The Hidden Element: Collaboration as a tool for achieving the SDGs
When I was accepted to the very first UNLEASH Innovation Lab, I received an email to join an informal Facebook group so we could start connecting and sharing. After reading about what others were doing in my field, I was really struck by the incredible things that such a young age group has managed to accomplish. All my new peers are incredibly smart people, running their own NGOs and/or working on exceptionally complex prototypes to solve humanitarian problems. There is much to be admired in this group. UNLEASH LAB 2017 is an incredible opportunity to be part of a global gathering of like-minded people.
I look forward to bringing together my skills in network development and water quality & sanitation improvement for a unique approach to the SDGs. I developed different abilities during my time as a water field representative for Saha Global, organization which has helped me grow a passion for WASH themes, and my full-time job at a philanthropic association.
The first UNLEASH Lab in Denmark will be a real example of this current trend in the world of different cultures coming together through peer-learning exchange and knowledge sharing. I truly believe we can change the world — not by acting alone, but through partnerships of those sharing common-goals.
I personally consider learning from each other’s experiences and adapting it to local contexts — depending on where you want to apply your learnings — as one of the strongest paths to achieve the goals. In addition, I strongly trust that involving the people from the communities dealing with the issues during the entire process is essential for a sustainable and long-lasting solution for the problem. In the end, there are no better people to help implement change than the ones struggling everyday with the issues at hand. It’s for this reason that I believe that we can address many of the SDGs by using goal 17: Partnerships.
Despite being young, my personal and professional experiences have given me the tools to think critically and to contribute to complex discussions on the proposed themes of my choice with a more humanitarian point of view. In addition, WINGS (Worldwide Initiatives for Grantmaker Support), the non-profit where I currently work, is highly committed in sharing knowledge on the SDGs through diverse settings such as webinars, international meetings and as one of the key partners in developing the SDG Philanthropy Platform.
Being part of UNLEASH LAB this year, will allow me to bring all the understandings and key points of the discussions to improve my efficiency in working with the Sustainable Development Goals and also be able to act as a “disseminator” of solutions in my country. Needless to say, as it always happens to me after having high-impact experiences like this, your perspective of the world’s issues changes and you end-up carrying the learnings to your personal life and for those who surround you as well.
