Types of projects we will be visiting

1. Vocational Training Centre
2. Rotary Eye Hospitals
3. Rotary Education Centres/Schools
4. Water and Sanitation Project
5. Mother and Child Health Projects.
6. Rotary Integrated Village Development Project
7. Health Camps/ Medical Centre for Rural people
8. Orphanage/ Support for Orphans.
9. Old Age Homes/Support for Senior Citizens

Introduction teammembers GSE 2013

Bas Besselink

Personal

I am Bas Besselink (45), married with Marleen and we have 2 sons Jacob & Max.  After 7 years abroad (United Kingdom and the USA), we’re currently living in Enschede. I love sports, especially soccer; I enjoy traveling, long hikes and cooking delicious meals, but my biggest hobby is certainly spending time with my family!

Professional

The international Beer Industry has always been my passion and I’ve worked for or with all the big brewers in the world as an international manager with in-depth expertise in business development, sales and marketing.   Since I resigned recently from SABMiller I’m currently advising small FMCG companies as an independent consultant on sales & marketing related challenges.

Expectations

What inspires me to be a GSE Team Leader is the combination of being the reliable supporting person who stimulates the young professionals to make this interesting trip very successful and a representative of my home country’s Rotary District 1560 by sharing knowledge and experiences.

Irene Verkuyten

Personal

I am Irene Verkuyten (28), an enthusiastic, independent and eager to learn professional

teacher. I enjoy photography, playing hockey and writing. I am  creative and I love traveling and meeting new people.

Professional

After graduating to be a social legal assistant, I decided to start a new course to become a primary education teacher. Children aged 10-13, coping with “difficult/non-performing” classes and gymnastics are my specialties. Beside my work I am also a writer. My first children’s book got published last year and I am busy writing my second one.

Expectations

It’s of great value for me to have the opportunity to see things from a different, international

perspective and especially regarding education, as this is my passion. I am looking forward to meeting new and interesting people and learning about the Indian culture.

 

Sara Demir

Personal

I am Sara Demir (30) and my friends describe me as loving, happy and energetic. I love spending time with family and friends while watching soccer or enjoying a good dinner and drinks. I am also interested in fashion, politics and recently discovered meditation, which makes me very serene.

Professional

In January 2009 I finished my master’s in International and European law. After graduation, I worked for the government, in the politics, and I’m currently working for a semi-governmental organization. We advise municipalities on how to design the public area to achieve a clean and sustainable environment.  I also took my  first steps as a writer, focusing on children’s right and genocide.

Expectations

With a different ethnical background than the Dutch I’ve always been aware of differences between cultures, however we always used this as an extra extent in friendships and work! I hope to discover the beauty of Calcutta by experiencing habits, colors, music and a lot more.   

Nienke Klerk

Personal

I am Nienke Klerk (31), an active young woman. I like to spend time socializing and I enjoy discovering the way of life in other countries and making a lot of pictures. In addition to my work, I am also a municipal councilor in Enschede. Both in my work and in politics I am always busy searching for opportunities to improve society.

Professional

Currently I am an organization consultant at Ecare. I advise Boards of Directors  regarding their internal structure, introducing self-management by professionals, reducing the overhead costs and on how these aspects can be supported by innovative IT. I worked several years as an economics teacher at a secondary school.

Expectations

The exchange will be a wonderful opportunity to get to know a culture, to learn from people with a different background and contribute to the development of healthcare and education in India.

Simone van der Donk

Personal

I am Simone (27), an enthusiastic and energetic young woman who loves to sport.  In my spare time I try to travel as much as I can. Experiencing and discovering new places gives me energy and inspiration for life.

Professional

After a career as a sports teacher, I’ve studied Educational Science and Technology to get involved in the development of new educational courses. At the moment I’m working as an educational scientist at a University of Applied Sciences called Saxion. Beside this job I’m an entrepreneur in educational counseling and research, and I have my own company, called Zelus. My ambition is to improve the quality of education in the Netherlands by stimulating educational innovations.

Expectations

In India I expect to meet interesting people who can help me broaden my scope and perhaps my vision on education. Besides that I would love to experience the Indian culture.

 

District 1560 east Holland visits district 3291 Kolkata

What Is Group Study Exchange?
The Group Study Exchange (GSE) program is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for young business and professional men and women in their initial years of professional life. Rotary districts in different countries are paired to send and receive professional study groups of four to six non-Rotarian team members and one Rotarian team leader to travel for four to six weeks, staying in the homes of Rotarians when possible.

Launched in 1965, this dynamic program has built a successful track record at the personal, community, and international level. With good planning, a goal-driven itinerary, and active participation of dedicated
Rotarians, a GSE can be an exceptional educational experience for both the visiting GSE team and local Rotarians.