar protection, climate resilience, and gender equity in science, with a focus on Indigenous and rural communities.

· Kohinoor Darda (India) – Founder of the ARISA Foundation, which merges arts and neuroscience to promote mental health and science literacy, particularly among underserved groups.

· Karen Cherotich (Kenya) – A STEMM leader and Chief of Staff at Fresh Life, working to deliver inclusive and tech-enabled sanitation solutions in growing African cities.

CEO of Homeward Bound Olivia Giudice warmly welcomed the three participants to the HB10 program and wider community.

“Letícia, Kohinoor and Karen embody the courageous and values-driven leadership our world urgently needs and thoroughly deserve this fantastic scholarship opportunity from Intrepid. Each brings a unique lens shaped by their STEMM fields, lived experience and deep community connection. We are honoured to welcome them into the Homeward Bound community, where their voices will help shape a more inclusive and sustainable future.”

Joining them in this year’s cohort is Dr Susanne Etti, Intrepid’s Global Environmental Impact Manager, who will complete the full Homeward Bound program and attend the Tanzania leadership conference.

“This program is a valuable opportunity for me to strengthen my leadership skills while building a deeper network of women and non-binary leaders committed to tackling the climate crisis,” said Dr Etti. “Representation in climate leadership matters, and I’m honoured to be part of this journey.”