Who are the YEPpers within MDF?

RAYKE NELIS YEP period 2016 - 2018, batch 9

Myanmar Trainer/consultant

Working on business case with 2 YEPers from Ghana

office (Dominic and Susanne): setting up of IBA hub

at MDF Ghana. This project can be (partly) replicated

in Myanmar at a later stage.

SUSANNE ROELOFSEN

YEP period 2016 - 2018, batch 9 Ghana

Trainer/Consultant

Coordinator- Inclusive Agribusiness Centre .

My YEP-assignment is setting up and coordinating the

activities of an Inclusive Agribusiness Centre (IAC)

DOMINIC ASANTE OPOKU-MANU YEP period 2016 - 2018, batch 9

Ghana

Trainer/Consultant Business Advisory Coordinator– Inclusive Agribusiness

Centre I am responsible for managing SMEs who will be

selected and also to help develop a model that will offer

tailor-made services to aspiring entrepreneurs and meeting the

needs of different client groups within the agricultural

value-chain.

MINNE BOSMA YEP period 2014 - 2016, batch 6 (Alumni)

Bangladesh

Trainer/Consultant My official YEP assignment is to establish a water unit

within the Bangladesh office to provide the regular

MDF services to technical water organizations/projects in

Bangladesh

Why this newsletter? Most of us MDFers will have heard the term YEPper before. But what exactly is a YEPper? And

what do they do? That is what we want to share with you in this newsletter. We would like to share

with you what we are working on – and receive your feedback, ideas and link up with you. We

know that there is a lot of knowledge and experience within MDF and we see challenge in connect-

ing this, since our offices are (literally) countries apart. So, let us use this chance to introduce YEP

and the YEPpers, our work and some of our ideas, and we invite you to respond with ideas,

questions and challenges!

Who is a YEPper?

A YEPper is a participant of the Young Expert Programme (YEP). The goal of the programme is to

offer young Dutch professionals the opportunity to gain experience abroad and to offer young local

professionals the opportunity to gain experience with working in an international environ-

ment through Dutch organisations. The YEP Programmes are carried out jointly by the Ministry of

Foreign Affairs, the Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP) and the Food & Business Knowledge

Platform.

YEPpers follow a development programme during their time abroad. Prior to their placement the

Young Experts take part in an intensive 3-week start training course. In the case of a two-year con-

tract they return to the Netherlands after one year for another two weeks of return training. It is a

blended learning approach focused on individual development, collective development and net-

working & innovation. Furthermore, YEPpers get regular support from a professional coach and

a mentor within MDF (Marie-José, Barbara and Lisa).

For more information on YEP, please check the YEP website (www.yepprogrammes.com) or get in

touch with one of us!

What do we do Supporting Agribusinesses

The YEP team in Ghana - Susanne, Ekow, Dominic - are setting up an Inclusive Agribusiness Centre (IAC). The IAC is

an initiative that supports agribusinesses to improve or develop a sustainable business model that will lead to access to

finance, new markets or improved operational efficiency.

MDF WA is also the IBA (Inclusive Business Accelerator) Hub Ghana and Rayke from Myanmar also supports the team

in developing this as a business case as part of the YEP assignment. The IAC in its pilot worked with a poultry farmer,

The team had an intake session with him, worked on his BMC and his financials, and also assisted him to apply for the

SEED Awards application call. The centre also had its first workshop with 5 participants on ‘’What Investors Look For’’

the participants were equipped with knowledge on what investors look for and how to prepare their BMCs to satisfy in-

vestor needs, they were also equipped with pitching skills as well Business Case Waste Management

As part of YEP programme, each YEPper works on developing a business case with fellow YEPpers. An example of this

is Rogier’s case with a fellowYEPper from Witteveen+Bos. Their idea is to link different resource and waste streams in

communities in SE Asia. We intend to help communities build connections between their waste streams on a local level,

which will support them to create energy from waste, reduce the unsustainable disposition of waste and reduce GES

emissions. The overall aim is to provide sustainable turnkey solution for waste challenges within poorly-served commu-

nities and provide communities with the capacity to benefit from their waste and improve their environment. And yes,

this shows many resemblances with the Special Treat Project. NICHE

YEP-er Minne's task is to set-up a water section within the MDF Bangladesh office. Besides that Minne is project

coordinator of new Nuffic NICHE project 235 focusing on strengthening Sexual Reproductive Health services in

Bangladesh through capacity building of Marie Stopes Bangladesh. The team will visit the Ede office at the end of May

2017 as closing part of the inception phase. He also assists Ineke Pitts in project management of Nuffic NICHE project

199 with BGMEA University of Fashion & Technology. Minne is interested to develop himself in sustainable business

development and will provide first training and consultancy assignments on this topic in 2017.

