Imagine you visit a conference website, tipped by a friend, and are drawn to this one project in particular. Subsequently, you attend the conference and a few months later you find yourself founding a country’s marketing and communications department from your Amsterdam-based office. This is the story that explains how Leanne Bogers’ life got twisted and turned upside down.
TEDxChange Story: Leanne Bogers
Founder of creative communications agency Clev, Leanne visited TEDxChange last September 2010 with an intuitive focus to support Consolata Ndayishimiye (president of the Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Burundi). “The concept that you had to explain what you could contribute in advance triggered me.” When Consolata entered the TEDxChange stage asking for help on how to achieve her goal of boosting Burundi, Leanne was swept away by her powerful stature: “I quickly joined Consolata’s table, together with Leonoor Koole and Léander Petit (PUM) and we all felt an indescribable energy that something was about to happen”, Leanne recalls. “Right after the discussion Consolata asked us to convert the brainstorm into a presentation.”
Leanne and Leonoor spent a month researching Burundi, and was startled by the negatively charged websites that came up after a Google Search. “That is the core of our mission: to get Burundi back on the map, and explained to Consolata that Burundi needs to invest in more than just tourism.” Business and industry are equally important in marketing Burundi’s hidden treasures (that is the overall campaigntheme). “When one thinks of Canada, you see clear images of untouched nature, an entrepreneurial climate and a welcoming immigrants policy. That’s great country marketing, branding a country – exactly what Burundi needs.”
Consolata cordially invites her newly found “sister” Leanne (as they start calling each other) to come over and speak about her ideas for Burundi. They discuss the plans with government representatives before Leanne hands the concept over to the Minister, making it Burundi’s own. “I was amazed by the beauty of Burundi’s nature – all lush and green – and its people, driven by a thirst for progress.” The role and responsibility women take on is inspiring, Leanne continues: “What strikes me most is the enormous amount of women empowerment. I’ve spoken to a lot of them and they know damn good how to work business-wise!”.
Leanne bogers in Burundi
Now the Burundi government embraced the concept, there’s still a lot of work to do. Meanwhile, Leanne is occupied by overcoming little challenges, which altogether form important leaps for the country. One big issue is guaranteeing the reassessment of its Code 5 status by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
But, what Leanne needs most to realize this project is funding the strategic plan which should be send to the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program for the execution of this concept. Are you, or do you know someone with expertise on this matter or wants to fund? Please contact Leanne at leanne@clev.nl, and contribute to the transformation from “ideas worth sharing” to “ideas worth doing”.
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