Alumnus testimonial
Mauro Jeldres - Project Officer at TRAIDE Foundation
Mauro graduated from the MID-program with a specialization in Politics and Governance of Development. After graduation he gained work experience in the Dutch agricultural sector. Currently Mauro works as a Project Officer at the TRAIDE Foundation, where he puts his knowledge of Dutch value chains to work by linking them to African companies.
Critically reflecting on development projects and learning from their mistakes has certainly made me better at conceptualizing and managing development projects
Can you introduce us to the organization?
“TRAIDE supports the Dutch foreign ministry's aid and trade agenda by facilitating sustainable trade and investments in Africa. We have programs and local offices in Ethiopia and Rwanda where we try to make sustainable linkages between local and Dutch businesses in a range of sectors. These include water, digitalization, agriculture, health, energy, horticulture, agro-logistics, and others.”
As a Project Officer, what does your job entail?
“Within TRAIDE, I mostly specialize in the agricultural sector’s business opportunities, trade facilitation, and investments. Right now, I am building a business case to find funding for a fertilizer company that uses rest streams from chicken farms (manure) and fruit farms (organic material). I am also assisting a farm in Rwanda in becoming export ready and connecting them to importers in the Netherlands. Being based in the Netherlands and having worked as a manager of value chains for organic fruits and vegetables, I am often able to link African companies to the Dutch and European market.”
What do you like most about your current position?
“I really enjoy the hands-on support I can provide to companies, as well as the diversity of the work I do. Managing several projects at once while keeping an eye out for new opportunities and working in different sectors keeps the job interesting and engaging. My colleagues are great to work with, and there is a lot of flexibility.”
What aspects of the MID-program have you found particularly useful in your career so far?
“Having studied at the WUR definitely opened some doors, and the MID program has given me a basic understanding of the development context as well as nurtured my analytical capabilities. Critically reflecting on development projects and learning from their mistakes has certainly made me better at conceptualizing and managing development projects myself.”