Waterberry

Waterberry Development Organisation is a non-profit organization working to strengthen the role and involvement of young professionals in development work.

In 2007, Waterberry's application for 501(c)(3) non-profit status was officially approved by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

The Need for Waterberry

Sustainable development strategies carry promise and imply obligations for the young and for future generations. Without the full participation of young professionals in development work in all regions and sectors sustainable development cannot be achieved. Young professionals can provide the energy, talent and commitment needed for a long-term development effort that leaps generations. An ongoing commitment is required from the development community to bring young professionals from throughout the world into well-conceived, well-run and solidly-funded development posts. Thousands of students and young professionals are eager to take up the challenge of fighting hunger and working for peace and security. Waterberry Development Organisation seeks to promote the links, connections, funding mechanisms required and to promote understanding of the need and value of having young professionals in future development leader positions.

Programs Areas and Activities

Waterberry’s activities can be divided into two spheres – building a "Knowledge Network" and the "Knowledge Advantage Program".

#"The Knowledge Network:" Waterberry is creating an online knowledge base. Leveraging the functionalities of this system a knowledge network will be created that will bring together: Young professionals interested in development work, Universities, Foundations, Employers, Mentors, Sponsors and other stakeholders. Creating and maintaining this knowledge network is Waterberry’s core activity. In addition, Waterberry uses pro-active methods such as speaker forums and careers days to take the knowledge network to young professionals. The success of this knowledge network will be the foundation for four of Waterberry’s Program Areas:
#*The Awareness Program raises awareness of development issues among young professionals;
#*The Education Program raises awareness of post-graduate courses relevant to development;
#*The Employment Program provides a centralized database of development jobs and internships for young professionals; and
#*The Social Entrepreneur Program assists young professionals in kick-starting their own initiatives.
#"The Knowledge Advantage Program:" Research by established think-tanks has shown that in many organisations the skills of young professionals are not being utilised to maximise the productivity of those individuals and of the organisation as a whole. To assist employers in development work to maximise the contribution of their young professionals Waterberry generates general technical assistance documents and organisation-specific evaluation projects that build on this research to make recommendations on how to implement managerial policies to get the most out of the work of young professionals.

The Waterberry Tree

Waterberry Development Organisation is named after an impressive African tree: the water berry, also known as Hute "(Syzygium cordatum)". The Water berry is a large and resilient tree which provides shelter and food for many species of birds, mammals and insects as well as many and varied uses for local populations – from stabilising eroded river banks to using its leaves in traditional medicines.

Founders

*Carl Bjorkman
*Riccardo Pirani
*Marco Materazzi
*Sumit Bisarya
*David Loris

External links

* [http://www.waterberry.org Waterberry Development Organisation]
* [http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/ Millennium Development Goals]
* [http://www.iisd.org/ International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)]
* [http://www.project-syndicate.org/ Project Syndicate - articles and analysis on development issues]