The Netherlands Embassy has bade farewell to two of our trainees who have been living and working in Accra over the past six months.
Bastiaan @bastiaanmerlot has been part of the Cultural Team at the Embassy and with Ghana now a Dutch cultural focus country, there was plenty to take on. He worked on mapping the creative industries, reviewing project proposals, and staying in close contact with Ghanaian artists and institutions.
What he takes with him most is the trust he was given and the chance to learn by doing. He’s especially grateful for the welcoming colleagues who shared their time, advice, and patience along the way.
He leaves Accra with a strong appreciation for cultural diplomacy, and a jollof recipe that will surely take the Netherlands by storm.
Janine @janinedenijs has been working with the Agricultural team at the Embassy, where she has made valuable contributions to several initiatives aimed at strengthening the horticulture sector in Ghana and Nigeria. In particular, she successfully organized the World Food Day event and played an active role in the planning and coordination of the trade mission to Ghana and Nigeria. Throughout these activities, she consistently demonstrated excellent organizational and coordination skills, ensuring that projects progressed efficiently and effectively.
Reflecting on her experience, Janine shared:
“I am very grateful for this experience and for the opportunity to work in a multicultural environment, connecting Dutch and Ghanaian companies in the horticulture sector. During this time, I was able to further develop my networking and coordination skills, while deepening my understanding of Dutch–Ghanaian bilateral cooperation. Most importantly, the kind and welcoming colleagues at the Embassy made this period truly invaluable.”
”We celebrate their work and wish them well in their next assignments”, the Embassy wrote.
