Category: Work
Designing for Children
During my last month at the UNICEF in Nicaragua I worked with the Social Policy section on various exciting innovations (such as the Sociopreneur initiative.) In the meantime, I got to dive into video footage produced during the first stages of the introduction of design-thinking in the policy-making process in Nicaragua’s Northern Autonomous Atlantic Region. Teaming up with the local government, UNICEF Nicaragua seized the opportunity to support the rights and needs of the youngest in the region while co-creating a new regional policy for children.
My job was to supervise the production of a short advocacy video about this new inclusive and engaging process, and here’s the result:
Read more about human-centered design in policy making here: Design Thinking for Children/UNICEF Innovation.
The video was produced by the New York-based creative agency Big Yellow Taxi, and there is also a version in Spanish.
We can’t wait – Start giving a shit.
Kolkata, India 2013
Today is World Toilet Day, a UN recognized event observed annually with the aim to break the taboo around toilets and instead draw attention to the importance of adequate sanitation. It’s not the sexiest of subjects – but it’s doubtlessly one of the most important one’s.
Until today, 2.5 billion people still lack access to a clean toilet. This is a huge challenge that poses not only health risks, but also direct threats to the security of women and girls, and is an abuse on people’s dignity. Girls drop out of school. Children die from diarrhea. Going far away to find a dark spot during the night equals risk of harassment and even rape for many women. Just imagine a scenario of not having privacy when you need to relieve yourself.. this is a reality for a third of the world’s people.
Click the image below for the 2013 report by Water Aid, WSSCC and Domestos on “Why we can’t wait”, and start giving a shit about this.
UNA Workshop
Spent the day in Gothenburg at a workshop with a group of students from UN Association certified schools around Sweden. My role was to tell my own story and share advice, tips and inspiration. The group was very eager and involved in the conversation which is my favourite kind of audience – dialogues are so much more fun than monologues. Thank you all, I hope to see you again – and good luck with everything!
Yay, Monday!
I’m trying out different gyms in Malmö. None of them will let me sign up short-term anyway, and I’m still not planning to hang around here for much longer. One month for 10€ here, one week trial for free there, and so it goes. Maybe I’ll write a gym guide when I’m done. Haha
Back to work now – I’m going to Gothenburg tomorrow to do a lecture. It’s for youth and they named it “Inspiration and guidance by Caroline Bach” which made me giggle. It sounds like I’m some kind of New Age dreadlock lady who will come on stage dressed in a long white dress carrying a stereo playing dolphin sounds. Haha! No, it’s just human rights, engagement, ideas, UN, and career stuff for young people who want to get engaged. I promise. No “fall back and Iet me catch you” workshops on my account. I like dolphins but I’m far more into proactivity. Get going! Yay!
Stressed? Nervous? Blocked?
Common sense
Price Tag
Now this, this is brilliance. This is the way development is supposed to be done! By Dutch microbanker.com
Hunger is a Tyrant
Here’s a fantastic animation directed by Damian Nenow from Poland, marking the occasion of World Food Day on October 16th. The voice-over is by Dakota Fanning, and the video is part of a campaign by EndingHunger.org, an outreach and education project of the UN FAO.
Hunger kills more people every year than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. There are 842 million undernourished people in the world today, that’s almost one in eight people not getting enough food to lead a healthy and active life – or being able to reach their full potential as human beings.
I don’t work for the World Food Programme anymore, but I still consider proper nutrition being one of the most important questions in the world. The days during a woman’s pregnancy until the second birthday of a child have a profound impact on the development of the child – if the mother and her baby don’t receive adequate nutrition during this period, the effects are irreversible. In other words – this means this child will never be able to grow, learn and live properly. Always a little bit slower, a little less intelligent, a little more sick – and very likely to suffer from premature death.
