Lennart Corleissen (BSc International Business Administration 2021) joined Projekt Misside during an internship in Germany. The project aims to provide medical education and improved healthcare to the community of Télimélé in Guinea, in West Africa. Starting out as a part of his internship, Lennart has become a part of the core team that runs the project, currently focusing on seeking support in the Netherlands.
What is it about your effort that makes a positive change?
“Many Guineans do not have access to education and suffer from bad circumstances every day. Education is one of the best ways to help. Building a medical school and opening a hospital has resulted in positive impact. More than 300 students now receive medical education through Projekt Misside, 200 of which are women. For them, this is extraordinary because many girls in Guinea are typically married at age 14. Through Projekt Misside, the young women now live a different reality. In addition to this, more than 6,000 Guineans have received medical aid by the team of six doctors.”
I do this because I want to contribute to a world I would rather see.
Why do you do it?
“There are a lot of things happening in the world that are very distressing. I do this because I want to contribute to a world I would rather see. I really believe in the impact of this project and am impressed with what it has already achieved, so I hope that it sets an example and inspires other projects. I feel like a lot of us, are not exposed to these problems and don’t really realise that simple things can grow into something bigger and make an actual difference in someone else’s life.”
How can others get involved in doing something with you – or something like what you’re doing?
“I’m now working on the exposure of this project so that it can get more support and serve as an example to others. Anyone can get involved in whichever way they would like, for example by liking our project on social media, spreading the word, or joining the initiatives in the Netherlands. It’s a great opportunity to help out and see that every bit that gets donated goes straight into the project in Télimélé. I will be going in the autumn of 2020 for my second trip to further improve the processes and support the school.”
