Amsterdam, 25-08-2010
Dear development sector,
John Lennon sang a song 39 years ago that’s called ‘Power to the People’:
“Say we want a revolution
We better get on right away
Well you get on your feet
And out on the street”
I never really listened to the lyrics of this song, but thinking about you, the 1%CLUB and my work here, this song popped into my head referring to my vision of development. I think that development can be achieved when you act as a supporter for people in development countries. I’m so excited when I read the international project proposals of people from communities in development countries. Working here helped me realize that it’s possible to contribute to poverty alleviation not only by giving money but also by investing knowledge or expertise. It is the wisdom of the crowd that can make a big difference. And everyone can be a part of it. Let’s make it work together!
Unfortunately, working with you is not always possible for everyone, as ViceVersa headlined on August, 4th: “The development sector has a lack of job opportunities for young talent!”. I probably did something wrong, but somehow I was one of the lucky few that managed to get a (voluntary) job without any experience except my finished thesis on private initiatives, so thanks! But, instead of participating in this the ongoing discussion about you, let’s discuss my own experience. After all, that’s the one I can talk about.
What did I do?
I started at the 1%CLUB in May 2010 after finishing my thesis. After having read lots of books about development, I now found myself on the other side of the table. Development cooperation in action! Unlike others that are dreaming of a career in development cooperation to ‘save the world’ since they were three years old, I was always a little skeptical about charity. So, I decided to take courses in this area to see who you were and what was true about my skeptical attitude. And here I find myself, two years later, done with my first job. Time travels fast.
As a Project Assistant, my core task was to support the project managers in their job. I reviewed several projects and provided them with feedback. Next to that, I did a research on the quality of the 1%PROJECTS. I set up a survey for all the finished projects, so that the 1%CLUB can see where improvements are necessary. I also welcomed many new members on the website. All of these tasks helped me to create a proper view of you and the 1%CLUB, and I gained insight in the activities in and around development cooperation.
What’s left of the skepticism?
It’s certainly very easy to create your own skeptical vision while studying development, but it differs a lot from working with you. It’s never as easy as you can put down on a paper; the so-called implementation gap. But, instead of being skeptical, I learned to challenge this gap. We learned from our mistakes and dare to take it to the next level. The skepticism is definitely not gone, but I learned to turn it into something positive together with you.
I won’t make a list with hints that will help others to work with you, because I don’t think that my experience is applicable in every situation, but with the help of three keywords: proactive, creative and enthusiasm, I managed to get where I am now with you. You’re hard to get, but you’re quite a catch. Thanks for the time that we spent together, I hope we will meet again someday, but now it’s time to do something else.
Kind Regards,
Marij Swinkels
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