Meet the women and men behind UNICEF. Faces of UNICEF shines a spotlight on our incredible and dedicated staff. Learn how they joined us, what they do – and how they relax in their spare time.
“I had a calling to help, protect and support vulnerable people, especially children and women”
Mohammad AlHamwan, Humanitarian Affairs Specialist, UNICEF Jordan.
Tell us a bit about your background.
I am a Jordanian, born and raised in a small village in the North of the country. My background is as a Military Officer, I joined the military academy in 1992 and stayed there until 2010. I left to pursue my Masters degree in HRM in Webster University in the US. Then I completed my Ph.D degree, also in HRM, in the university of North Malaysia and participated in two UN DPKO missions in Haiti and Sierra Leone.
What do you do?
Since 2013, I am a Humanitarian Affairs Specialist with UNICEF Jordan Country Office. During this time, I have managed a large and cross-sectoral refugee response to the Syria crisis. This includes UNICEF’s response for children in all settings - camps, host communities and cross-border where our programming is carried out with remote monitoring. It requires a great deal of expertise in humanitarian analysis and civil-military relations. One of the most complex environments we operate in is the berm where we thankfully have a proven track record in successfully negotiating humanitarian access for vulnerable children and their families.
What’s your working day like?
A typical day starts very early, usually 5.30am. It takes me an hour and a half to drive to the office and after that my day can vary as I spend most of my time in the field. If it’s a day when I am leading UNICEF response at the berm, then it involves a two-and-a-half-hour drive through the desert to reach a service area near where 50,000 people are stranded at the northeastern border between Jordan and Syria. In the evening, it’s back to the UNICEF field office to continue our coordination meetings and make plans for the next day. If I am not at the berm, I spend the day in the host community or in an ITS, which is an informal tented settlement, working with my UNICEF colleagues from other sections, partners, UN agencies and local authorities to reach the most vulnerable children and women. Usually I arrive home before 8pm to spend some quality time with my family.
How would you describe your job to a 5-year-old?
My job is to find children who need help, because, for example, they don’t have enough clean water to drink, or a school to go to or they are not feeling safe. I then provide them with the support they need to be healthy, happy and go back to school. To do this, I work as part of a team of people who each specialise in one important area of a child’s life. I make sure all these people work well together and don’t leave any child behind.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
I always wanted to be a leader but, at the same time, I had a calling to help, protect and support vulnerable people, especially children and women. I think this is the reason why I joined the military and peacekeeping missions in the early stages of my career, which allowed me to be a facilitator and a leader to ensure things happen on the ground.
How/when did you join UNICEF?
I joined UNICEF in 2013 as a Field Officer in a refugee camp in Jordan and then became a humanitarian specialist working in the camps, and also the host community and at the berm. I applied to many jobs in the UN in the past but I was always particularly interested to join UNICEF as I saw the organization’s great work first-hand in Haiti and Sierra Leone. I believe that children and women suffer first, and the most, during an emergency and that’s why UNICEF’s role is so important.
What are the most satisfying parts of your job?
I think the most satisfying part of my job is working with, and for children. For example, seeing the smile on a child’s face when they receive their warm clothes in winter after we’ve worked so hard to reach them. Working for UNICEF is one of the highlights of my life so far.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
One of the greatest challenges of my job is working in the very dynamic environment of the Middle East, where there are many crises affecting children and women with many different actors operating inside and across borders. It can make it difficult to access children who need our support but we never stop trying.
What’s your best UNICEF experience/memory?
In the early days of our response at the berm, we were travelling 400km every week moving between Amman and the border every day. It was an extremely challenging environment to lead the UNICEF response, including distribution of essential items and services for children. No one from the team got much rest but it was worth it when we saw how happy the children were to see us every morning and when we managed to get education and protection to the children.
What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve ever taken in your life?
I frequently work in high-risk zones, including militarized areas. Delivering humanitarian assistance to affected populations in these areas requires a lot of preparation and planning to mitigate the security risks and threat that you face and I always give careful consideration to the safety of my team in these circumstances. But it makes me feel very proud to deliver for children despite the risks and challenges.
What are your passions? How do you spend your free time?
I like to think out of the box so I would describe my passion as challenging reality and defying the odds to deliver and reach my goals. I love to read and stay informed about my area of work, so I closely follow all developments in the Middle East because it impacts my work and my ability to reach all affected populations. I love to spend time with my family and friends at the end of the day and enjoy their company. Traveling is one of my passions as well and I’m lucky that I can see the world with my job.
What advice would you give others who are seeking a similar job as yours?
If you want to work in a humanitarian role, you have to be incredibly patient and have a huge amount of passion for your job. It is very challenging and you will face difficulties, so you need to believe in and love what you do to be able to deliver and keep delivering.
Who do you look towards for inspiration?
All of my colleagues who are doing the same job as me, in even tougher places in the world. But my biggest inspiration are the children and women affected by all crises and conflicts in the world who need UNICEF and other support in order to survive.
My colleagues don’t know that...
I’m an expert in desert hiking, I spend a lot of time in the desert of Jordan.
“You need to believe in what you are doing and always search for things that would inspire you even more”
Barno Mukhamadieva, Chief of Education, UNICEF Angola
Tell us a bit about your background.
I was born in Tajikistan, a small, beautiful mountainous country in Central Asia. I grew up in an industrial town - Tursunzade, which at the time had around 63 nationalities. I studied International Relations and International Studies in universities in Tajikistan and the United Kingdom.
What do you do?
I am an education specialist, worked on issues related to girls’ education, education in emergencies and access to education for out-of-school children. Recently I joined UNICEF Angola, and lead the education programme here.
What’s your working day like?
At the moment, my work schedule is very hectic ☺ ☺ ☺ we are developing a new country programme document which will have a new innovative approach, so I am learning a lot and having many interesting meetings, participating in different exercises, and supporting the government partners’ participation in this process.
How would you describe your job to a 5-year-old?
I would say that education is very important to have a happy and healthy childhood, safe development as a teenager; and better quality of life in adulthood, that’s why I believe that he/she must go to school and take the most out of it.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
I wanted to be a doctor or a teacher, I could never make up my mind which one I liked more, however my current job as an education programme manager is closer to a teacher’s profession.
How/when did you join UNICEF?
I joined UNICEF Tajikistan back in 2003 as a field monitor for WASH in school programmes, and after a few weeks I realized that this work is really interesting and I wanted to continue in the same area.
What are the most satisfying parts of your job?
To see that our efforts result in better development of children.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
Sometimes getting frustrated that the progress is slow.
What’s your best UNICEF experience/memory?
When a group of parents and teachers from one remote school in Tajikistan acknowledged that because of a UNICEF girls education programme, the school started to have girls in grade 10 and 11, the last two grades of secondary education, for the first time in the last 10 years.
What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve ever taken in your life?
So far, I haven’t had such experience.
What are your passions? How do you spend your free time?
I love reading, travelling with my husband and kids and spending time with my family and friends.
What advice would you give others who are seeking a similar job as yours?
You need to believe in what you are doing and always search for things that would inspire you even more.
Who do you look towards for inspiration?
Women who are the influencers at the global level.
My colleagues don’t know that…
I’m a good singer ☺ ☺ ☺
Did you know Barno applied to UNICEF through the NETI programme? Interested in becoming a NETI yourself? Click here for programme details and upcoming vacancies in 2018! http://www.unicef.org/neti2018
“I believe inspiration comes from knowledge, and knowledge comes from everywhere”
Ilija Talev, Policy Specialist, Public Finance, UNICEF NYHQ
Tell us a bit about your background.
I was born and raised in Macedonia. I left my country when I was 16 to study abroad and returned 12 years later, with a bachelor’s degree in political economy, a master’s in European politics and policies and a Ph.D. in governance and children’s rights.
I joined UNICEF Macedonia in 2009 as a national Social Policy Officer, where I stayed until 2014 when, thanks to the NETI programme, I became a Social Policy Specialist in the Belize Country Office. I spent three wonderful years there working on social protection and public finance for children, and supporting the Representative in the management of the office in absence of a Deputy Representative post. From there, I moved to my current post in New York HQ, where I work as a policy specialist in the area of Public Finance for children. I have been at my post just over a year now, and I have had the privilege to work with some of the greatest minds and most dedicated professionals in the organization, from whom I have learned a lot.
What do you do?
My daily work consists of providing support to country and regional offices in the area of public finance for children (PF4C). In recent years, there has been a tremendous increase in activities and interest in this area, as there is a much better understanding throughout the organization that PF4C is an essential enabler, and accelerator, for achieving results for children. Our team provides guidance, technical advice and direct programme support to colleagues around the world in programming, effective implementation, monitoring and reporting of public finance activities to achieve results for children in all sectors.
