by Santiago Rico August 2020
In the fall of 2019, I joined Geneva Desk for Cooperation (GDCOO) as an external project development collaborator which resulted in a great experience for my personal and professional development. Some of my responsibilities were updating and maintaining the organization’s website. As we came across new ideas, obstacles, and additions, we changed the website to complement our progress. In this day and age, an organization’s website is essential for both marketing and financial reasons. This is the main, and most likely the first, level of exposure that people will have with GDCOO so it is essential it appropriately reflects GDCOO’s mission. Personally, this was very rewarding because I have never been exposed to a website maintenance platform such as WordPress and I value the experience I gained. Other responsibilities were brainstorming and working on mission statements, objectives, and the telling of how GDCOO came to be. I was able to witness and be part of the creation of an NGO that is set out to change the world.
The time I have spent at GDCOO has probably been the most rewarding experience of my career. Through the connections, I’ve made and the people I have met, the skills I have learned and the confidence I have gained, it has been priceless. The work environment I was in really had an impact on my productivity. Free to manage my time and workload as well as being given the support and confidence by my supervisors, I was able to do my best work and in the best way. I felt good enough to be more creative and to speak my opinions. It has also been a transforming experience for me professionally. It has redirected my focus of economics to a more tertiary sector or development route but as I have understood during my time in Geneva any company or organization can operate in all sectors and even use profitable models for public service.
During my second stint with Geneva Desk for Cooperation, I continued similar projects to assist in the development of GDCOO’s main objectives. Along with another colleague, we conducted research on many international organizations such as UNESCO, World Bank, and the Asian Developmental Bank to see how GDCOO could pursue avenues of funding and opportunities for international cooperation. We also carefully dissected the current curriculum of study for our “executive courses”, proposing new and relevant ideas as the COVID-19 pandemic took the world by surprise. We also proposed alterations and additions to the ones already established. We further provided technical assistance and development with marketing through flyers, brochures and newsletters as well as website rebranding to streamline current projects.
Overall, my time at GDCOO has completely changed my idea of what I wanted to do with my life. Those who work at Geneva Desk for Cooperation truly have a purpose. They want to get all the resources they can reach to put into this project. No matter if they are also professors or ambassadors, they do what they can to help their organization progress. This is the type of sacrifice I truly admire and hope that I will one day give. This drive that fuels GDCOO has no current or immediate satisfaction or return. They are working very hard to build a better future for people they don’t even know. This compassionate drive and purpose is something I can relate to. As it stands and as I have seen through people’s reactions and many news articles and reports being published, GDCOO’s mission is one that is in critical demand among the international community. To quote one of the news correspondents I presented GDCOO in Brussels: “This project needs to happen as soon as possible!”