Meet the people behind Anastomosis and CAL
Anastomosis is held by people who care deeply about children, learning, art and the creation of meaningful spaces for community. Our work grows from a shared wish to offer children a warm, creative, and trustworthy environment where learning can unfold with joy, depth, and connection to life.
Joaquim Pedro Ferreira
Founder of CAL and Co-Founder of Anastomosis
Born in Angola and having lived most of his life in Portugal, with chapters in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, he brings more than 30 years of experience with children, together with a background in biology and theatre. He worked for many years as a teacher and later as a team leader of international teams, experiences that deepened his understanding of group dynamics, learning processes and the conditions that support healthy development.
Alongside this, he developed a rich artistic path as an actor and director, exploring storytelling and movement.
Over time, these artistic and educational paths came together in an approach rooted in careful observation, relationship and respect for each child’s rhythm.
He is a TEDx speaker and the creator of a Natural Learning approach that weaves creativity, real life, autonomy and participation into education. Becoming a father deepened his commitment to environments where children can grow as whole, balanced and responsible human beings.
Manuela Mancini
Teacher at CAL
She was born in a small village in southern Italy and later lived for ten years in Bologna, where she earned a degree in Arts, Music, and Performing Arts (DAMS) from the University of Bologna. There she discovered theatre and became involved in socio-cultural projects that connected artistic work with community life.
She then moved to Rome, where she completed specialised training as a children's theatre educator, bringing together her two main passions: education and the performing arts. In 2013–2014, a year-long European Voluntary Service (EVS) took her to Portugal, a country she later chose as her home. There, she became the mother of three children, who have grown up alongside the evolution of her projects.
Besides her work at CAL, Manuela has been leading independent sessions with children in various community and educational settings. She leads Teatro in Gioco (Helga Dentale® Method) and continues to develop a practice that invites play, presence, and attentive exploration.
Manuela has been part of CAL from the beginning, taking an active role in its growth and daily functioning. She brings warmth, clarity, and a steady relational field, supporting children’s learning through play, simple routines, and close presence in everyday life.
Daiane Cavalheiro
Administrative assistant
She was born in a small city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Languages and Literature from the University of Campinas (UNICAMP). Although her academic background is in the humanities, her professional path has unfolded mainly in finance and operations.
Over the years, Daiane has worked in areas such as billing, forecasting, compliance, reporting, and contract administration, developing a solid sense of organisation and responsibility.
She enjoys creating clear structures and reliable processes that help projects run smoothly and sustainably over time.
At CAL, she supports the association’s administrative and financial life, helping to hold the back-office with care and transparency. She brings attention to detail, consistency, and a quiet, steady presence that allows the educational work to happen with more ease and support.
Diana Carmen Dragnea
Co-Founder of Anastomosis
​Diana Carmen brings structure, organisation, and long-term vision to this work. Her strength lies in giving shape to ideas, coordinating processes, and helping meaningful projects become real, coherent and sustainable.
Her path began in medicine, followed by an Ophthalmology residency in Germany, a corneal fellowship in the Netherlands, and later work as an anterior segment surgeon in Belgium. These years strengthened a deep attention to detail and the importance of environments that genuinely support people.
Motherhood became a turning point, bringing children, attachment, and healthy development to the centre of her life. She completed the Compassionate Inquiry professional training with Gabor Maté and since 2025 certified as a Compassionate Inquiry practitioner, bringing a trauma-aware, relational perspective to learning and community. Since 2024 she has also been active in real estate projects, combining strategic thinking with a growing interest in ecological living.
With a strong eye for design and implementation, Diana supports the association’s development, helping to build environments that are grounded in real life.