Welcome to our second interview of our miniseries about Little Leaders Foundation! In this interview we will be getting to know LLF’s co-founder, treasurer & secretary: Elisah Sauerbier.

LLF: Hello! Could you give our readers a small introduction of yourself?

Elisah: “Hi! My name is Elisah and I’m 22. I study Cultural Sciences at the Open University in Amsterdam. I work as a freelance creative writer, mainly for websites and blogs. And for Little Leaders Foundation of course! My hobbies are painting, traveling, walking in nature and I love going to the cinema.”

LLF: What is your favorite activity working for Little Leaders Foundation?

Elisah: “I love brainstorming about new ideas, new concepts, the possibilities within our work field and visualizing them into a concrete plan of action. I especially enjoy doing this together with Kintan, because I think that in a conversation between multiple people, new insights emerge that otherwise would not have surfaced. These conversations stimulate creative thinking and in my opinion, create a very pleasant working atmosphere and dynamic within our organization.”

LLF: What inspires you? 

Elisah: “Books really inspire me, which varies a lot in terms of genre. One book that has particularly inspired me is "Everyday Ubuntu" by Mungi Ngomane. It's a book about the African philosophy of Ubuntu, it's about the way we interact with others and the principles behind our actions. We apply this knowledge onto our work at LLF! Our Little Leaders are also an inspiration to me. When I am in contact with them and hear about the dreams they have, I am amazed that they are still at the beginning of their lives and I wonder where their journey will take them.”

LLF: Do you think education is important and why?

Elisah: “Yes! Very important in fact! There are so many answers I can give to this question, but above all, I think that education is a basic principle for your development as a person. I really see it as a human right. At school you step into a social environment for the first time (outside of your family) in which you create bonds with others, where you can learn from each other, and also learn to work together. School provides you with subjects where you can discover your interests and talents. It stimulates you in your formation to be human.”

LLF: What do you think could be further developed in the field of education?

Elisah: “I think it is important that a part of education should be more focused on things that we encounter in daily life, on how to actually live in modern society. This involves practical things, but also social matters that require awareness, such as discrimination. Another essential is to teach children about mindfulness and how to deal with stress, especially since many people today suffer from stress, overstimulation and burnouts. Globalization and digitization have a significant influence on this, because they open up humanity to more stimuli than, for example, 20 years ago. Learning how to deal with this is absolutely necessary. Finally, I also think that history within education should be less perspectivistic and provide a more global view of world history.”

LLF: What has been your motivation to found Little Leaders Foundation?

Elisah: “There are several factors that have played a role in this. First of all, when we were young, we already thought innovatively about what we can do for the world and discussed our dreams on this matter. Second, the confrontation with society in Sri Lanka has had a major impact on it. When I was 19 years old, I went to Sri Lanka to volunteer in a home for people with disabilities. I was confronted with how difficult the living conditions are for people with a disability in Sri Lanka. They are often rejected by society, which results in rejection by their families and communities. This has made me realize how privileged I am. Instead of watching from the sidelines, I wanted to use my privilege as a way to help others, which for me resulted in LLF. I think it's a human principle to help others and I like to do it as much as possible.”

LLF: What are the difficulties of the current school system in Sri Lanka?

Elisah: “The problem is often that the established rules within the education system are not always properly monitored by the government. For example, there is compulsory education, but there are still plenty of children who do not go to school, especially girls. Whereas in the Netherlands, the attendance officer checks the home situation when it is registered that a child is not attending school. This currently does not happen in Sri Lanka.”

LLF: What do you want to achieve on a personal level with Little Leaders Foundation?

Elisah: “Personal growth! When we founded Little Leaders Foundation, we started with little knowledge and experience. Although, I think that by performing our work, we learn about how NGOs operate, how to recruit sponsors, how to organize projects and events, while doing so. Of course, I hope this will one day be my full-time job, because I feel so passionate about our work and it brings me much joy. Even though we are not a large NGO, I see our impact on a small scale. For me this is a confirmation that we are on the right track and that we should continue to do so.”

LLF: What is your favorite memory of working for Little Leaders Foundation?

Elisah: “I really enjoyed doing the presentations for the primary schools during our first project. Despite having stage fright, I really loved giving a presentation in front of a few hundred children. While stepping out of my comfort zone, I discovered that I enjoy working with kids while supporting them in their development. We don't earn any money with the work we do, but when I look at the difference we make, it is very fulfilling and rewarding.”

LLF: Did you use to feel like a "Little Leader" when you were younger?

Elisah: 100%! My mother has always encouraged me to stand up for myself, but also to dare to dream. She motivated me not to go with the crowd, but to do what I like and what is important to me. She has always emphasized my own qualities, such as writing, and motivated me to invest time in developing my talents. This has helped me with my confidence and in believing in myself and my abilities. I want to pass the same message on to our Little Leaders - to do something that they are good at and which they love to do.”

LLF: Any final message to our readers?

Elisah: “Believe in your dreams. Don't necessarily choose the path that is the most obvious, but listen to yourself and ask yourself 'what do I want in life?'. Do not blindly follow the social expectations that are set for you, but create the life that brings you bliss.”