Can students change the food system?
"My name is Fabian, and before starting Value Creators, I never imagined that I would help build a food community connecting students directly with local farmers. Yet that is exactly what happened.
Together with my fellow students Alexandra, Meike and Eva, I co-founded Good4you, a community at Windesheim Honours College that provides students and lecturers with fresh, organic, seasonal and regional fruit and vegetables every two weeks.
The idea emerged after we spent weeks exploring the European food system. We interviewed experts, visited farmers and learned more about agricultural policies such as the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The more we learned, the more we realised how disconnected many people have become from the food they eat and the people who produce it. Instead of only talking about these challenges, we wanted to do something about them ourselves."
Turning an idea into reality
"Working together with local farmers and the farmers’ network Bioromero, we created a system that allows people to buy directly from producers. By cutting out intermediaries, farmers receive a fairer share of the income while consumers gain access to fresh, local products.
What I enjoyed most was seeing how a classroom idea slowly turned into a real initiative. We were organising deliveries, recruiting participants, communicating with farmers and building a community from scratch.
Of course, there were also challenges. We had to figure out practical issues such as payments, logistics and finding volunteers who could continue the project in the future. At times, it felt overwhelming. Overcoming those challenges taught me a lot about teamwork, communication and entrepreneurship."
Small actions can lead to meaningful change
"One of the biggest surprises was the response from the community. We initially hoped for 15 orders, but almost 30 people signed up when we launched. Seeing that level of enthusiasm made us realise that people genuinely wanted to be part of something like this.
It was also very rewarding to discover that meaningful change can start on a very small scale. Knowing that local farmers benefited directly from the initiative and that students became more aware of where their food comes from was super motivating. "
Students can do it too
"The Value Creators module challenged me to move beyond analysing problems and start creating solutions. It gave me the opportunity to work with real stakeholders, turn ideas into action and experience what it takes to create impact in practice.
Looking back, Good4you is one of the projects I am most proud of during my studies. It showed me that creating change is not something reserved for governments or large organisations. Students can do it too. Seeing the project grow and knowing that other universities have shown interest in our idea makes me excited about what might come next."