Interview “Ultimately it’s the poor people themselves that decide whether the assistance and the support they receive from SNV is worthwhile.” What opportunities do you see SNV’s context and these changes creating for the organisation? What I see happening is that our colleagues across the globe have become much more business savvy; They are now asking the question ‘where can I make a contribution that others cannot make?’. So, the changes have sparked energy and creativity. I see discussions happening now that I don’t think happened in the past and that’s wonderful to see. There is an awareness that if you are creative, if you can come up with good, new solutions for problems, then donors and agencies will come to you and say ‘Can you help us out?’, because you have something to offer. That’s a wonderful feeling, to know that your services are in demand and that people want to work with you. What is your vision for SNV in four years’ time? As an organisation that started as part of the Dutch government, SNV has in the past been heavily reliant on government support. However, this is now changing, and we expect to be financially independent of the Dutch government by 2016. So this has meant some major changes for SNV as an organisation, as we move away from that guaranteed core funding and towards funding based solely on results. There is now a strong awareness that if we can achieve results, our customers – our funders, our donors – will appreciate our work and the quality we offer and will ask us to become involved in their activities, and that it is on the basis of our results that they will want to retain us as their partner. And I think that’s different from the past. We know that results are what will enable us to continue our work and that quality is what is going to drive us. I think we have made great progress on a number of issues. We have a new strategy for the years to 2015, we have signed a new contract with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and we are more than ever being requested to participate in international actions and platforms. I think there is a bright future for SNV. 12 CONNECT #1 JULY 2012 What kind of organisation will it be? I expect SNV to be a flexible organisation that provides quality services and is able to respond to challenges and opportunities in the areas we have decided to work in – in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, in Renewable Energy and in Agriculture. I would like SNV to be seen as a centre of reference. We cannot expect SNV to take the weight of the world on its shoulders, but what I would like to see in three or four years’ time is that when there is a major initiative launched by anybody they will have considered the involvement of SNV. I think we should be able to put so much quality on the table that people are compelled to think of us as a potential partner. We know that ultimately we will be assessed according to our results – and results are to be measured in the improvement of the quality of people’s lives. Ultimately it’s the poor people themselves that decide whether the assistance and the support they receive from SNV is worthwhile. That’s the only way to do it. They have to decide, they have to assess, they have to judge. And if we can come up with an organisation that provides those quality services I am confident that after 2016 there is a long life for SNV. • Pagina 11
Pagina 13Heeft u een sportblad, pagegangster of digitale kranten? Gebruik Online Touch: vaktijdschrift digitaliseren.
SNV Connect 2012 Lees publicatie 100Home