Next step

Two years ago, on June 2006, I started at NABUUR.

Then NABUUR was an Internet site on which 5,000 online volunteers (Neighbours) collaborated with the population of 60 local communities (Villages) from Africa, Asia and Latin America to find new solutions for local problems.

Now, at the end of 2008 NABUUR is an open platform where soon 20,000 Neighbours from 152 different countries will assist the population in 200 Villages with projects which are linked with the millennium goals.

NABUUR became a self-organising platform and as a result the team of employees and thereby the operational costs can be much lower. Moreover NABUUR is well on it’s way to secure a group of committed partners and financial supporters and with that it has been insured a stable future.

I am glad that I have made my contribution to this growth in the previous years. There were turbulent, sometimes uncertain times in which I have cooperated gladly with colleagues and partners and above all have learned much from the local representatives and the volunteers.

Your feeling for justice, commitment, perseverance and allegiance is infinite and will continue to inspire me both in work and private life!

As of 1 January I will start working at‘’de Baak’’ (www.baakblue.nl). Last autumn NABUUR hosted the Dutch Innovation seminar (organised by the Baakblue). There I experienced the work area and got to know the people. From the first meeting I felt like a fish in water and realised that I in my next job I want more personal contact and variety in subjects and organisations. That is what the Baakblue can offer me.

NABUUR `gets under your skin'' and that’s why I want to conclude with stories of developments reached in the Villages the previous years:

http://www.nabuur.com/news/stories

I hope that this only beginning ...... Thank you very much for cooperation!

Gerdie Schreuders