Behind the scenes

As the Tiny Cave project unfolds and grows, we want to hold this space for all the hands that have touched it, held it, and helped birth its various forms.

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Juhi Jha

Art, Story and Learning

Juhi led the creation of the original storybook, writing and art directing its narrative, exercises and visuals, drawing on conversations with the team and CRIF’s work with young people. She also art directed the puppet film, co-created educational experiences and continues to shape the project’s evolution across narrative, learning and artistic forms, with the collaboration of some truly incredible people.

Andy Valdor

Visual Artist

Andy brought the storybook to life with her vibrant, collage style illustrations, capturing the wonder in the characters’ eyes, the echoes and gloom of the cave, the hopes and dreams of its dwellers, the magic of the moon, a child’s hand against a pink sky, and her signature textures of dried flowers and leaves. Have a look at her work here.

Nkem Ndefo

Educator – Embodiment and Trauma Healing

Nkem brought her expertise in embodiment and trauma informed practice, helping ensure these elements were thoughtfully reflected in the workbook exercises and donor sessions. She held the spirit and wonder of the project close to her heart even as she guided its rigorous, thoughtful integration, supporting meaningful, engaging and safe learning experiences. Learn more about her work here.

Nao Kobayashi

Puppeteer

Nao helped bring the world of the Tiny Cave to life through puppetry and its translation to film. Her work honored silence, breath and the wildness of the story. Her thoughtful questions shaped how light played across the set, how characters moved, and what grew within the world itself. Her artistry allowed the story to unfold in a rich, embodied and cinematic way. Check out her work here.

Shelter Richardson

Set Designer

Shelter is a set designer (=world builder). She collaborated with CRIF for the What’s Possible Institute in Accra, Ghana in 2024. Her work was instrumental in translating the discomfort, awe, wildness and magic of the story from the page into a physical space designed for just a few days. The ephemeral, site-specific environment she constructed allowed learning experiences to unfold fully during the event, before being carefully dismantled- leaving only memories and impact. Explore her work here

Co-learners

We want to thank our fellow cave dwellers for their vulnerability, authenticity and effort – for their suspension of disbelief, their willingness to engage in uncomfortable conversations, and for taking brave conversations back to their organizations.

Thank you for creating safe spaces with others, helping to unpack ideas and move them forward even by an inch, and for sitting with the discomfort of not having a roadmap or a toolkit. Your curiosity and courage have shaped this work in meaningful ways.

Magnificent Creatures

The spark, the seed, the kernel of this entire project is our engagement with the lived experience and insight of young people leading work on the frontlines, as they come in contact with the requirements of the cave, even in our most open minded forums. Their perspectives serve as our north star, helping to shift how we see, think and act. Listen to their voices in our podcast.