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.
Founder of CAL and Co-Founder of Anastomosis
Joaquim Pedro Ferreira
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 who describes and advocates for a natural way of learning—one 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.
Learning guide at CAL
Manuela Mancini
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 began working on 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, which she later chose as her home and where she became the mother of three children.
Alongside her work at CAL, Manuela leads independent sessions with children in various community and educational settings, including Teatro in Gioco (Helga Dentale® Method). She has been part of CAL from the beginning, playing an active role in its growth and daily functioning, and brings warmth, clarity, and steady presence to support children’s learning through play and simple everyday routines.
Learning guide at CAL
Inés Herrera
She is a photographer, audiovisual producer, and Level 3 Forest School Leader. Her work has focused on visual communication for environmental and artistic projects, alongside art direction and photo editing.
Motherhood became an important turning point, bringing her interests in art, nature, and education into closer connection. It also led her to question how often childhood takes place in artificial spaces, removed from the natural world and from children’s own rhythms of exploration and discovery.
This path led her to Forest School, an approach grounded in freedom, emotional support, and respect for the unique rhythm of each child.
At CAL, Inés brings a sensitive eye for structure and a calm, attentive presence, supporting children’s learning through outdoor exploration, creativity, and relationships.
Land and logistics coordinator
Daniel Neagoe
He was born in Romania and spent many years in Italy, where he ran his own workshop restoring vintage furniture and woodwork. His daily life has long been close to tools, materials, and the practical side of making and fixing things.
Over time, he has developed a solid, hands-on understanding of how spaces and structures work, and what they need to stay safe and functional.
He uses his creativity in different ways, depending on what is needed: some ideas become pieces of art, while others turn into practical, everyday objects or systems that make life run more smoothly. A classical example of his work are the timeless wooden bicycles he builds for children.
At CAL, Daniel takes care of the land, the trees, and much of the on-the-ground logistics. He brings a calm, reliable presence and a straightforward care for nature and the physical environment.
Co-Founder of Anastomosis
Diana Carmen Dragnea
​She 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 as a whole.