Taken the first step...

I started my blog! I have been thinking about this for some time, and it feels like the right moment. With so many questions in mind, I have a serious wish to learn more about how to create social value, the worth of social entrepreneurship, and the possibilities of poverty reduction through profit. I intend to use this blog to track and record my reflections, learnings and found materials. A good way for expressing my ideas and opinion, and exchange thoughts with others!

My interest in poverty reduction and how to contribute to this, is based in the North of Ghana. I was looking for new insights, learning about another culture, challenging my thoughts about development work, and contributing to something worthwhile to me. Working in a small community and living with local people gave me the opportunity to experience what poverty really means, development issues that are at stake, the meaning of values and rituals, as well as the way people find happiness and joy in their lives. This experience has an important influence on my life.

Since my return to the Netherlands, I am thinking of ways to contribute to poverty reduction, to create social value, using my personal interest and curiosity in learning and development. Questions important for me to focus on, are:

• How can we create social value? What is social entrepreneurship about? How does it contribute to poverty reduction?
• What are examples of remarkable and inspiring persons, organisations and initiatives contributing to poverty reduction? What is their drive for doing this meaningful work? How do they translate their ideals into reality?
• How can we support development from the view of entrepreneurship? How to stimulate poverty reduction through profit?
• And what learning processes support our role in social change, taking intiative, and innovate to improve life standards in developing countries?