Rikolto and I go way back. As a teenager and boy scout I was already involved in fundraising in Belgium, for Vredeseilanden at the time. Every year in January I took to the streets, selling gadgets to raise money, often even on my birthday. Many years later, I started working for FADO in Indonesia, a small NGO which later merged with Vredeseilanden. On my return to Belgium I became a member of the General Assembly and of its Finance Committee, and later, a member of the Belgian Board of Directors.
It was this board that initiated the transition towards an international network organisation, and my role in the International Board of Directors is to be the link between the old and the new board. I know how Rikolto works in the field, I'm familiar with our core values and approaches, and I know and fully support the new direction it wants to take. I also bring to the international board my financial expertise, as I currently work in the banking industry, as well as my experience in change management and general management.
What kept me involved with Rikolto for so long is the organisation’s constant willingness to improve, to do better. Rikolto is known and appreciated for its self-reflection and innovation. So after all these years you can still find me at the door of a Belgian supermarket in January, raising funds for Rikolto!
