actual news

Outlook 2007

 

My 9^th year as an independent consultant and "free-lance economist"

At a new address next to the old city wall at the Letziturm I started in my 9th year as an independent consultant and free-lance economist.

 

I would be pleased to see you as my client too

Who does know, perhaps the year 2007 offers me the opportunity to carry out a mandate for you too? Give me a call or send me an email! I stand at your disposal for a personal conversation any time. Thus we may discuss your needs and clarify my suitability for the mandate.

 

Review 2006

 

Re-entrance into domestic fields

With slightly mixed feelings I started the new year 2006. Being longer time abroad the year before, the numerous and impressive experiences gathered this passed year 2005 had a persisting effect on me, since they were shaped particularly by sorrow and misery of visited countries, some injured from the Tsunami 2005 and others hit by war. Nevertheless I re-entered with joy, confidence and the corresponding vigor in the new year. Facing a basket of greater and smaller tasks the Swiss business life became quickly again "courant normal".

 

Capitalization of the experiences for SDC and a "déjà vue" with drug policy

Cooperating in the development knowledge management within the Humanitarian Aid Unit of SDC I could use my experiences of 2005 consequently and directly. Talking about so-called Cash Transfer Projects (cash based responses in humanitarian emergencies) a workshop in project planning and management was held for the further education of members of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit.

 

An other task was the re-editing of the "SDC Cash Workbook" (a practical users guide for the implementation of Cash Transfer Projects) for project managers in the field. This manual can also be accessed visiting www.sdc-cashprojects.ch. In addition to the online SDC Cash Workbook about 100 sample files from most different successfully finished projects are available for download and free use as templates if qualified as useful by the audience.

 

On the other hand a circle closed this year repeating a task I had started in my first year as a consultant. Updating of the national study "Financing Stationary Drug Therapy in Switzerland" I turned again into the problem areas of drug policies.

 

Membership in the Swiss Evaluation Society

A special joy of 2006 was the acceptance as a full-member in the Swiss Evaluation Society SEVAL.

 

Review 2005

 

Banda Aceh, Indonesia (humanitarian aid after tsunami)

At the beginning of January 05 I travelled to Banda Aceh on behalf of the Swiss humanitarian aid unit in order to contribute to the mastering of the tsunami catastrophe in Indonesia. Sorrow and misery found there cannot be described here. After a successful assessment under most difficult conditions, a project concept and project proposal asking one million Swiss francs was ready to be realized. From March until June 05, I then realized the "Cash for Hostfamilies Project Aceh" as a project manager. With a small team of Indonesian employees we supported those host families, who after the Tsunami had taken up neighbours, relatives or friends in their houses, with a cash payment of 100 US$ each for a 3 month period.

 

Sri Lanka (humanitarian aid after tsunami)

Hardly at home and just starting to enjoy the Swiss summer, in August/September 05 I travelled again for the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), this time to Sri Lanka. In an interdisciplinary team together with an architect, we evaluated the “Cash for Repair & Reconstruction Project Sri Lanka" and worked out a position paper for the handing over of the projects of SDC in Trincomalee and Matara to HEKS and SRC.

 

Balkans (reconstruction after end of the war)

I concluded the year by travelling in November/December 05 to the Balkans to evaluate, also interdisciplinary with an architect, the regional "Durable Housing Solutions Program" in Serbia-Montenegro, Kosovo and Bosnia & Herzegovina. This impact evaluation shall make it possible to consolidate the experiences made during 6 years in the housing sector and to optimize future projects of this type by means of the "lessons learnt".