What’s your working day like?
The first thing I do every morning, is check our global reporting databases for any new reports, research and studies from around the world in the area of PF4C. I am excited when I see that a country or a region has successfully generated evidence or advocated to increase investments for children in any sector. Our ability to share knowledge and learn from each other makes us more effective, so I help connect colleagues working on similar issues in different countries to learn from each other and improve their programme implementation. A substantial part of my work is providing direct support in reviewing ToRs, draft studies and guidance to developing country level PF4C planning and programming. I also spend considerable amount of time developing guidance notes and technical papers on various PF4C programming tools. Lastly, I support my unit in establishing and maintaining global partnerships with other organizations involved in this work, in order to facilitate country level collaboration and partnerships that would lead to greater and better investments in children.
How would you describe your job to a 5-year-old?
With difficulty :)
Perhaps I would say something like: What I try to do is to make sure you that you have enough kindergartens, schools and hospitals, good teachers, good doctors, parks and playgrounds for all children, so you can grow up happy, healthy and protected. As you know, all this costs money. So, what I try to do is to ensure we have enough money for all those things.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
I wanted to be a pilot for most of my childhood. Then a policeman, followed by a soccer player, nuclear physicist, teacher, professor and finally a UN international civil servant. Now I am contemplating a career in marine biology but I fear it might be too late.
What are the most satisfying parts of your job?
Knowing that absolutely everything we do has the goal of advancing the rights of children and improving their lives. Defining success not by the amount of money and wealth we create, but by the number of children we reach.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
Explaining what I do to 5-year-olds. Or 50 year-olds. It’s never easy :)
What’s your best UNICEF experience/memory?
I think my entire time working at UNICEF Belize. I have so many fond memories of the people, the places, the programme… I cannot really pick a favourite. Those three years were intense. I travelled all over the country, saw the results of our work almost daily: Children in better equipped schools, child-friendly hospitals and a child-friendly justice-system, more children receiving cash transfers… It was a wonderful experience.
What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve ever taken in your life?
Leaving my home and family to pursue my education and learn about the world. Many things could have gone wrong, but fortunately they didn’t.
What are your passions? How do you spend your free time?
I have many: Diving, running/sports, reading, music, food, film, art… Not in any particular order.
What advice would you give others who are seeking a similar job as yours?
Give everything you do your absolute best. If the work you’re doing isn’t worth pouring your heart and soul into it, you’re probably not doing what you should be.
Who do you look towards for inspiration?
I believe inspiration comes from knowledge, and knowledge comes from everywhere: People, books, articles, song lyrics, movie lines… So that’s where I look for it… Everywhere.
My colleagues don’t know that…
I’m a Jazz aficionado.
Did you know Ilija applied to UNICEF through the NETI programme? Interested in becoming a NETI yourself? Click here for programme details and upcoming vacancies in 2018! http://www.unicef.org/neti2018
“I don’t need bulging biceps to fight for women and children, I can be a human rights champion”
Joseph Bahemuka, Emergency Specialist & Chief of Yambio Field Office, UNICEF South Sudan
Tell us a bit about your background.
My passion for my work is very much linked to my childhood. It grew as I went from being a boy to a young man. I grew up in a rural part of Uganda called Bwikara in the Kagadi district. Like many others, we were economically marginalized and I had to help out a lot at home. Yet, the worst was seeing the physical and psychological abuse and injustice especially women were subjected to. It caused pain and agony. I remember wishing to be as strong as Mike Tyson so I could defend them, but I wasn’t built like that. Later I started travelling to Europe and I saw how women and children were treated. They had rights there. I then realized I don’t need bulging biceps to fight for women and children, I can be a human rights champion.
So, instead of going to the gym I studied public health, social work, humanitarian standards, primary health care and water and sanitation. Right now, I’m working on a PhD in social work.
What’s your working day like?
Working in a level 3 emergency is very exciting but also challenging. My agenda and to-do list is constantly hijacked by more pressing issues. The days are often long, but I’m truly privileged to have an opportunity to change the lives of women and children in South Sudan.
How would you describe your job to a 5-year-old?
My job is to make sure children in Yambio, South Sudan, have enough water, enough to eat, have a school to go to, get help if they are sick and can go to sleep every night feeling safe. Many children need help, so I have a lot to do.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
I wanted to be a teacher. A teacher was one of the most respectable person in my village. It was also interesting for me when a teacher could read for us interesting stories and teach us interesting songs. We could sing and jump and laugh at the funny stories. I said to myself, I should be a teacher and teach other children. When I grew up, my interests changed towards social justice. I am grateful that my work at UNICEF still gives me the opportunity to work with children; and I have in the past taken on a teaching role and lectured in Universities.
How/when did you join UNICEF?
In 2015 when I joined UNICEF Ebola response in Liberia. I had already been working alongside UNICEF in Sierra Leone. I was working for an INGO and I was amazed by the work UNICEF was doing. I remember I was thinking that I want to work for UNICEF one day. When the post in Liberia was listed, I applied and I was so excited when I learnt that I got the job. I have never looked back. UNICEF’s mandate fits my aspirations for a better world.
What are the most satisfying parts of your job?
Serving the women and children in South Sudan. In an emergency context, you are able make a difference in people’s lives every day. That is humbling and exciting at the same time. My job also gives me an opportunity to learn. Resolving the challenges gives me a sense of achievement at the end of the day. A bonus is that I get to travel all over the world and meet new people.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
Being in a position where I have to make important decisions, which senior management should also agree with. For instance, balancing decisions on staff safety and security and continuing with humanitarian assistance (field monitoring).
What’s your best UNICEF experience/memory?
The best memorable experience is coordinating the Ebola response in Margibi and Monrovia in Liberia in 2015. This role gave me the opportunity to make critical decisions for UNICEF geared towards saving lives and controlling the spread of the disease. It was extremely gratifying when the epidemic was finally declared over. We left Liberia in jubilation having been part of the team that had responded to the worst Ebola outbreak the world had ever witnessed. These memories are still fresh in my mind.
What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve ever taken in your life?
Participating in the Ebola response in Sierra Leone and Liberia. The virus was everywhere but you couldn’t see it. I remember when I came down with a high fever in Sierra Leone and I was confined in order to protect others in case I had Ebola. Quarantine was a horrible experience. I felt abandoned, rejected, isolated and left alone to die. I was so terrified of dying and leaving my six-year-old son without a father. This was the reality for many families in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. I was lucky, it wasn’t Ebola that made me sick. But the experience reminded be about the risks we all took going there.
What are your passions?
Travelling all over the world, meeting new people.
How do you spend your free time?
I spend my free time going to the gym. I also like to travel and see new places. Going out with friends is another way I spend my free time.
What advice would you give others who are seeking a similar job as yours?
To keep trying and never give up! Have a mentor who can provide general guidance on the CV and interview process. Also, to go on the UNICEF website and read about our work. There is a lot of useful information on the website.
Who do you look towards for inspiration?
Erma Manoncourt. She was a former UNICEF Representative for Egypt Country Office. Her humility and technical skills are dependable. Although she was high up in ranks she remained down to earth and has really inspired me a lot.
My colleagues don’t know that…
I’m a trained massage therapist although I don’t practice it now :)
I was born in Paris, France, and traveled throughout Europe for my studies. I studied Literature, Philosophy and International & European law. I have always wanted to work in an international environment where I would have the opportunity to travel and experience different cultures.
What do you do?
I currently work as the HR Planning Specialist in DHR, NYHQ, where I am responsible for ensuring that HR planning is aligned with organizational needs. This responsibility includes quantitative workforce analysis, regular office planning functions, enterprise risk management, monitoring, evaluation and reporting, as well as external liaison with Missions to the UN, the UN Common System and other organizations on reporting and HR analytics matters. I also manage the HR Information System as well as the reporting requirements and needs of both internal and external stakeholders.
What’s your working day like?
I have the opportunity to interact with a diverse group of stakeholders that include DHR, divisional and field colleagues, as well as other UN agencies and missions. I work on different HR projects, which include strategic planning, HR data analytics and HR systems.
How would you describe your job to a 5-year-old?
I make sure people have the right information to make the right decisions.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
I wanted to be a veterinarian.
How/when did you join UNICEF?
In 2011, I was selected as a French JPO to work with UNICEF.
What are the most satisfying parts of your job?
Working with my team, human interaction, defining projects, strategizing, planning and seeing the results.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
The main challenge would be to find a balance between the different projects, as well as ensuring that stakeholders’ requests are addressed, whilst at the same time being able to balance the workload for my team.
What’s your best UNICEF experience/memory?
Being part of the UNICEF family itself, as well as growing within the Organization, and realizing I understand its story, culture, its ins and outs and the way it operates.
