My name is Leonard and I am from Germany and currently studying BSc Economics at LSE. Before coming to London to study at LSE, I lived in a village in the south of Germany, near the Black Forest and the border to France.   The year before the start of my course I stayed in Kampala, Uganda, East Africa, where I worked with the German Development Cooperation and in a youth house for Aids orphans.

LSE was the first choice for me because of its excellent reputation in the field of economics. I have always wanted to learn more about the inner-workings of the world economy, how it was possible that some countries are so much worse off than others and how the economy could be influenced positively. Moreover, the international atmosphere that I experienced when I visited the school about a year before my course started had impressed me.

Since mathematics and financial issues have fascinated me since my early childhood, I could imagine working in the financial industry after my degree. An internship with a Swiss bank in my first year of studies was a good experience.

I also had great experiences with and I am very interested in international development. I could imagine combining my interests and working in the banking sector for an international organisation.

In my first year of studies I co-founded the Microfinance Society at the LSE to give students a better idea of what “lending to the poor” implies. I lived in areas in Uganda where the lack of capital for bigger investments in shops or the infrastructure causes a serious slow-down of development. Projects to give poor entrepreneurs with good ideas and the passion to build their business the money to do so and earn their living cannot only change people’s lives but also the whole economic environment.

After the big success with lectures with various speakers, I then founded the Student Microfinance & Development Initiative (SMDI) with the aim to not only inform about microfinance but get undergraduate and postgraduate students actively involved in research and ground-work with microfinance institutions. Some international organisations now see microfinance as the best thing that can be done in development. Critics are sceptical how deeply microfinance can really affect the lives of millions of people. I think by giving students the chance to work with partner microfinance institutions, commercial banks and an LSE research centre and then produce research papers to be used all over the world, I started something that can eventually help students to make the world a bit better themselves.  

What I really liked about meeting the other Stelios Scholars is that they come from so many different places and have diverse interests. You cannot really say what the typical Stelios Scholar is like – the ones that I have met and the alumni are just really nice and good people.

Stelios has already done a lot of philanthropic work so far – and I am personally thankful for what he is doing for us scholars.  I wonder if Stelios has an ultimate goal that he would like to reach with the foundation?

Since I myself benefit greatly from the mentioned help, the question to myself: What ideas do YOU have to support the cause of the foundation?