Drijfveren (Motivation)
We are all similar.
When you're getting to know someone, you don't see it right away. Differences are the first thing you notice. A different coat, a different language, or a different opinion. It's only later, when you spend more time together, that you realize how much we are alike.
Most people want roughly the same. Our wishes are modest. We want a good enough life for ourselves and something better for our children. We want to contribute and participate. But it's not easy to achieve this. It's especially difficult for people who find themselves in a new environment.
I had to discover this for myself.
I didn't really know anyone with a refugee background until I met a friend who worked for the city of Amsterdam with status holders. He introduced me to four people. I was particularly moved by the story of one the female status holders who had managed four hundred people in Syria, but wasn't able to find a job here in the Netherlands. I found that very strange.
Jan Princen, co-founder of Motopp
MICHEL. "This project is very meaningful to me. As a refugee, it has given me the opportunity to capture the resilience, hope, and determination of people who, like me, have endured great challenges yet still strive for a better future. It has been a creative outlet, but also a way to give back to the community that has supported me.
My collaboration with Jimmy was very inspiring. Professionally, he gave me a little push when needed without interfering with the project or my artistic vision. And personally, I got to know a wonderful person with a soul like a bird.
JIMMY. I feel very grateful that life has brought me to the place where I am now. It's my greatest gift. When you reach my age, it is no longer about what's in your bank account. It's about the doors that open to the world and embracing discovery. I am very spiritual, but I don't go to church and I don't give it a label. I believe that everything I have received, I must also give back. Reciprocity. Giving is my form of happiness. And I receive so much in return. I learn, I listen, I observe, and I question. It's mutual. I believe that as human beings, we owe it to ourselves to help each other. We help one another out of love. This entire book project you have done is all about that. It is about people seeing each other in a different way, so that we all become richer on our journey.
When you asked for my help and we met I immediately liked the energy. I enjoy seeing other people flourish, and I try to do it without ego. Of course I am human, so it doesn't always work, but I try. I believe the best way to give someone that 'little push' is by helping without thinking 'what's in it for me?'
The purpose of this book is to illustrate that, despite all our differences, we also have a lot in common. Our values often turn out to be surprisingly similar, and our motivations closely aligned.
MICHEL. "What moved me most was the strength and potential of each individual involved in this project. Despite difficulties and obstacles, there was always a common thread of hope, courage, and the desire to look forward. It reminded me of how much potential there is in each of us.
JIMMY. 'People want to be seen and acknowledged. See me, care for me, love me, and treat me with dignity. That's what we all have in common, no matter where in the world you are born.
MICHEL. "The people on this planet are my motivation.