I started up my company ADEP 2008. This has been a useful platform for me when working in assignments and with partners. However, during 2015, I felt a need for creating something new that was even more independent. I asked my dear friends Ira Sundberg and Peter Söderström, if they would like to be members of the board for an independent non-profit think tank with the name Another Development Foundation. They responded positively. For that I am forever grateful. Ira and Peter are co-founders together with me, as well as members of the board. Later on we also asked Meghan Donevan if she would like to a member of the board and she also responded positively. Meghan is also a dear member of our core team, and we are very grateful for her contributions.
During 2016, we created the concept for, and registred, the foundation, which we for practical reasons oftenly call ADF. We also contacted a group of people, and asked if they would like to be members of the ADF Advisory Group, and all of them accepted our invitations. The advisory group has expanded since then, and a number of them are very active in the work that we do, while others only have been active in selected activities. We also contacted like-minded organisations and asked if they would like to be partners to ADF. They also accepted our invitations.
Our orientation, advisory group and partner group makes ADF to an international think tank. Our ambition is to be ”a think tank and do tank for people, places and the planet earth promoting peace, freedom from violence, human rights, gender equality and sustainable development”. Yes – the scope is broad and bold but needed since working in silos and through fragmented approaces will not sufficiently support peace, human rights and sustainable development.
2017 was a year of organisational development, and also a start of doing small activities. During 2018 we became even more active, and have been active ever since, even though our financial situation has been unstable for various reasons. This lack of financial instability has not stopped us doing what we want to do. Through partnerships and pro-bono work by us and our advisors, we have managed to carry out a number of activities and projects on a regular basis. We also belive that this practical approach has some benefits. We can be an independent voice and arena, however also keen on being truthful and thorough in assessing knowledge and science. We will not jeopardize our integrity and standard, using the indepence as an excuse for being careless.
For me, it has been of importance to mention the story of ADF on this webpage, due to the close connection between my company ADEP and the think tank ADF. Both initiatives are founded on the Another Development approach. Both are based in the City of Umeå, where I live, even though the other members of the board of ADF are living elsewhere in Sweden, and even though our advisory group are located in different countries and regions. Both also work with a number of partners in Sweden and other countries. Yes – I have a key role as an initiator and manager of many projects, but without strong and respectful partnerships – almost nothing would be possible to achieve. No man is an island.
Now you know. ADEP and ADF are similar but not the same. ADEP is company. ADF is a non-profit international and independent think tank and do tank. Both are working for Another Development.
For more information on ADF, see: www.anotherdevelopmentfoundation.se