What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve ever taken in your life?
Packing-up, moving to a foreign country and leaving my life behind.
What are your passions? How do you spend your free time?
I love food! Restaurants, wine, cheese… and sometimes yoga & pilates.
What advice would you give others who are seeking a similar job as yours?
My advice to aspiring UNICEF applicants would be to remain patient, know what they are looking for and what they want, as well as creating their own opportunities.
Who do you look towards for inspiration?
Those who are passionate about their dreams.
My colleagues don’t know that...
I used to collect dinosaurs and dragons (the smaller versions…)
“I am inspired by people who forego their personal agendas to give back to communities”
Dr. Chandrakala Jaiswal, Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF Bentiu Sub Office in South Sudan
Tell us a bit about your background.
I am an Indian born in a small remote village with 3,000 people in a tribal District of Maharashtra, India, where accessibility of Health services was a big challenge. My father always wanted me to be a good human being and serve people. For further studies he supported me to go to Mumbai to my aunts place where I completed my schooling. Right from my childhood, I always wanted to be a doctor so that I could serve the most vulnerable people. I studied Medicine in Pune and got my graduate degree (MD) in Public Health. My first job was with WHO as a Surveillance Medical officer for a polio project in Uttarpradesh, one of the most challenging states in India regarding all Heath Indicators. I worked passionately for this job and was instrumental in establishing the best Surveillance Model of the country. Here I developed my interest in children’s health and hence got my other graduate degree in Pediatrics. I never went for clinical practice because I always felt that to make a difference on a big scale, we have to be involved in policies and implementation that I would not be able to achieve doing clinical practice. Hence I joined UNICEF as a Child Health and Nutrition Consultant and enjoyed my work thoroughly because UNICEF gave me a very good platform for my dreams to come true.
What do you do?
I am a Nutrition Cluster Lead for Unity State which is one of the most crisis-hit states in South Sudan, in the capacity of a Nutrition Specialist for UNICEF. I coordinate and support nutrition programming implemented by 13 Nutrition Partners in Unity State. I am also a mother of my beautiful daughter who is 15 years old and a wife to a pediatric husband.
What’s your working day like?
My day starts at 5.30am with yoga, physical exercises and meditation. I then prepare and drink a cup tea and a snack, open my computer for urgent emails as I wait for the first shuttle to the office. Between 8.00am and 8.10am I am at my desk. My working day varies depending on partners’ demands but mainly involves attending to nutrition partners on issues pertaining quality of programming and PCAs. These issues are brought out through emails while others through meetings. I plan and work closely with my team of 1 Nutrition Officer and 2 Nutrition Consultants. And also work closely with the government officials with whom we coordinate and work closely with. It is difficult for me to entirely plan and decide on what I will be doing during my normal working day. To be able to accomplish my roles, I find extra hours at night after my evening exercises to complete the remaining work. This is usually a very quiet and productive time to accomplish tasks.
How would you describe your job to a 5-year-old?
I work for and with very many children like you to ensure that they are healthy and remain healthy. Part of my work is to advice and encourage children to eat properly, live in hygienic environments and play a lot. I show children how to be healthy, grow strong and how to play so that they enjoy life a lot and are happy. When children are healthy and happy, I am happy too.
In many circumstances, I feel like a mother to all children.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
As a child I always wanted to become a medical doctor. My dad too, always wanted the same for me. I was born in a small village in India of approximately 3,000 people. In this village there was not even a single doctor and this came with consequences. I lost my young brother to a simple illness that could have been easily treated. Today I look back and remember countless numbers of lives that I have saved and my passionate encounter with thousands of children across India and now in South Sudan.
How/when did you join UNICEF?
I joined UNICEF over 10 years ago as a consultant in India. Before that I worked with WHO in a national polio program where I encountered very many children. In the process I became passionate about children and decided to study and become a pediatrician to serve them better. After graduation, I applied to UNICEF which is a bigger organisation for children with the hope that I would meet more children. My work with UNICEF in India has brought me to South Sudan where I have encountered more children. There is more work here in South Sudan as it is a very challenging environment.
What are the most satisfying parts of your job?
Seeing children develop comprehensively is the most satisfying part of my job. Every day I live, I pray and hope for optimal growth for all children. Knowing that this can be achieved through access to good nutrition, health services, good hygiene and sanitation, early child development initiatives and sustainable food security approaches - I have worked hard to integrate these into nutrition programming.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
In rural communities (Unity State) of South Sudan, it is very hard to achieve the required quality of services amidst challenging security and natural calamities. Accessibility to people most in need is the biggest challenge because they are always migrating either because of insecurity or because they’re looking for food for their cattle. Furthermore, nutrition services for children and women are mainly provided by males who have limitations - in the context of South Sudan culture, in nurturing children. Women are less educated and therefore lack the required training and/or skills to contribute to the health and nutrition sector.
What’s your best UNICEF experience/memory?
UNICEF provides a platform for innovation and always advocates to work with the government and build their capacity so that interventions are implemented at scale. In India, in Maharashtra state, with the help from the government in one year we established a robust newborn care and IYCF services throughout the state. This was reflected in the highest reduction of Neonatal and Infant Mortality in the country.
What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve ever taken in your life?
Working in Unity State, in South Sudan, is already a big risk. The state has been a war zone for over 5 years and still is. But my biggest risk was a field monitoring road trip to Koch County, South of Bentiu which is the state’s capital. At some point I thought the driver was lost. We drove without any site of homesteads for hours and knowing that Koch had exchanged hands between rebels and government soldiers, I was very worried. This was a very big risk but for children, it was a risk worth taking.
What are your passions? How do you spend your free time?
My passion for children grows every day and every day when I meet another child, his innocence teaches me to work even harder for them. And because I love to see smiles on my children, I spend a lot of my free time making toys from locally available materials and also encourage caregivers and others to do the same. As a result, there are all sorts of toys in nutrition sites in Unity State. I believe that anything that is harmless to a child can be used to make a toy. Other than that, I spend my free time doing yoga, physical exercises and meditating.
What advice would you give others who are seeking a similar job as yours?
My best advice would be to showcase exceptional commitment and sincerity while keeping a mental balance by having good meals (balanced diet), doing exercises like yoga and walking/jogging.
Who do you look towards for inspiration?
I am inspired by people who forego their personal agendas to give back to communities. This includes socialists and/or people who do research/work in public health and good leaders.
“Taking risks to save lives is my priority number one”
Luel Deng Ding, Education and Adolescent Officer, UNICEF Bentiu Field Office in South Sudan
Tell us a bit about your background.
I am a South Sudanese national born in Nasir, Upper Nile State, South Sudan. I grew up in a refugee camp in Ethiopia. I have a Masters Degree of Education with specialization in Planning, Management and Administration from Mount Kenya University, Kenya. A Bachelor Degree in Physics and Mathematics (2008, Kampala International University, Uganda), and an Associate Degree in Physics and Mathematics (2003/Ethiopia).
What do you do?
My work involves all aspects of education development and emergency interventions leading state education cluster coordination with government and education partners, support monitoring supervision, funds utilizations and accountability, assessment and response to acute education emergencies in the affected schools, planning and distribution of materials for schools, providing technical support in capacity development of education officials and teachers, spearheading Back To Learning campaigns Initiatives.
Other tasks include being the Staff Association Chairperson representing Bentiu Field Office and ensuring the welfare and well-being of all staff at field level. As well as my personal and mandatory learning and development courses.
What’s your working day like?
My working day varies daily with critical deadlines under L3 Emergency in South Sudan. My day to day tasks include working closely with government, stakeholders and education partners in project development and implementations, preparedness and contingency planning, assessment and response to acute education emergencies, mobilization and advocacy to freeing schools occupied by armed elements, meetings with parents, pupils and teachers, capacity development to early childhood education and primary teachers, field monitoring and reporting.
How would you describe your job to a 5-year-old?
For a 5-year old, I would like to describe my job by either drawing or composing a song as part of stimulation, remembrance and of course making her/him happy and bringing out smiles.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
During my childhood in a ‘’primary cycle,’’ I had the dream of becoming a Geologist. I was very good in Mathematics. But this dream didn’t materialize due to the long Sudan Civil War where the majority of children by then didn’t make their dreams. Later with life changes, I had a new dream to be a teacher. I had admired teaching with the hope that I will contribute to the world of excellencies educate and contribute to the bright future of young children.
How/when did you join UNICEF?
Before joining UNICEF, I strongly wanted to work for children and women to contribute to their well-being and advocate for their rights to access basic education services and other basic needs. I joined UNICEF in 2010 as an Education Officer supporting Basic Education and Gender Equity Education Programme (Education Development and Education in Emergency Programming) for Greater Upper Nile Region in South Sudan.
