Citizenship: Netherlands and Uganda
My bicultural upbringing has shown me that we might live in a globalized world, but the context in which you’re born still determines the size of your dreams. On a quest to reduce inequality within the Netherlands, I became the president of the Dutch national youth council. The most pressing issues of our time require international collaboration. Yet we have difficulty closing the gap between international institutions and the people policies aim to target, specifically marginalized communities. Policy-makers and large institutions don’t hold all the answers. True social innovation is bottom up. Therefore, I want to spend my time at Columbia University learning more about the barriers of entry African social entrepreneurs face entering the international market. The international community should cater to the people and facilitate grassroots initiatives instead of inhibiting them, not only to ensure everyone can realize their dreams, but also to foster true social change. Think global, act local.