LISA FREIBURG YEP period 2014 - 2016, batch 4 (Alumni)

West Africa

Trainer Consultant / Business Development

My core assignment in Ghana was to set up a training

programme targeting unemployed youth in Ghana, train-

ing them in starting their own business in the water,

sanitation and hygiene sector. See www.enterwash.org

ROGIER PENNINGS

YEP period 2016 - 2018, batch 9 Vietnam

Trainer Consultant Water, Environment & Climate

Change Together with a YEPper from

Witteveen+Bos I am working on a business case

on waste management

EKOW AKYIN KWOFIE YEP period 2016 - 2018, batch 10

Ghana

Trainer/Consultant

Business development- IAC.

Create a support network for SMEs in the

IAC programme and also Identify and create

new partnerships for IAC activities

IRENE MOED

YEP period 2014 - 2016, batch 3 (Alumni) Eastern Africa

Trainer/consultant

My main assignment was to develop climate smart land

and water management options for small-holder farmers

and increase interaction between international projects

Alumni Event on Food Security MDF Myanmar received funding from Nuffic to organise an alumni event

on food security. We are organising this together with the Holland Alumni

Association Myanmar, Golden Plain (national NGO) and Agri Pro Focus

(country coordinator is also YEP). I have the role of lead organiser, and am

therefore responsible for managing the event team. This involves organising

and chairing meetings, 'delegating' to-do-lists, and generally making sure

everything is on track. The event has taken place in Yangon on March 31

and April 1, and aimed to bring together people from various NGOs, com-

panies and government departments.

YEP Alumni There are two YEP alumni at MDF: Irene and Lisa. Before joining MDF in

August 2016, Irene completed her YEP placement at Alterra where she

worked on developing climate smart land- and water management options

for small-holder farmers and increase interaction between (inter)national

projects in Burundi. Irene: “Now I am based in the Ghama office where

recently I worked on developing an educative game on children’s nutri-

tion.” Lisa completed her 2-year YEP time at the Accra office and spent

most of her time there developing products and services for the promotion

of WASH entrepreneurship.

Our reflections on MDF “Make time to innovate”

One of the advantages of being YEPpers, it gives us room to innovate and do things a little different from the usual MDF way.

Lisa: “The freedom I had in Ghana to develop new products and innovate was great – and important for MDF’s business development. As a YEP-

per I had a specific assignment to work on which worked very well and allowed me to think outside of the box. It is very important to keep de-

veloping and innovating across our activities in MDF!”. Ekow: “...the available room to explore, learn, innovate and even make mistakes. This I

find very beneficial in gaining experience and self development at MDF.”

Opportunities in the water sector

Minne: “My official YEP assignment is to establish a water unit within the Bangladesh office to provide the regular MDF services to technical

water organizations/projects in Bangladesh.” There is a lot of opportunity in the water and climate change sector, how we can capitalise on this?”

Rogier: “I see challenge in the changing market conditions in countries and how we as MDF can adapt to those changes. With Vietnam becoming

a middle-income country and the shrinking numbers of NGOs, we need to refocus. I think it is key to keep learning from the vast experiences,

ideas and insights each MDF office and colleague has. This emphasizes for me the need for stronger connections between the different offices on

all levels.”

Sharing, learning and building relationships

As our offices are spread all over the world, we can see how we should share our experiences more, so we can all benefit and grow.

-Susanne: “Since we were hired for a specific assignment, I would like to know more about what’s going on within MDF. -Rayke: “Having

worked at the Vietnam office before, I am lucky to have developed a good relationship with the staff there. This greatly improves cooperation be-

tween our two offices (VN – MM). Having a ‘face’ with the name in my experience greatly improves cooperation.” Sharing what we are up to –

perhaps through a global MDF calendar - is therefore something we should all do more!

Get in touch

We’re always open to discuss ideas and opportunities on specific themes or just in general. Feel free to give us a call or drop us an email!

When travelling, visit us at our office to find out how we can help you in your work!

What we can offer

As a YEPper, we are part of a global network in Water and Agrofood. The YEP

network is currently 200+ people strong and growing rapidly. It offers access to

international and local water and agrofood networks, embassies and organizations

with other YEPpers. Therefore YEPpers can be instrumental in setting up links and

developing initiatives in these sectors. Furthermore, a YEPper can offer a pair of

fresh eyes on any challenge and idea.