What are the most satisfying parts of your job?
The most satisfying part of my job at UNICEF front line is responding to acute education emergencies saving lives of thousands of children. I like to improve quality work in child friendly spaces, helping young children (3-18 yrs) including children with disabilities, to attend school and learn in the classrooms, provision of safe and clean drinking water in the schools, health and nutrition services. Since 2015, I was inspired to see children with their parents coming to schools with UNICEF birth notification certificates during the schools registrations. This makes me feel proud as a worker of UNICEF - for children to have identity and also make it easier for teachers during school registrations to screen children by gender, age and appropriate class to attend.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
The most challenging part of my job is covering the whole State alone by balancing regular and emergency education programming within limited time while the demands are huge. This means I need to really spend 90% of my time advocating for education access for children, showcase and have strategies for achieving both results.
What’s your best UNICEF experience/memory?
I have so many, but I would like to share one of my favourite UNICEF experiences in the current crisis in South Sudan. Working for vulnerable children and women to me is the right choice. It is the story of a boy with a disability by the name Meat Riak, 11 years old. Riak was out of school before the crisis in 2013 and had no clue about education. Riak thought being disable meant inability. The parents were not thinking of taking him to school since he had a disability. With the “Back to Learning” door to door campaign in 2017, Meat was found sitting in their local tukul. Both parents were not convinced for Meat to go to school until I visited their homes and discussed further. Following the meeting with the parents, Meat was allowed to go school together with his younger sister. All were enrolled in primary one in 2017. While at school, Meat has seen lif change and has proper stimulation. Meat Riak engaged more and more at school where he was given special care as a child with a disability. He benefited from the distribution of exercise books, UNICEF school bag, pens, crayons, reading of textbooks and recreational games. Meat Riak attended school daily and he appreciated the support given by UNICEF-USAID that motivated him to learn despite the fact that it takes approximately 20 minutes to reach the school in a distance of 800 metres.
Riak happily expressed that “he doesn’t feel discriminated” as he is well taken care of by the teachers as well as his classmates since they help him push his wheelchair especially during break time in the school, and he feels proud to be in such an environment. Within one year, Riak learned how to speak English, read and write. Meat has big dreams for his future and aspires to become a Doctor.
This is an important part of my recent memory bringing displaced vulnerable children back to learning and create conducive learning environments for their studies.
What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve ever taken in your life?
Well, I have taken several risks in my life and have to choose within my working periods. The biggest risk I took was on 17th January 2012 when over 6,000 armed Lou Nuer Youth attacked Murle Community in Pibor and Lingkuagole areas and displaced thousands of children, women and elderly people. Thousands of children were lost and separated from their parents. Within that context of emergency, I was nominated as a UNICEF Emergency Team Leader to respond to acute emergency while the area was not safe for me as I am from Nuer. I took that risk to save the lives of vulnerable young Murle children. The day I arrived, I didn’t sleep at all thinking a lot about the life of vulnerable children and my life as well. We had a meeting with local authority and immediately started responding to emergency needs. Partners were organized and started documenting missing, separated children, traced children for possible reunion with their parents. Two UNICEF tents were set up and used for integrated learning and PSS activities including life-saving messages. While in the Child Friendly Centre, a young person from Murle community approached me and asked - “Luel, did UNICEF know that you are from Nuer?” I replied, “Yes. UNICEF knows and I am here as UNICEF staff saving the lives of innocent young children including you, the youth.” I continue “I am here to save lives and deliver essential life-saving and recreational materials for all vulnerable children, adolescent and youth so that you are fully engaged in life-saving activities”. Later, he checked my hands and asked me - “can I be in charge of mobilization for boys under 13 years and form a sport club (Boys Stars)?” I said “why not!?” At the end, I have observed attitude and behavioral changes among the youth after engaging in sports and others recreational activities. I was so excited seeing saving the lives of over 1,000 children and adolescents who were seriously affected by the crisis. Within that, I used to tell my colleagues, taking risks to save lives is my priority number one.
What are your passions? How do you spend your free time?
My passion is to be a servant leader, commit to what I have to do and drive for the best results. Also make a different by being creative, help and support children to realize their dreams for tomorrow. I love working for humanitarian agencies helping voiceless and disadvantage adolescents and children.
For the last 3-4 years, I spent my time at work responding to education in emergencies, short family visits and studies (pursuing my Masters Degree in Education).
What advice would you give others who are seeking a similar job as yours?
Work and contribute to save lives. Focus and have a vision of working for people and understand your strengths where you can support. Be honest, tolerant and never give up when the situation is worsening.
Who do you look towards for inspiration?
Definitely, my colleagues inspired me because they are working hard supporting every step of children’s lives and are always motivating me to improve the lives of children in war country South Sudan.
My colleagues don’t know that ...
My colleagues at work do not know that I am the best football player (midfielder). It was 2017 when I dressed up with an ARSENAL uniform heading to the football field. They asked, “Luel do you know how to play football?” They laughed, it was like a joke. They said, “let’s go and we see how you play”. This became funny when I showed off all my football styles. Yes, sport for physical fitness.
“There is nothing better in a job than being passionate about it every morning”
Reem Batarseh, Partnerships Officer, UNICEF Jordan
Tell us a bit about your background.
I am Jordanian, born in Amman, during my childhood, my parents were both working, my mom was a teacher in a public school, and my father worked in different countries like Geneva, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE and in Yemen as Acting ILO Representative. I have three great sisters and one brother that I am so proud of.
I got a Master’s Degree in Management of Development at University of Turin ITCILO in Italy; a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science/Programming, at Princess Sumaya University of Technology in Jordan; and I’m a certified Social Media Professional, at George Mason University in USA.
What do you do?
Currently, I hold the position of Partnerships Officer. My work is critical to deliver results for children. In this role, my key functions include: managing a demanding roster of over 120 high-level and technical level donor delegations to Jordan each year; managing also Corporate and Strategic Private Partnerships for the office; ongoing analyses of the market to develop partnerships with the private sector in Jordan; curate donor visits on social media; and manage gulf donor portfolio of the office.
What’s your working day like?
My job is the most rewarding job that I could imagine. Everyday there is something new! There is no routine in my role, it varies between being in the office or in the field. Both are very different and I like this mix. The most important thing is to put children at the heart of my work daily.
While planning for delegations’ visits, I take this as an opportunity to spend time with vulnerable children in the field, talk to them, take photos, think of innovative solutions to their challenges, and update programmes on findings.
We work in different areas of the Kingdom, in refugee camps, host communities, informal tented settlements, I enjoy visiting any of our makani centres (my space, in Arabic) where I can see different activities in one safe & happy place.
Days in the office are busy with meetings, calls with partners and work closely with different UNICEF National Committees, planning, and really juggling multiple tasks.
I am also a member of the Office Staff Association, planning with the team activities for the office, we are new & doing our best to do a good job!
How would you describe your job to a 5-year-old?
I am mostly asked by children in their classrooms, what do you do? I would answer them in brief:
I work for UNICEF, UNICEF globally, all around the world, defends the rights of children and young people, every day. In Jordan, we work to improve the lives of children everywhere in the Kingdom. For example, we make sure that all children go to school to learn how to read, write, play, and make friends. We also ensure that all children have access to clean water.
I would only elaborate if they asked more questions.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
I wanted to be a pilot as I always loved traveling.
How/when did you join UNICEF?
I joined UNICEF in 2013, and have been in the UN system for longer with a different organization.
I simply applied to a vacancy online, was called for a technical test, then I was interviewed and got the job! Very happy to be part of the UNICEF Family! It’s truly magical and I love it!
What are the most satisfying parts of your job?
It is extremely rewarding to see children smiling, happy, positive, and hopeful. Simply seeing children being children!
While I am spending time with vulnerable children in the field. A couple of times while asking them about their hopes for the future and what they want to become when they grow up, they would say - “like you Reem, I want to work with UNICEF just like you!” That made me so happy as they see the value of the work we do!
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
The most challenging aspect of my job is that everything is urgent and urgent tasks need my full attention, because every partnership is important and all delegations visiting our programmes are crucial to our work, if I can put it this way. I like it to be as perfect as can be!
In the field as I communicate with a lot of vulnerable children & youth, I can’t give promises about their tomorrow when asked. For example, when a Syrian refugee asks me when will they be able to go back to their home country, Syria.
What’s your best UNICEF experience/memory?
That would be the work we did against all odds just recently to see children who live in tents go to school, their parents never wanted to send them to school - with dedicated heroes in our office and support from our government and donors, we have been able to achieve this real success.
I visited one of the schools, I saw children in classrooms, in uniforms, and books in their hands, they were shouting - “oh we know you Reem, you visited us in the tent!” A very satisfying experience :).
