IOM_ANNUAL _2017

ETHIOPIAN PROFESSIONALS GATHER
AT NETWORK EVENT IN BREDA
In July 2017, Walia, a traditional Ethiopian restaurant in Breda, in cooperation
with IOM and with the support of Debritu Mogesse, a successful Ethiopian
business woman in the Netherlands and former TRQN expert, welcomed the
Ethiopian diaspora in the Netherlands and Belgium at a networking event.
Over some injera, a traditional Ethiopian meal, the participants learned about
the CD4D opportunities by which members of the diaspora could contribute
to their home country. The event facilitated several successful matches of
participants to CD4D assignments. Moreover, a new initiative was born at the
meeting when the participants decided to establish a professional Ethiopian
diaspora association in the Netherlands.
Crowdfunding workshop hosted by IOM the Netherlands in 2017. Participants included experts selected for assignment
in Sierra Leone, Somalia, Ethiopia and Afghanistan. © IOM 2017, Florence Hallack-Wolff
PREPARING THE EXPERTS FOR THEIR CD4D ASSIGNMENTS
Mr. Dawit Tadesse at the Ethiopian professionals networking event at the Walia restaurant
in Breda. He works at the Wageningen University. After this networking event, he has been
on several assignments under the CD4D framework to Ethiopia. © IOM 2017, Florence
Hallack-Wolff.
Before participants embarked on their CD4D assignments in 2017, IOM the Netherlands and its Dutch
partner Voluntary Services Overseas organized three preparatory workshops where participants were
introduced to relevant approaches to knowledge transfer: How to manage expectations? How to
transfer knowledge effectively? Considering the very different contexts of the locations in which they
will operate during their assignments, how best to achieve sustainability? In 2017, IOM also organized
two communications and crowdfunding workshops in partnership with actress and presenter
Georgina Kwakye, founder of the Pimp My Village social initiative. CD4D experts and other participants
received practical advice on giving more visibility to their assignments and on crowdfunding initiatives
to further support their work.
A new initiative was born in Breda when the participants decided to
establish a professional Ethiopian diaspora network
IOM THE NETHERLANDS HIGHLIGHTS 2017 _ 17