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• Features
• Humanitarian Emergency Affair & Relief
• Natural Disaster & Relief Works
• Christian Witness
• World Vision
• Ukraine
• South Sudan
• Kenya
• Somalia
• Afghanistan
• China

The Power of Women Humanitarians

We all have a reason when we choose our career. For women, sometimes gender-based limitations may confine options and set obstacles much harder to overcome. For example, at the end of last year, the de facto authorities in Afghanistan announced that all women would be banned from working for NGOs. Yet women are able to reach groups that their male counterparts cannot, and thus play a vital role in protecting communities that require aid. The ban undoubtedly will limit the implementation of relief and development work, and restrict female humanitarians from reaching their full potential.

There are plenty of female humanitarians working in World Vision offices across the globe. As we celebrate the International Women’s Day on 8 March, let us find out more and recognise the passion and power of these women.

I will be very proud of this

Oleksandra Shapkina (Communications officer, World Vision Ukraine Crisis Response)

I was sleeping, exhausted from working a night shift, when I suddenly woke to extremely loud noises. It was almost 4 o’clock in the morning in Kyiv on February 24, 2022. More explosions, then it dawned on me… war had begun.

Frankly, I have never seen my beautiful country in such chaos. People were rushing to escape, panicking to find food and withdraw cash. I spent about 10 days in a bunker with other civilians. It was constantly hard.

For the first couple of months, we lived in fear of the air alarms. One night, we thought it was finally safe to sleep without my shoes on, thinking tonight I didn’t need to be ready to run to the underground shelter. However, during that freezing winter’s night, a missile exploded next to my apartment building. Terrified, I ran to the bunker. I was so scared that I ran barefoot through snow.

Nevertheless, I made the hardest decision of my life. I decided to stay in Kyiv and help others. I knew for sure that I will never leave Ukraine as this is my country, this is my home. My parents, friends, all my life is here. This decision has made me even stronger. I have never regretted it.

For four months, I was working three jobs because I needed money. Even though it was a tough time, I still managed to pass my final exams and finish my university degree.

I turned 21 years old in April last year. Birthdays have always excited me but this time I didn’t know if I could even celebrate. Life had completely changed and I will never be the same person I was, never.

Sometimes you think about the fact that in the morning you could be hit by a missile. But by the afternoon, you go on living your life, continuing your plans for the day. Creating happy memories amid turmoil gives me hope. I treasure these moments and I will never take them for granted again.

A turning point in life

I couldn’t imagine how my life was about to change when I accepted a job with World Vision. At World Vision, I am using my passion as a journalism graduate and storyteller to help Ukrainians share their voices with a global audience.

One day when the conflict ends, I will be very proud of World Vision’s incredible achievements in the Ukraine Response. People who experienced the horrors of war receive different kinds of support from us, including food, education and even mental health support.

Regardless of the difficulties I’ve faced over the past year, I am very grateful for fate leading me to World Vision. When I interview Ukrainians who have suffered from this war, especially women and children, it makes me sad. I still can’t understand why. Why do they need to suffer? At the same time, their resilience makes me so proud!

First and foremost, I am also a survivor of this conflict like millions of Ukrainians. I know how important support is – not just material support, but emotional support from loved ones and even strangers.

Knowing you are not alone in this chaos, with the support of donors across the world, helps you find the strength to get through the most difficult times.

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They could have been my children

Anibie Joyce (Social Worker, World Vision South Sudan)

As a mother of three, my priority every day is to make sure my children are happy, provided with their needs, and kept away from harm. This same energy and effort, I try to do for the children in South Sudan’s Yambio County.

I have worked for nine years as a social worker supporting women in enhancing the well-being of their children. I campaign for awareness, conduct training, and facilitate focused-group discussions on how we can improve our child protection work, as we teach them their rights and duties in the family as well as for country.

I was born and raised in a conflict environment. Sadly, our children continue to face the same challenges as we did. I always promised to give my children the best education that I was not able to get while growing up.

Joining World Vision

When I first got my job in World Vision as Assistant Protection Officer, it was about the money I can earn. But all that changed when I started interacting with the children in the communities. I do my job with passion because of the children.

As we celebrate Women’s Day, we uphold the efforts, hard work and contribution of women in ensuring the well-being of children. Due to intercommunal conflict, the vulnerability and suffering of children in Western Equatoria State are distressing. Many children lost their parents and siblings, some witnessed killings, and more experienced psychological, physical, and sexual abuse. Handling such cases requires patience, love, and above all, faith.

The most fulfilling moment at work

I am currently working with former child soldiers who have gone through a lot of violence, some can be very aggressive and difficult to handle. It can discourage anyone, even me. But I also keep in mind that these children could have been my children. A mother’s role is to help them recover from their horrible experience.

Listening to a 14-year-old narrate the ordeals he faced, being forced to kill, how girls were abused sexually, how some of them witnessed their parents being killed, breaks my heart. No child should go through all of these horror.

As a social worker, I must give them hope through psychosocial support, counselling, and make them understand that they can rise, and are not the only ones facing this kind of challenge in life.

The most fulfilling moment for me is when I see the children recover. No child should experience what these children in South Sudan are going through. It is painful for me as a mother to see a child who thinks there is no future and no hope.

Helping children get back on their feet is all I want to do. My purpose in this world is to help children and women.

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Change is possible

Mabel Ng (Program Quality & Impact Director, Children with Disabilities National Program Manager, World Vision China)

When I went to do volunteer work during my university days in Mainland China, I was stunned at the sight of an old man who trekked for hours carrying a large tree trunk on his back just to earn 10 dollars. It is an amount that we might casually spend without noticing, but it took that old man so much effort up and down the hills to earn. That was when I finally realised that there are sides in this world that are very different from what I experienced in my youth.

The experience also planted a seed in my heart, which led me to be a part of World Vision’s work in China for over a decade. I have witnessed stories of so many communities and families, and journeying with people in need has brought fulfilment and meaning to my life. I have also got to meet a group of like-minded people who would help one another.

It is not that easy to make people believe that change is possible, especially long-suffering children, their caregivers, and even workers who serve them. We used to plan visits for leaders whose organisations work with children with disabilities to visit their counterparts in Hong Kong, holding discussions with them on how to improve the workflow, equip their frontline workers and, most importantly, encourage them to value the life and dignity of children with disabilities. As they all see that change is possible and are equipped with the awareness, methodology and skills, combined with the implementation of policies, children are now receiving better care and development. This process of change requires our full commitment to journeying with and supporting our partners.

Lessons learnt in humanitarian work

Most of the colleagues who I work with are female. Our work is intense, and a lot of our colleagues have to balance that and their family life. Through many years of dedicated service, our families can see how our own character and life change and grow, which gradually helps them understand and support our commitment to our work.

Being a humanitarian has taught me to be humble. Taking working with children with disabilities as an example, all the children and families that we serve face multiple challenges and pressure, which has made them well-trained on coping with crises and difficulties. Caregivers are often discriminated by society and even other members of the family, and have to bear the debts accumulated over years of rehabilitation treatment, yet they never give up because of the love they have for their children. This reminds me that the love and care Jesus has for his children are also everlasting.