For me, shaping development cooperation in a value-based way means shaping our common future in a partnership-based, holistic and sustainable way.

Through my personal and professional background, I combine different worlds of experience.

My professional qualifications form the basis of my actions and services:

• B.A. Business Administration in Germany
• Master of Arts in Development Studies in Netherlands.
• Advanced training in coaching and facilitation
• Studies and numerous assignments/services at home and abroad

I have 32 years of professional experience in international development cooperation. Of these, 8 years with leadership responsibility in development cooperation organizations. Among them as head of department for quality assurance and controlling at Bread for the World/Diakonia Emergency Aid and as executive director of the non-governmental organization Palapye Development Trust in Botswana.

 

As a management coach for non-governmental organizations, I have extensive work experience in Asia, Africa, Germany and Eastern Europe. In doing so, I support numerous non-governmental organizations to improve their strategic planning processes and financial management systems.

As an economist, my core competencies are integrated financial management, review of internal control systems and development of funding strategies for non-governmental organizations.

Currently, I advise church development organizations in Germany and their partner organizations on developing and implementing value-based management systems and anti-corruption measures.

I am an active member of the working group – Corruption in Church Development Cooperation – of Transparency International Germany. I am also a senior consultant to Globethics, an international non-governmental organization that promotes the principles of ethical action.

As for Vimala Thakar (1923-2009), the Indian philosopher and social activist, a holistic approach to our lives and actions is much more urgent than at any time in history.

„As a global human family, we must pool our resources and work side by side to end hunger, injustice and exploitation, and to move hand in hand toward a loving, nonviolent global human society.“

With the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) the international community has recognized the need for a holistic approach to development that takes into account the interdependence of human and natural systems. To achieve the SDGs stakeholders must work together to minimize trade-offs and increase synergies between different and often competing sectoral goals.

The Inner Development Goals (IDGs) speak from a large „We“ perspective. For a global society to evolve toward a sustainable way of life, we must evolve as human beings.
To be able to achieve the SDGs and IDGs we need to adopt a holistic and values-based development perspective.

My values mentor and founder of Globethics Prof. Dr. Christoph Stückelberger shows in his handbook „Globalance towards a New World Order – Ethics Matters and Motivates“ how ethics can contribute to this transition.

 

Agape love is the unifying energy. For me too, agape is at the centre of all values and virtues. It is the most important energy that makes it possible to balance opposites when they drift into polarization and extremism.

Links:
www.kas.de ‚ documents ‚ 259121 new Approaches in Development Cooperation A Holistic View of
www.oecd.org ‚ dac ‚ peer-reviews The Holistic Toolbox
www.sdgs.un.org/goals
www.innerdevelopmentgoals.org/resources
www.globethics.net/de/globalance
www.chalice-verlag.de/vimala-thakar-spirituell-leben-und-sozial-handeln/
http://vimalathakar.world/