The other memory that I will never forget is visiting Zaatari refugee camp for the first time! Nothing prepares you for it. Desperate conditions. All services are stretched very thin. Packed with people, wherever I went I would see children, so much work needed to be done, we had many false starts, many problems - it amazes me each time I go now on what has been accomplished by UNICEF at all sectors. Happy to be part of this significant progress, it makes me extremely hopeful.
What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve ever taken in your life?
I wouldn’t call it a risk, I would call it a calculated risk, I left a job that I loved to start a business, it really felt like starting life from scratch where I could have just stayed with my job. It didn’t take me long to discover that it wasn’t my passion! There is nothing better in a job than being passionate about it every morning. I learned more about myself. It was a great & adventurous experience that strengthened me.
What are your passions? How do you spend your free time?
I love to do sports, basketball and swimming. I also love to read inspiring books. Best times are spent with my family, and hanging out with friends.
What advice would you give others who are seeking a similar job as yours?
“Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.” Benjamin Franklin
The simple secret is to pursue what you really like to do. If you are a real advocate for children, you will be looking for the right job! Onwards and upwards!
I am so proud of what we do every day! You will want to be part of an organization that makes children look forward to tomorrow and have all their rights fulfilled. It is the place where you use your creativity and innovation in finding solutions to problems children face.
Who do you look towards for inspiration?
It is God who I look up to, He graced my life with opportunities.
My inspiration, without a doubt and giving it a thought, is my mom! She taught me the way of life, she works laboriously for everyone, she puts others before, without even thinking! I admire her the most.
My colleagues don’t know that…
I truly believe that attitude & gratitude are everything!
“The youth I work with and for. It’s inspiring to see their enthusiasm, drive to achieve results and positive attitude”
Valerie Crab, Programme Specialist / Innovation Lead, UNICEF Indonesia
Tell us a bit about your background.
Life is a moving target, and when targets change, life must adapt. So far I’ve called six countries “home” (Belgium, Hungary, Austria, USA, DRC, and Indonesia). I speak a few languages, but in my head, they’ve all become one. I studied international relations and then business administration. I worked for the private (banking and sales) and the public (OSCE, UN, UNDP and UNICEF) sector touching upon a wide array of topics/themes (freedom of expression, public relations, preventive diplomacy, human resources, climate change, marketing, administration, and more). My background is a case-study for re-invention, and the previous ones enrich every new experience.
What do you do?
I am a Programme Specialist / Innovation Lead. I lead a team of three fantastic Indonesian UNVs who have the passion for innovating running through their blood and a consultant who does a great job at finding solutions to all our T4D dreams. Our work is heavily focused on growing the Indonesian U-reporter base through partnerships, as well as providing programme support on topics like RapidPro, Human Centered Design, data, and other innovations. We also actively reach out to Indonesian youth and start-up networks to promote innovation for child rights.
What’s your working day like?
Lots of meetings, some fun with the fantastic people in the office, scaring my supervisor with the next crazy thought. Apart from the innovation stuff, what I like is managing innovative projects, bringing innovations out of their niche and into mainstream programming to go to scale and help reach better results, and that is what I try to do on a daily basis.
How would you describe your job to a 5-year-old?
Think Lego’s Duplo. You get a box with bricks and a picture representing what you are supposed to do with those bricks (representing: UNICEF tools, funds, partners, colleagues and more), then something happens and you need to think of a new way to use the bricks and create a new construction that is hopefully even better than what is on the picture. Sometimes you’ll need to build a high tower that falls over, sometimes it will be pretty much the same as on the picture but in a different color, but a few times it will be the best pink elephant standing on a bridge built on a train you’ve ever seen! I try to build new structures or make existing constructions better so that UNICEF can continue to help give every child a fair chance.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
A friendly – absolute ruler…
How/when did you join UNICEF?
I joined in 2013 – I applied for the U-report position in DRC.
What are the most satisfying parts of your job?
Seeing youth get excited about opportunities presented to them.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
Working in the current ever-changing environment, and trying to respond to its needs while having to work through administrative rules and regulations.
What’s your best UNICEF experience/memory?
In the spirit of One UN, I am going to make this about my best UN experience. I have many fond UNICEF memories, but having worked for different UN entities over the past few years, there is one particular experience I keep on going back to that I think has shaped me more than any other so far. In 2011 while I was working for the Mediation Support Unit of the UN Department of Political Affairs in NY I had the opportunity to work with Mr. Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, right before he retired from the UN. Mr. Ould-Abdallah is a former SRSG who served the UN in many difficult contexts like Somalia, Burundi, and Sudan. Working closely for a few months with a senior official of his caliber who is willing to share his experiences, points of view, and teach you to become a better professional was truly a unique opportunity. His lessons, words, and humour have stuck with me ever since.
What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve ever taken in your life?
Have a baby. As a woman, it’s a pretty risky affair. Being pregnant in DRC with questionable access to health care even for an expat really hit home what other less fortunate women around the world face. I hopped on a plane and delivered my baby in a nice hospital in Belgium, while they stay and bravely hope for the best while often facing the worst. The importance of promoting maternal health and women’s rights has taken on a whole new dimension in my mind since this experience.
What are your passions?
I am but a mere mortal … chocolate, I love chocolate. Yes it’s cliché, I am Belgian. But I love chocolate.
What advice would you give others who are seeking a similar job as yours?
Apply!
Who do you look towards for inspiration?
The youth I work with and for. It’s inspiring to see their enthusiasm, drive to achieve results and positive attitude.
My colleagues don’t know that…
I grew up with a lot of animals… Monkeys, snakes, bison, lizards, tigers, horses, wolves, crocodiles, parrots … Name it, there’s probably a pretty good chance it crossed my dad’s garden or the first floor of our house at one point in time.
“I saw how local people appreciated our work and felt their gratitude”
Aidai Kudaibergenova, Admin/HR Associate, UNICEF Kyrgyzstan
Tell us a bit about your background
I grew up in Naryn, a province in eastern Kyrgyzstan, in a family of doctors. My grandfather was a surgeon, my father is a pediatrician and my mother an ophthalmologist. I have a younger brother who has been living in Beijing for the last ten years. This year he completed his second master’s degree and he is currently working for the Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I am very proud of my family; they are my heroes. Since childhood, I’ve been very active and attended different contests, what we call ‘olympiads.’ One of my biggest achievements was to win the FLEX programme which gave me the opportunity to live in the U.S. and expand my horizons. Later, I graduated from the American University in Central Asia, majoring in HR. I am currently studying Accounting and Audit in my free time.
What do you do?
As an Admin/HR Associate, I manage recruitment processes and placement, facilitate travel arrangements, support in the processing of entitlements and benefits, and ensure payroll accuracy. In addition, I supervise drivers and vehicle administration.
What’s your working day like?
I wake up early, and take a little time to review my to-do list. My working day usually starts with coffee and e-mail. Afterwards I respond to urgent tasks, supporting programme colleagues on managing HR, travel and admin processes. During the day, I have meetings and calls with colleagues, and also interact with many other people. Before leaving, I check for new policies or procedures.
How would you describe your job to a 5-year-old?
My job has a strange name – Administration and Human Resources. What it means is that my job is all about people, and supporting them. It is my job to make sure we find people to work with us. It is important to make sure that someone’s work changes the lives of children. I make sure that everyone gets paid their money for work and travel. That is very important, because adults need money to pay for food and house, and to buy toys for children. I do everything I can to make the workplace a nice place where people feel happy. An important part of my job is to answer questions, and to do that, I am always reading to learn new things.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
I knew, even in kindergarten, that I wanted to work for UNICEF. It was the time when UNICEF first launched programmes in rural areas in Kyrgyzstan. I was five years old, and our teacher explained to us that the people from UNICEF were kind, helping children to grow and be good. They traveled high in the mountains and gave food, medicines and books to children in need. In the future, if we wanted to work for UNICEF, we would have to get the best grades in school, and be obedient.
How/when did you join UNICEF?
I joined UNICEF in 2009 as a volunteer in the Health and Nutrition section. After graduating university in 2011, I supported the operations section in preparing for audit. From 2012, I worked as an Administrative Assistant, and recently I was reassigned as Admin/HR Associate. I am growing up with UNICEF.
What are the most satisfying parts of your job?
I am very proud to know that my daily work at UNICEF is helping improve children’s lives. I feel satisfied when I see children laughing and playing without any worries. I feel satisfied working with smart people who really care about the work they do.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
Multi-tasking, responding accurately and swiftly to urgent tasks, and meeting deadlines.
What’s your best UNICEF experience/memory?
