"When we look at the news, it sometimes feels like the world is moving backwards, doesn’t it? The number of natural disasters, violent conflicts and people forced to leave their homes is ever increasing. All that while having a climate crisis looming over us, reaching the point of no return. But if you look closer, in between all the chaos, you can find hope.
That little bit of hope is what keeps the world going and has motivated me to work in the development cooperation sector. I believe we can change the course of the world together and reach those #SDGs. However big or small, we can all in our own way contribute to these goals. To strengthen my knowledge on how we can contribute to a better world via development cooperation I decided to apply for the AMID masterclasses.
Although I have the honor to learn from renounced lecturers within the sector, I believe I personally and professionally grow the most from the interaction with my class. The participants consist of various actors in the field of international development from all over the world, from donors and philanthropists to beneficiaries, from south to north. Their valuable viewpoints, and sometimes very critical questions to my address as a civil servant for the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, force me to review my believes on what works.
The AMID masterclass creates critical thinkers in the field of international development and simultaneously provides a platform to build a network within the sector. So far, the classes have taught me about the various challenges we face but also possible solutions. The biggest take aways for me so far? We need trust, continuity, and a little appetite for risk. And most important, with the risk of sounding terribly cliché: Hope!"