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SLE Plus: Alumni Accounts Mai Daoud, Palestine
“I think of the course[…]and to me it was like constructing a puzzle! Each participant had his/her piece and eventually we have jointly managed to draw a clearer picture of what decentralization means to us and to our countries. The overall management and sequence of the course, and the constant feedback from the participants and the trainers further enriched the content and widened my perspectives.”
Maria Fernanda Lopez Sandoval, Ecuador
“I attended the course Decentralized Management of Regional Development. I was interested in the course because of my professional background as teacher at the Geographic Institute of Catholic University in Quito. Our postgraduate program on Regional Development and Spatial Planning demands a qualification in the theoretical and practical aspects of Geography, Politics and Development, and therefore I was looking forward specially for the practical aspect of both Decentralization and of Regional Development. The course I attended offered me an important overview of practical and political aspects of decentralization and policy making, based mainly on learning principles of negotiating both public policy and services provision, between political administrative authorities and civil society at different levels. The trainers were excellent in “explaining easily, complicated issues”, as one colleague said during the course. The various examples of the trainers and practical experience of the students were key issues for interesting and productive discussions. This was very useful for my work in the University. I incorporated right away central topics of the SLE-Course in my graduate course of Political Geography and in the introductory course of the postgraduate program on Space, Territory and Politics. What I found more interesting, after the course I was able to understand in dept the decentralization process that is going on now on my country and to carry this to debate in my courses. It was a very important and nice experience.“
Rashid Bouriat, Morocco
“I was able to give a training session on conflict management and conflict prevention. I think that the SLEplus: course is very relevant and very significant. The impact is immense. The knowledge I got from the course didn’t only help me as a person in my professional work but I also transfer the knowledge to other staff working in other civil society organizations and thus expand the impact of the courses I attended. Furthermore, the sustainability is ensured as the trained staff will use the knowledge in their daily work and hopefully might transfer it to other colleagues as well. Since summer 2009 and after I prepared the training materials I received during the 2 training sessions, I have so far trained 127 persons.”
Mir Rashed Sohel, Bangladesh
“It was really fantastic for me. I got a theoretical as well as practical knowledge from these courses and also multicultural experiences. Especially I never forget Mr. Theo for giving us a lot of energizers, games, dances and obviously knowledge.
I am working with GTZ-Good Urban Governance project as Project Support Manager. I am using my knowledge in my project monitoring and evaluation which I gathered from SLE. For me the best experience was sharing knowledge among the participants.”
S.M. Zahid Hasan, Bangladesh
“Project Cycle Management (PCM): In my opinion, PCM training program of SLE is a very interesting, resourceful as well as practicable management tool. I really enjoyed the program in Berlin and now it is in practice for my organization's development projects. This training is very useful not only for mid level management but also up to top most levels. I can remember the sweet memories with SLE Family in Berlin and I have still good contacts with numbers of SLE Fellows.
Conflict Prevention and Conflict Management: In my opinion, Conflict Prevention and Conflict Management is very useful management training especially for development projects. In my organization, though the scope for its application is limited, but its application for solving problems with land acquisition and resettlement issues relevant disputes and to solve labour union's frustration, disputes as well. I have planned to apply it for BPDB's Barapukuria Coal fired Power stations resettlement issues in near future.”
Book Samboo, Mozambique
“The SLE training changed my mind about many view points. I participated in Conflict Management course and learnt a lot about how to deal with conflicts in peaceful ways. After visiting some organizations in Berlin, I found that it was possible to help people with familiar conflicts which can be avoided take to the court. I visited a small organization which works with less than 10 people in conflict management and it inspired me to develop this field in my small consulting enterprise in order to help my countries people which are poor to pay for a lawyer.
I find out that Germany people are very kind and very educated, so that was a good impression I took from this country.
The SLE course was very interesting for me not only by its content but also for the intercultural exchange among people from all over the world. Not always we have a chance to interact with people from different cultures, so it was possible with SLE programs. That was a great chance to learn a lot from the course participants and explore a little bit about their countries and culture, by the end a network designing for further contacts.”
Marcus V.A.Finco, Brazil
“The SLE course was very important to me for three reasons: it allowed me to think in a holistic way; it enabled me to get to know different instruments and tools; and it gave me courage to fight for better days in the Brazilian Amazon Region. So far, I have made contact with two Brazilian NGOs, and as soon as I returned in the end of this year two workshops and one regional meeting are already booked aiming at gathering the local community and multiplying the knowledge and also thinking about strategies to the future.
Unfortunately I have no more contacts with them. Perhaps another instrument of networking could be thought. I think, personally, networking is extremely important and necessary not just to maintain a nice friendship but also to be in touch with experiences and people from different places and backgrounds.”
Garfield Lam, Hong Kong
“I was very honoured and delighted to have the opportunity to participate in the Conflict Transformation and Management Course with Mr Dirk Sprenger in September 2009.
I am now working at the Germany Trade and Invest as Librarian and Senior Economic Research Officer. As a governmental organisation we deal with people from diverse ethnic, educational, cultural and religious backgrounds, from the West to the East. Conflict does not only exist in developing countries but also developed countries in the forms of political, social and cultural discrimination. Globalisation does bring our world together and people have to co-exist with each other despite arguments. National and International economy is a very good conflict indicator which shows the certain level of social stability.
The training deepens my understanding how to handle conflicts in my social life and how to deal with people who have different backgrounds and orientations.
Working in an international environment has to deal with diversity and the theories and practices I learnt in the training have helped me with foreseeing, analyzing and preventing the negative transformation of conflicts. It also reminds me of being an “ethic manager” of all time and to be very careful when it comes to equal opportunities at the workplace.
I have also met lots of interesting people from all over the world and I still have in touch with some of them to share our cultural and social experiences in life via Email and even gatherings in Berlin. The training did not only offer me knowledge but also friendship, life experience and cultural exploration. “
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