One of my best experiences with UNICEF is being involved in organizing an Executive Board Mission to Kyrgyzstan. During this mission, we went on a field visit, and I got to see how our projects are implemented in schools, medical facilities, and kindergartens, and how they are affecting children’s lives. I saw how local people appreciated our work and felt their gratitude.
What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve ever taken in your life?
When I was 17, on a whim, I took my father’s car and went alone driving around the city – without actually knowing how to drive. It was during the evening, and as it got darker, I realized that I was driving without headlights. I could not see the road. I was driving very slowly, and other drivers were shouting at me that I was a threat to traffic safety. Luckily, I got home without incident.
What are your passions? How do you spend your free time?
I like doing everything that makes me feel good and happy. I love travelling and exploring new places, I like reading books, learning to play new songs on the piano, and baking with my mom’s recipes. I admire my big traditional family and we get together on different occasions.
What advice would you give others who are seeking a similar job as yours?
Never give up and work hard to develop yourself in everything, be it knowledge, skills, cooking, language, relationships, and so on. No matter what is happening in the world, treat people the way you want to be treated.
Who do you look towards for inspiration?
My eternal source of inspiration are my parents. They taught me to never give up, and to make every effort to achieve my dreams. As I mentioned my parents are doctors, and so I learnt from them, at a very early age, the importance of caring, being respectful of other people, and being thankful for what we have. My family has given me endless love and support.
My colleagues don’t know that...
I play the piano and I have a diploma with honours in fortepiano and chorus classes. I can be a music teacher.
“Having the opportunity to touch the lives of other children through the work you do is an amazing thing and something that adds to what we are here to do”
Jonathan Howard - Brand, Supply Specialist (Innovation), UNICEF Supply Division, Copenhagen, Denmark
Tell us a bit about your background.
I am a product designer by trade, but more of an engineer who knows how things works rather than make them look pretty. E.g. I have designed machinery that flavours Pringle chips, shred cheese or release fire doors when there is a fire.
What do you do?
All sorts. My role at the SD Innovation Unit is very varied, but overall I would say I am a project manager managing different product innovation projects, whether that be in the development of TORs, hiring team members, creating funding proposals or liaising with developers and suppliers.
What’s your working day like?
Extremely varied. Things can change day to day being a project manager, but I am lucky enough to have my focus on two main areas – my Acute Respiratory Infection Diagnostic Aid (ARIDA) project looking at diagnosing pneumonia through respiratory rate devices, and being involved in the R&D of diagnostics and vaccines for Zika. A lot of my day is spent liaising with the different stakeholders involved in the management and development of the projects.
How would you describe your job to a 5-year-old?
I am involved in the development of products that help children around the world.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
When I was a kid I wanted to be a bin man – they had cool machinery! Then I wanted to be an airline pilot. They also have cool machinery.
How/when did you join UNICEF?
I joined UNICEF from the private sector in November 2010, primarily to move to Copenhagen to live with my, then girlfriend, now wife. Joining the Innovation Unit, which was so new, was a great opportunity to use my technical knowledge in a new environment.
What are the most satisfying parts of your job?
Knowing that the projects I work on will make a positive impact to country programmes and therefore the children we serve.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
Managing the expectations of the different stakeholders, whether that is the internal Innovation Unit team, the procurement units and centres within Supply Division, different Divisions within UNICEF, or other UN organizations as well as local ministries and donors.
What’s your best UNICEF experience/memory?
Visiting community health workers in Uganda in 2011 to co-create an ideal tool to help improve the diagnosis of children with pneumonia symptoms.The input from these community health workers helped shape the ARIDA project and thus the specifications that developers are using to realize their innovations.
What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve ever taken in your life?
Leaving my comfortable position as Technical Director at Fireco and moving to an Assistant role, in another country, at UNICEF in 2010. There were lots of worries about professionally ‘downgrading’ but it was character building and a larger learning experience working in a huge organization.
What are your passions?
Before 2014 I would say football, go karting and cars. Now being a dad I would say family. The UNICEF mandate really comes to you once you have a child and would do anything for them. Having the opportunity to touch the lives of other children through the work you do is an amazing thing and something that adds to what we are here to do.
What advice would you give others who are seeking a similar job as yours?
Be patient – UNICEF has lots of rules regarding the HR process. It is a long process.
Don’t be afraid to take something in the organisation that isn’t what you first aimed at.
Learn more about what it is you actually want to do and achieve through your work with UNICEF.
Sell yourself in your application – we get a lot of generic applications – why are you the best!?
Be prepared to work outside of your comfort zone (both geographically and professionally).
Who do you look towards for inspiration?
I don’t look to a specific person but rather I look towards technology for inspiration – what is new and bubbling out there can really get me excited.
My colleagues don’t know that…
I am a petrol head who can recognize cars, naming the make and model from only seeing a small section or angle of one.
Benjamin Lokoya, Education officer, UNICEF South Sudan
My name is Benjamin Lokoya. I am the education officer for UNICEF. I was in Leer last week and, when I went there, I found the situation was horrific. I found people struggling to get food. There was no food. Women and children starving, people were surviving on water lilies.
The women were telling me that they were worried about their children because there was nothing for them to feed the children on. They had no hope. They had malnourished children. They have sick children. Nobody was there to attend to the children.
But when UNICEF and the World Food Programme went there, it gave them some glimpse of hope. They were grateful that the WFP was registering for food aid and UNICEF was there to give vaccinations to children and to do nutrition screenings to malnourished children - they were very grateful when UNICEF and WFP went to Leer.
I was born and brought up in this country but I come from Western Equatoria and I have been on very many RRM missions for long periods of time since 2015. But this time around, when I went to Leer it was different. I went and I found human skulls lying on the ground which is something very disturbing. I had never seen that.
I am happy I am part of these great activities, services that UNICEF is rendering to women and children in this country. I admit that it’s a very hard, difficult, and emotional situation but I'm also grateful that UNICEF has given me the opportunity to take part in helping my fellow countrymen so I would like to say a very big THANK YOU to the donors and the people who give money to UNICEF to help the women and children in this country. Thank you very much.
“Do what you believe in, go with your gut and let your energy and ideas lead you”
Guillaume Michels, Global Product Manager, Internet of Good Things (IoGT), UNICEF Kenya.
Tell us a bit about your background.
I grew up in a quiet part of France, surrounded by volcanoes and beautiful nature. I have been living abroad across almost all continents for either work or study. I previously worked for large organizations like Orange, a mobile network operator in one of their R&D centres in London. Most of my early professional experiences were in Innovation Marketing and Strategy. I also created a start-up to promote reading and help authors or publishers get their work discovered online. Some of the applications we built made it to the App Store’s top 10 and one application was even advertised in the Parisian subway! After this experience, I had the opportunity to join the UNICEF Innovation team and use my skills to break down barriers to information for the benefit of children.
What do you do?
I make knowledge accessible.
What’s your working day like?
On a typical morning, I would check what has happened in other time zones – whilst I was offline. If necessary, I make calls to liaise with our teams in country offices located in Asia and check on progress of IoGT. After which, I will work with country offices in the Middle East and in East and West Africa. A lot of my work also has to do with tracking product development with our technical partner based in South Africa. I review prototypes and discuss the next phase of development with our technical development team. As the day goes on, I liaise with our team in New York and end my day catching up with colleagues and our partners in Latin America and Silicon Valley. It can be quite full on to deal with so many time zones, but it’s also exciting to think that the work doesn’t stop, as when someone closes their computer someone else is getting online to continue our mission.
How would you describe your job to a 5-year-old?
Funnily enough, I recently discussed my work with my adorable niece Eva who just turned 5! I said something like… “Well, you see Eva I make some very basic websites – a bit like the apps you use on Daddy’s tablet – so that people can find out tips and advice to help them learn new things. We give people access to information so they can raise healthy babies, make sure children are protected from disease and don’t fall sick. Sometimes people live too far from a doctor or a school, but they have a mobile phone which allows them to receive information. With my work, I help people find useful information so they can live longer and have a healthy life with their family.”
What did you want to be when you were a child?
I wanted to be a vet, have four dogs and live in a big house in the forest wearing a leather jacket – A bit like Mc Giver but helping animals.
How/when did you join UNICEF?
I joined UNICEF 2 years ago originally for a 4-month contract in our Nairobi office, and I’ve stayed on ever since.
What are the most satisfying parts of your job?
The scale at which we can now reach and provide people with helpful information. I love the impact my work can have, for example, adolescent girls can find out the right information about puberty, sexual and reproductive health and how to protect themselves from harm and violence or find information on where to get assistance if they need it. Also my work’s ability to give young people access to information on their rights, so they can fight for them to be respected. And giving young parents some reassurance by giving tips on how to raise healthy children.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
It’s making sure that nobody gets left behind – that we indeed, reach the most vulnerable communities and disconnected areas.
