Yanthe

van Nek

exploring collective imagination

Everdina, Nellie & the Caravan

A group of women in their 80’s and a man from a can

A Forgotten Caravan, A Love Story Written by a Village

A forgotten caravan. A tin box with a secret. A woman created from individual memories, and a granddaughter imagined by children. This is the story of Everdina and Nellie—a journey that started in a care home and a school but became a love story that wove an entire village together. A project that never truly ended.

Detail view of the decorated caravan interior, where Everdina and Nellie come to life through objects and imagination


Watch the full story of Everdina & Nellie (English subtitles coming soon)

Two of the women behind Everdina's creation holding their book for the first time— a new story, their own story, now published.

 

 

 

“…she’s part of all of us…”


— Catharina, resident of Oldersheem Care Center and one of Everdina’s creators

 

 

From memories to print—Everdina’s story was written by the community, bound into a book, and sent into the world. This wasn’t just a project; it was a living, breathing narrative that connected generations. The book found a permanent home in the Emmen Library and its traveling book bus, ensuring Everdina’s journey never truly ended.

A Life Created from Memories
Everdina was born from the past—pieced together by a group of women who shared their own histories to create a new story. From baby photos to school days, she became real in their minds before finding a home in the caravan
The Caravan - A Home Waiting to Be Found
An abandoned caravan at a local campsite became the perfect home for Everdina. With the community’s help, it was restored, filled with details that reflected her personality, and turned into a living installation
The Man from the Can
A surprise discovery—hidden in a cupboard, a tin box filled with old black-and-white photographs revealed a mysterious man. He became Everdina’s partner, woven into the story just as she was
Nellie - A Granddaughter Imagined
Children from the local school joined the project, creating a granddaughter for Everdina. Using their own family photos, they pieced together Nellie’s life, proving that new stories can be built from fragments of reality.
The Library Bus - A Story on the Move
Everdina’s story didn’t stay within the village. It traveled, reaching others through the regional library buses, making sure the story continued beyond its origins
Holding the Book for the First Tiem
The women who never thought they’d write a new story held their published book in their hands. A moment of pride, laughter, and proof that creativity has no age.
Community, Connection and Storytelling
More than an art project—Everdina & Nellie connected generations, created lasting friendships, and proved that storytelling is a force that brings people together.

The Birth of Everdina

It started with a group of elderly women—some in their 80s, some disabled—who one morning gathered with their personal photo albums. From these fragments of past lives, Everdina was born. A woman shaped by collective memory. They voted on her name, a familiar one from the region. Everdina was independent; she wouldn’t marry. But adventure awaited her. That’s when the search for a home began.

 

The Man from the Can

The search led to an old caravan, donated by a local campsite. When I opened its cupboards, I found a small tin box filled with black-and-white photos of a striking young man in a faraway place. A forgotten story, waiting to be rediscovered. ‘I found Everdina’s partner!’ I told the elderly women. The room erupted in laughter and excitement. The magic of storytelling had truly taken hold.

Nellie – The Granddaughter Imagined by Children

The local primary school wanted to join in. I asked the children to create a granddaughter for Everdina. They studied their own family photos and pieced together a child’s life from infancy to age 11. They named her Nellie. It was remarkable to see how convincingly they built a person from fragments—proof that stories can be born from collective imagination.

 

A Story That Became Reality

 

With Everdina, Nellie, and the man from the can, the entire village was drawn into the story. Volunteers furnished the caravan with thrifted treasures, a Chinese takeaway menu (because Everdina loved Chinese food), and even clothing for her adventures. The library bus carried copies of Everdina, Nellie & the Caravan across the region, giving this fictional life a very real presence in the world.

But what stayed with me most were the moments beyond the project itself: the elderly women seeing their own book in print for the first time, holding their creation in their hands. The schoolchildren discovering the joy of storytelling. The villagers coming together, sharing meals, laughter, and an ongoing sense of connection.

Everdina and Nellie may not exist in flesh and blood, but their story continues to live within the community—a shared adventure that will never truly end.

 

A Story That Still Lives On

 

Some stories never truly end. The book may be written, but the connections forged through Everdina & Nellie continue to grow. A new generation of children and residents of the care home now share in what began years ago—carrying the project forward in ways we never expected.

đź“– Want to read the full story?
Click here to access the book Everdina, Nellie & the Caravan (available in the regional library and library buses).

A new story was written—but even today, the pages are still turning.

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