One week in Romania to show how SAP helps the world run better and improves people’s lives
After my unforgettable experience in India last year in Ahmedabad, I wanted to keep participating in the SAP CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) program. Since being part of a one-month onsite project in an emerging country can only be done once, I had to look for other opportunities in the “SAP Social Sabbatical” portfolio (name of SAP CSR program).
It was not too complicated to be one of the persons in charge of the candidates’ evaluation for 2018–2019 program but I also decided, one year ago, to try to be one of the 10 mentors who will assist a team of 12 SAP top talent employees in their one-month experience in a developing country (what I did in February 2017 in Ahmedabad).
To be one of these 10 mentors, I had to go into a selection process where all previous “SAP Social Sabbatical” participants could apply. After a written application and an interview, I had the surprise to be selected (I didn’t expect at all to be one of the 10 lucky persons)! This means that I’ll mentor a team and be onsite in an emerging country for one week. I think my experience as a mentor in my day to day job for several years helped me a lot to get selected!
From Kazakhstan to Kosovo
The first thing I knew, back during summer 2017, was that the team will be in July 2018 in Kazakhstan. Relatively quickly, since the political situation in this Central Asian country and former Soviet republic was complicated, we’ve been told that we’ll finally go to Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, an European country or territory only officially recognized by some countries which declared independence from Serbia in 2008 (this makes this “country” as the youngest in Europe).
During months, I took time to read, search and learn about Kosovo to try to understand its people, culture, habits, communication and working styles because this will be an important part of the challenge when being there. And I didn’t want to only have in mind the Kosovo war during the 90s, because a lot of things happened since then and the situation of the country changed a lot.
And finally Romania
But, finally, I won’t go to Kosovo!
Mid-April this year, so less than 3 months before the beginning of the project, due to security and safety reasons (an increase of the tension in the country and risks to potential escalation), SAP has decided to cancel the Social Sabbatical in Kosovo.
But, right away, since such change occurs from time to time (and we know that could happen) we’ve been told that we’ll go to Romania.
For the western European citizen that I am, Romania, like Kosovo, is a country from the Eastern Europe and, when I was a child, both were part of the Soviet Union umbrella. So, there must have some similarities between the two even if, since the end of the 80s/beginning of the 90s and the end of the Soviet Union, there are almost 30 years and the history both territories went through has nothing to do.
So, I’ll be in Bucharest, the Romanian capital, in July for the first week of the project to guide and mentor my 12 SAP colleagues from all over the world. They will be there during 4 weeks and there will have 4 teams of 3 persons who are going to work with 4 different organizations.
Earlier this week, the 4 teams were formed and my 12 colleagues know now with which organizations they’re going to collaborate with!
These 4 organizations are:
Asociatia TechSoup: an independent NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) which is part of the TechSoup Global Network. They are a capacity-building organization which provides technology resources to nonprofits, as well as to youth and educators.
Impact Hub Bucharest: offers a space with all the tools and trimmings needed to grow and develop innovative ventures. Above all, they create a space for meaningful encounters and exchanges.
Policy Center or Roma and Minorities: is committed to long term structural change in all fields of the society, aiming to tackle poverty in marginalized Roma communities across Romania and the European Union.
Progress Foundation Romania: is one of the legacy organizations of the Biblionet Program founded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Over the past 2 years, they have invested in the development of over 1/3 of the country libraries of Romania.
So, we have organizations from the main areas SAP Social Sabbatical program participates in: education, entrepreneurship, culture but also minorities.
This type of program is a real-life example on how SAP helps the world run better and improves people’s lives (this is SAP purpose).
I really look forward learning more about these 4 organizations and see how some top-talented SAP employees can help them in their challenges.
I’ll do my best to help them as much as I can!
Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions. I’ll try to make other articles about this experience before, during and after the program.
