My last post...

My apologies, it has taken a while but here, at last, is my final post. My last days in Aceh were rather hectic. Of course I had tasks to finalise, things to hand over and I had to find the time to say goodbye to everyone.

In the meantime, I have been in the Netherlands for a couple of days, with mixed emotions. On the one hand, it is always great being back home and reuniting with family and friends. On the other hand, however, I am already missing Indonesia terribly much. Aceh has made a deep impression on me.

Aceh is a beautiful place and the Acehnese are absolutely fantastic; they are ever so friendly and hospitable people. I am really glad to have had the opportunity to come into contact with them and learn about their culture and traditions. I am also extremely happy to have been able to spend the past six months working for the IRC. It has been a true education that has allowed me to grow on both personal and professional levels. I have been exposed to a wonderful programme and I feel much pride for having contributed, however minimally, to the recovery of Aceh after the devastating Tsunami of 24 December, 2004. I am particularly proud to have been working for the Community Driven Regeneration (CDR) programme, which truly seeks to empower small communities. I feel that beneficiaries ought to be placed at the centre of their own development efforts and that our role should be that of facilitators and capacity builders, 'merely' serving as catalysts. Evidence from the field of development over the past 30 years clearly shows that active participation is a key factor for successful programmes. It empowers communities and creates a sense of ownership, which is crucial for sustainability. I am a strong proponent of community driven development approaches I am really grateful to have been able to learn more about such programmes and to have been given the opportunity to contribute to the IRC’s CDR programme in Aceh.

Thank you all for reading my Blog, I hope you found it insightful. I will keep you posted about my next step!

Take care,

Alex