Development over Time

Since its inception in 2009, the SIMagination Challenge portfolio has undergone continuous stages of initialisation, consolidation, professionalization, arriving at a level of sustainable integration and deep learning. Initiatives were formed, gently changed by moving them to a different community/region/country, or more radically adapting them to larger needs by altering their focus. Names of initiative formed and have stayed on. Initiatives were concluded after a few years as the mission of a SIMagination Challenge initiative had come to an end; some had to pause due to political unrest or natural disasters onsite. Last but not least new initiatives were born, driven forward by SIMmies who introduced new foci and ideas. To sum it up: an evolving challenge with a steep learning curve.

The everlasting change is true for the SIMagination Challenge students as well: Over the  past years, the students have changed in attitude, expectations, and experience stemming from having lived in less-privileged parts of the world, from volunteering with deprived communities at home or away from home. They have become differently aware and wary of issues around needs, poverty, and aid – and realise more and more how their lives are responsible for and intertwined with the fate of others.

The COVID Pandemic

Throughout the COVID pandemic, SIMagination Challenge initiatives were faced with a new dilemma: how to continue to make an impact while adapting to a situation of such uncertainty. The term ‘challenge’ took on a second meaning: the challenge to not give in to frustration, to work in a team with different degrees of disappointment and being influenced by the COVID situation in various ways, to deal with ethical dilemmas arising from not being on the ground, to build trust from afar without ever having met face-to-face, and to reconfigure plans from personal presence to virtual communication in a rather short time period. In short, to keep the vibrancy and dedication alive while keeping up everything that SIMagination Challenge stands for, moving the initiatives forward and continuing to solidify their sustainable foundations, also with the next generation of SIMagination Challenge students in mind. 

Throughout it all, the initiatives continued to build stronger foundations, develop new ways of operation, and bring fresh innovation to the Challenge. Their hard work means that today's initiatives have an even greater portfolio of ideas and opportunities to work with, and across the board initiatives have embraced more flexibility in their program design. We look forward to seeing how future generations continue to build upon this work.