What’s your best UNICEF experience/memory?
I remember a user testing session we ran in Rufisque, which was about 40 minutes from Dakar. We interviewed young people to get their feedback on our content and mobile product. During the session, we asked adolescents how they liked the content we had created with the Senegal office and if they were finding it relevant. Our test users were surprised by the level of localization our colleagues in Senegal had done with the content produced. They also helped us by recommending expressions that resonate with the youth like becoming a true “NandiTic” – a cool young techy person in Wolof. It was great to see their enthusiasm and hear first-hand that what we do is very relevant to them.
What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve ever taken in your life?
Creating a start-up and starting from scratch when I could have followed the path of staying in a comfortable job within a large organization.
What are your passions?
Playing guitar and writing songs, going to concerts, skating, surfing, photography and of course hanging out and having great food with my awesome family and friends.
What advice would you give others who are seeking a similar job as yours?
Do what you believe in, go with your gut and let your energy and ideas lead you. Do not follow the path of least resistance. The world needs more doers, not more paper pushers. Get out there and make it happen, people will respect that and the smart ones will give you a chance and will support and join you.
Who do you look towards for inspiration?
It goes from Oscar Wilde, “life’s too important to be taken seriously” to Gandhi, “be the change you want to see in the world”, Banksy “laugh now but one day we’ll be in charge”, Serge Gainsbourg “aux armes et caetera” and the Ramones “hey ho, let’s go!”.
Geniuses are usually quite crazy people that believe in themselves and who think differently. Those who challenge the status quo are my constant source of inspiration. Ah yes, and my beautiful grandmothers too – for all their kindness and knowledge.
My colleagues don’t know that…
I took my grandma on a road trip before she got too ill so that she could visit her old friends. It’s one of the things I am most proud of doing. In our busy lives, it’s important to remember to spend time with the ones we love when we still have time to do so.
I was born in the early 80s in a country which is no more, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. A beautiful country that fell apart several times before I finished high school. I started my medical degree studies in Belgrade, the country’s old-new capital before moving to Germany to complete my undergraduate studies in Biochemistry and Cell Biology. After a short stint in the US, I moved to Tenerife, an island of ‘eternal spring’ where I explored the volcanic scenery and did post-graduate studies in Biomedicine. Traveling in southern Africa in my late 20s changed my mental landscape irrevocably, I realized I wanted to stay in the southern hemisphere and share some of the knowledge and scientific training & experience with young people who faced various barriers in accessing education. Through a series of chance encounters, I met the co-founder of an exceptionally innovative NGO based in Windhoek, which fosters holistic youth development in disadvantaged communities. That’s where my romance with Namibia started, and I found it hard to leave…
What do you do?
I work for the UNICEF Programme Section on integrated education. The idea of integrated education, a notion of viewing a learner as a whole person – an often overlooked fact, is to develop a classroom experience not only focused on teaching math and sciences to students but also making them good people through enhancing their mind, body, emotion, and spirit.
To achieve this, and in accordance with UNICEF’s overall mission, I work with a team to minimize or where possible remove health and safety related barriers to education and use innovative concepts, processes, and products to improve the quality of education in equitable terms.
What’s your working day like?
It varies – depending on whether I’m doing office work or field work. Office work entails emailing, reading, and producing technical documents, reports and evaluations. I also meet people (counterparts from other agencies, colleagues from government, education, and health officials) regularly to discuss updates or new ideas. But also, a genuinely exciting part is conducting field work as you get to travel to new places in the company of great colleagues. Field work comprises meeting communities and dedicated people working to achieve providing education and health for all. Personally, working for UNICEF is indeed an invariably steep but incredibly rewarding learning curve.
How would you describe your job to a 5-year-old?
On a fun day, I get to see a lot of giraffes and beautiful trees, while finding new ways to improve schools that children of your age go to every day. On other days, it’s a just lot of typing on a computer – writing about important things.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
By reading my father’s medical encyclopedia featuring entries on various illnesses, and descriptive studies of unusual patterns of a disease outbreak, progression, and outcomes – I was inspired to be an infectious disease specialist working in the tropics.
How/when did you join UNICEF?
In June 2015, I came across an ad for a consultancy in Integrated Education with UNICEF which spoke to some of my core interests: merging endeavors in health and education to benefit children and young people. It sounded like my dream job, so I made sure I put on my best performance and a decent hat to nail the job.
What are the most satisfying parts of your job?
Undoubtedly, it’s working with, and for young people. It’s incredible how much one can, and must learn about oneself to grasp the challenges of what it means to grow up in oppressed circumstances and to work on policies, strategies, solutions that would help the children and young people come as close as possible to actualising their potential.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
Having to live with the realization that, as hard as you try, you can only do so much to assist all those who need support, and to keep pushing. As gratifying as it is to work for UNICEF, it is at times hard to grapple with the discrepancy between the conditions in which the beneficiaries of our work live, in contrast to the safe and supportive environment of our working conditions.
What’s your best UNICEF experience/memory?
Traveling around Namibia’s vast evolving landscapes and encountering the most amazing wildlife for a whole month with the company of the amazing team I work with, to get people’s views on how to improve education in the country.
What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve ever taken in your life?
Swimming in the southern Pacific to a tiny island a few kilometres from the coast of New Caledonia – little did I know a tiger shark would be around. Don’t ask me how I made it…
What are your passions?
Young people, geo/biodiversity in the Anthropocene, southern lands(capes).
What advice would you give others who are seeking a similar job as yours?
To ensure they do things for the ’right’ reasons, whatever that may mean for them, and to strive to become honest to themselves in the quest to work for others.
Who do you look towards for inspiration?
My parents, women from Africa, Marie Sklodowska Curie, my friend Mina…
My colleagues don’t know that…
“Two branches of an inflection will not have the same destiny…”
“I help adults make the right decisions ‘with and for children’. That is something I would like to achieve.”
Gulsana Turusbekova, Social Policy Specialist, UNICEF Kyrgyzstan
Tell us a bit about your background.
Even as a child, I was inspired by and romanticized the UN. In secondary school, I took additional classes on UN history and after learning myself, I shared my knowledge with primary school pupils. That was fun for me, but maybe not so much for the pupils. Still, my interest was genuine – I truly shared the UN values and they were the same as those of my big, happy and cheerful family. My family also taught me the value of education and of being open minded, which has inspired me to always keep learning. That is a trait I share with UNICEF – the organization is constantly evolving.
What do you do?
As a Social Policy Specialist, I help ensure that the government of the Kyrgyz Republic spends enough resources on the country’s children. It’s a challenging but rewarding job. Challenging because I support ‘the rule of facts’, but political decisions affecting children are not always evidence- driven and strategic. And rewarding because sound policies do have an impact at the national scale.
What’s your working day like?
Lots of meetings with decision-makers to advance UNICEF agenda. Every one of them requires serious preparation. There’s pulling recent facts and figures and laying out trends for a proposal or an argument. Adapting relevant information from international practices and the global body of analysis. Mapping governmental procedures required to enact policy advice. Having ready certain financial estimates and sources. Being clear of required follow up. Knowing what motivates our vis-à-vis. There are so many factors to consider before we put anything on the policy table.
How would you describe your job to a 5-year-old?
I could say, ‘I try to help adults make the right decisions for children.’ However, I’d be happier to say that I help adults make the right decisions ‘with and for children’. That is something I would like to achieve.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
I wanted to be a guide in an art & cinema museum.
How/when did you join UNICEF?
That happened last millennium. However, I am still professionally excited and happy. Partially because I was making so called ‘horizontal moves’, i.e. across several programmatic areas including health & nutrition, early childhood development (ECD) & education and child protection. Each ‘move’ was always reinforced by acquiring related knowledge base.
What are the most satisfying parts of your job?
When UNICEF’s analysis and policy advice are implemented fully and correctly. And when policy changes have the results that we anticipated.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
To foresee major external risks and prepare mitigation measures accordingly.
What’s your best UNICEF experience/memory?
Some years ago, I was on a field trip to a remote rural area. We had completed our tasks and were packing to return home when a local volunteer told me about a small home-based kindergarten in a nearby village. I went there right away, and so I got to meet a remarkable young woman. Larisa had come to this village from a country far away; her husband was on military service abroad when they met. Now, she welcomed local kids to her house, where she would read fairy tales and organize all kinds of improvised performances for them. Gradually, the children’s parents had also become involved.
Larisa was intuitively following very sound pedagogical methods, blending them with amazing creativity and resourcefulness. Her initiative was a prototype of low-cost community-based kindergarten (CBK) affordable in rural setting. This was at a time when Kyrgyzstan had the lowest coverage of any early child development programme, with hardly any coverage of rural disadvantaged communities.
