• contact
• newsletter
• sitemap
• login
• 

Another Africaday 2011

On Saturday 29 October, HIRDA attended Africa day (Afrikadag) organized by the Evert Vermeer stichting. The Africa day was organized for the sixth time. This year, HIRDA had a stand where visitors of the Africa day could obtain information on HIRDA. As part of the Babis initiative, Laetitia de Veth, a henna artist, helped us by making henna tattoos and donated 80% of the revenue to HIRDA. The day consisted of workshops, lectures, debates, film programs and even speed-dating with directors of several NGOs and IGOs, which contributed to a diverse and informative day.

The main goal of the Africa day is to stimulate international cooperation and to exchange ideas about development. Minister of State Ben Knapen formulated his view on development in the opening speech of the Africa day. He spoke of a changing world where (western) governments are not the only major actors anymore. New powers like China, businesses and private funds are taking a more prominent role in the development world. This is why, Knapen argued, there should be a collective approach towards poverty reduction and development in general. He concluded his speech that governments should play the role of “brokers” and individual and corporate responsibility should be the way to a more effective use of development cooperation.

Throughout the day visitors of the Africa day could also visit HIRDA’s stand. The idea of the HIRDA stand was to make people aware of HIRDA, its activities, and the situation in Somalia in general through spreading flyers and showing pictures on HIRDA’s projects. Laetitia joined us during the whole day. This turned out to be very successful as many women and girls were enticed to HIRDA’s stand by the henna tattoos. She had 19 customers at the end of the day and has more than proved her support to HIRDA.

The Babis Initiative is an idea of Filia den Hollander, an artist with a studio on the same floor as HIRDA in the Volkskrantgebouw. The babis is used as the relay race stick that Volkskrantgebouw community members hand over to each other. When someone is handed over the babis, he or she can contribute to HIRDA by donating their expertise, creativity and time . The money that HIRDA does not have to spend on these immaterial gifts or, in the case of the Laetitia, the money that is raised through this initiative can be spent on projects in Somalia.
All in all, the Africa day turned out to be a successful and fruitful day.

More news...