I support inclusive development - disability, education and gender ...
When I started working overseas, it was in Cambodia and it was to support local therapist in one rehabilitation center in their job. The contract was for 6 months. The work was easy, I came from working in a tertiary hospital for 5 years and moved to a research facility when I was recruited for the job as technical adviser.
Less than a month into the job, I realized that it was the kind of job I like doing - its such an open environment that you're treated as equal, you're expertise respected and you have freedom to explore what works and what doesn't and get to report about it. Plus the other perks of the job including working in (sensational) places and you get to travel to others for both educational and pleasure. It get's frustrating too of course but I will not talk about that here.
My 6 months contract got extended to 2 years followed by other projects with another organization completing almost 6 years total in Cambodia. I have no complaints.
It was an adventure, it was a very fulfilling time for me professionally but also it grew in me an understanding that the world does not evolve around me anymore, that there is a wider world beyond me ... around me. I became more aware, more inquisitive, more part of the world than just be in it and I decided its what I wanted to pursue when I can.
Disability, Education and Gender became my advocacy and in NGO speak they are all cross-cutting issue, meaning one cannot speak of one without talking about the others ... if you address one you have to think about the rest of the issues around it and if you know what you're doing you will agree with me when I say making inclusive development plans is cost effective overtime - it's like cheaper by the dozen. I can talk even in sleep about the challenges faced by the sectors I am most familiar with but of course I don't have all the answers - I only have my experience on the ground and use the world wide web to guide me of any document that spells it all and being with good people over the years who breath the same air as I do when talking about development and other issues in it like disability, children, education, women, and gender. Humanity begins in YOU so be informed, get to know what's happening beyond your borders and get involved.
So my adventure from Cambodia led me to West Africa in Sierra Leone, then a short stint in North Korea and until last year was in East Timor in well over a decade now.
An Invitation
I would like to invite you to check out those 3 blogs - I will upload documents that you can use when you're preparing reports or simply wanting to know what's been done, written and decided on those three subjects. I am sure you working on the ground or experiencing life around it have something to share as well - stories, opinions and also documents, feel free to share it here, send me a message if you want to share something to upload I am happy to host it for you.
Join me, let's talk about issues that affects you!
Less than a month into the job, I realized that it was the kind of job I like doing - its such an open environment that you're treated as equal, you're expertise respected and you have freedom to explore what works and what doesn't and get to report about it. Plus the other perks of the job including working in (sensational) places and you get to travel to others for both educational and pleasure. It get's frustrating too of course but I will not talk about that here.
My 6 months contract got extended to 2 years followed by other projects with another organization completing almost 6 years total in Cambodia. I have no complaints.
It was an adventure, it was a very fulfilling time for me professionally but also it grew in me an understanding that the world does not evolve around me anymore, that there is a wider world beyond me ... around me. I became more aware, more inquisitive, more part of the world than just be in it and I decided its what I wanted to pursue when I can.
Disability, Education and Gender became my advocacy and in NGO speak they are all cross-cutting issue, meaning one cannot speak of one without talking about the others ... if you address one you have to think about the rest of the issues around it and if you know what you're doing you will agree with me when I say making inclusive development plans is cost effective overtime - it's like cheaper by the dozen. I can talk even in sleep about the challenges faced by the sectors I am most familiar with but of course I don't have all the answers - I only have my experience on the ground and use the world wide web to guide me of any document that spells it all and being with good people over the years who breath the same air as I do when talking about development and other issues in it like disability, children, education, women, and gender. Humanity begins in YOU so be informed, get to know what's happening beyond your borders and get involved.
So my adventure from Cambodia led me to West Africa in Sierra Leone, then a short stint in North Korea and until last year was in East Timor in well over a decade now.
An Invitation
I would like to invite you to check out those 3 blogs - I will upload documents that you can use when you're preparing reports or simply wanting to know what's been done, written and decided on those three subjects. I am sure you working on the ground or experiencing life around it have something to share as well - stories, opinions and also documents, feel free to share it here, send me a message if you want to share something to upload I am happy to host it for you.
Join me, let's talk about issues that affects you!