After this visit, I told local education authorities about Larisa’s work, and urged them to go to the village and see for themselves. Later I contacted the central ministry, local universities and others. Together, we organized a workshop where Larisa came to share her experiences. She inspired us all – in fact, this had an impact on ECD policy and programmes both for UNICEF in Kyrgyzstan and for local and central government. Further supported by UNICEF, CBK model has proven itself relevant and cost-effective for reaching children in remote unprivileged communities. As a result of UNICEF advocacy, early learning and school readiness issues were placed high on a policy agenda. Two times more children now attend an ECD programme and children from poorest households are prioritized for enrollment.
What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve ever taken in your life?
Leaving a promising research career to take up a job with UNICEF. It’s a decision I have never regretted.
How do you spend your free time?
These days, I spend most of my free time with my family. I see myself as a connection point between several generations and branches, where the oldest and the youngest need extra love and care (as a UNICEF Social Policy Specialist, I’d make that ‘quality care’). And when I have some minutes free, I listen to Barry White, Dean Martin and Mercedes Sosa.
What advice would you give others who are seeking a similar job as yours?
In general, aim for life-long learning and an open mind. In terms of education, look into Master programmes on Public Policy.
What do you look towards for inspiration?
Beautiful gardens and spring flowers.
My colleagues don’t know that…..
I am a fan of James Bond movies. I like them all. And all the soundtracks.
“What’s important is that you deliver assistance for children in need.”
Paul Molinaro has been the Regional Chief of Supply and Logistics at UNICEF Middle East and North Africa for the past three years. He has previously worked with UNICEF country offices, Supply Division and other UN agencies.
How long have you been with UNICEF?
I’ve been with UNICEF for the past 15 years and pretty much my whole professional career has been in supply and logistics.
Where do you feel was your best experience while working with UNICEF?
I’ve worked at country offices, at Supply Division in Copenhagen, and at the Regional Office in Amman for the past three years. Each are different and each bring in a new angle to the job.
Working at the Supply Division was very rewarding because the work has global reach and a high impact.
The country offices are also rewarding because you’re closer to children in need and you have a more direct interaction.
As for the Regional Office it’s a mix of the two. There’s a lot to learn. Work gives a good perspective on how to do things. For example, I know how the Syrian-Iraqi border looks like. I know what we can do in southern Turkey to reach children in need in northern Syria. I understand better how we operate in Yemen.
Bringing all of that together: Working in a country office and working with Supply Division are very useful experiences to have in the work I’m doing at the regional level.
Why do you think supply and logistics is an important priority for UNICEF?
It is a pillar of programme delivery: Not just delivering supplies, but delivery of services, delivery of cash assistance to partners for them to implement services and providing human expertise.
Why I love supplies is because one gets to understand UNICEF’s programmes much better: How it functions, how you plan, and what your role in it is. So you really see things in an integrated manner. At the same time, the way UNICEF is, you’re also looking at all of that with a lens of operations.
You come with a management aspect, the financial aspect, and the risk component aspect. So having one foot with operations and one foot with the programmes is such a well-rounded experience.
What’s important is that you deliver assistance for children in need at the end of the day.
When did you know you wanted to work with supplies and logistics?
It was by accident, I have to admit.
I started doing it for an NGO in my home country: Kenya. I worked in north-east Kenya with the Somali refugee programme.
I was initially there for the first three months distributing food to refugees on behalf of the World Food Programme. I found that very rewarding. It was a tough and challenging job but at the same time I had a daily engagement with people.
It was a very immediate impact because you see that you provide, you sustain, and you nourish people. We were helping people in need. I think this has continued, what started off as an accident, but I got an affinity for it and I decided I really liked this work and it has been with me ever since.
Is there a story you’d like to share with us that you believe has stayed with you?
In the years I’ve done this there are obviously many stories worth sharing. Two related stories come to mind which have had a profound impact on me. They taught me the meaning and value of certain programmes that UNICEF carries out.
In the year 2000, I was working for UNHCR in Guinea on the border of Sierra Leone:
Entering a refugee camp on the Sierra Leonean border with a normal basket of supplies that UNHCR provides: Plastic sheeting, jerry cans, hygiene kits and really being met with an angry group of refugees who were very concerned because they received a message the same day that their children were going to lose a full year of education.
I was rolling into the camp with our trucks and they made it very clear that they were upset. I left the camp after I was beaten up… but this experience, with a beating, woke me up to the power of education.
The follow up to that was two to three years later with UNICEF in Liberia where I was taking school supplies, what we call “school in a box”, for the back to school campaign from Monrovia to Tubmanburg. We had to go through a series of road-blocks and checkpoints which were sometimes quite distressing and not so easy to navigate. Many of those were manned by child soldiers. On the last road block before reaching the school, we were stopped by two or three child soldiers on the road block. It was quite intense and they insisted that we unload some of our cargo because they wanted to inspect the boxes.
The “school in a box” kit comes in shiny aluminum boxes which were very attractive. It wasn’t our policy to allow road blocks to check our supplies but we had to relent.
We opened one of the boxes and they started to rummage through its contents.
Inside the “school in a box” there was a multicolored counting cubes game that you can use as a counting aid.
These kids, after a while, started to play with the cubes. They put down their weapons and within a few minutes went from being aggressive military soldiers to children playing.
That left a lasting impact on me and now I see how it’s possible to rehabilitate these children. I don’t think I’ll forget this for the rest of my life. It kept me going.
Clara Barona de Ayerbe, Chief of Communication for Development, UNICEF Angola
After 25 years with UNICEF in Colombia, Bolivia and Angola, Clara has just retired. Before returning to her native Colombia, she spent the last eight years of her career at the UNICEF office in Luanda.
Tell us a bit about your background.
I am Colombian, born in Cali, a city located southwest of the country where I lived until I was 8. My family then relocated to the capital Bogotá. I grew-up there, graduated from high school and studied Social Communication Sciences with a focus in film and communication for development in the Universidad de Bogotá, Jorge Tadeo Lozano. Afterwards I did my post-graduate studies in Organizational Communication Management in the Universidad de la Sabana, also in Bogotá.
What do you do?
In my 25 years at UNICEF, I have worked in all areas of communications, external and internal, communication for development (C4D) and communication for fund-raising.
What’s your working day like?
A day full of many activities and commitments, team meetings, counterpart meetings, field visits, revision of documents and materials. At the end of the day, I mostly focus on revision, planning, responding to emails and adjusting my agenda for the following days.
How would you describe your job to a 5-year-old?
If I am in Angola I will ask: Do you remember the messages and songs about polio, the Estrellita Kuia (Little Star Kuia)? Well, that is me behind those messages. I love helping children and that is why I do this!
What did you want to be when you were a child?
I wanted to be a doctor or a nurse to help children!
How and when did you join UNICEF?
A friend from University who worked for UNICEF encouraged me to apply to a Communication post at UNICEF Colombia. I started working on the 1st of July 1991 as Assistant Officer in Communication and Information.
What are the most satisfying parts of your job?
Being in contact with people, with women and their children, presenting them the messages and explaining to them how to enhance their children’s health, nutrition and development. Listening to them to understand their views and knowledge.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
Constantly developing new communication strategies for UNICEF programs, with a creative and scientific approach: Communication for Development implies the use of investigation as the fundamental tool to gather evidence that will allow the construction of creative messages, thanks to all the information gathered in each of the audiences that are evaluated and later monitored for changes and results.
What’s your best UNICEF experience/memory?
20 years ago, I worked in the design and implementation of the Communication and Social Mobilization Strategy called Mandato de los Niños por la Paz (The Children’s Mandate for Peace), where almost 4 million children from the regions most-affected by armed conflict were mobilized by UNICEF and Colombia’s Registry Office. In this occasion, children and adolescents raised their voices to speak about the priority of peace, respect for their lives and the necessity to achieve a negotiated peace. These voices are still heard and that must be taken into account in the ongoing peace talks with the guerrilla.
What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve ever taken in your life?
From 1997 to 2000, I participated in several humanitarian missions in armed conflict areas of Colombia to rescue children and adolescents from guerrillas that had forcefully retained them in very tense moments between these groups and paramilitary forces.
What are your passions? How do you spend your free time?
Definitively my passion is communication, media, movies, TV, radio and now social networks!
In my free time, I love watching movies, historical series and sharing a nice meal or lunch with friends and family.
What advice would you give others who are seeking a similar job as yours?
Believe in UNICEF’s mission, research and never stop learning. Communication is an area that requires perseverance, discipline, investigation and also lots of creativity!
Who do you look towards for inspiration?
Human rights defenders such as Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Mandela.
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