Michaela Hordijk

Universiteit van Amsterdam, Government and Inclusive Development

I am human geographer by training, and specialized in urban issues in developing countries in an early phase of my studies. My main interests are urban poverty, urban environmental management, (participatory) urban governance, participatory budgeting, youth in cities, and ‘participatory action research’. All these themes came together in my PhD research ‘Of Dreams and Deeds: Community Based Environmental Management in Lima, Peru’ (1995-2000), which had a strong action research component. I worked with both youth groups, women’s groups and the neighbourhood organizations in participatory planning and design exercises to improve the environmental conditions in their neighbourhoods. This resulted in the foundation of Aynimundo, supporting community initiatives in peripheral districts in Lima.