Yunesti Handayani
Associate Programme Officer
Duty Station: Herat, Afghanistan
“Creativity. Flexibility. Simplicity. In my view, these are the three words that best describe what innovation is. It does not necessarily mean creating something entirely new, but rather making the best out of a situation and overcoming the restrictions presented to you, using limitations to your own advantage and not overlooking the opportunities.”
Yunesti is working in Herat, Afghanistan as an Associate Programme Officer. She is passionate about women and girls issues and has created a sports program for girls’ empowerment. She has learned from her own career experiences that being flexible and creative is essential in a work setting, especially in complex environments such as Afghanistan. She also collaborates closely with the Protection colleagues and is involved in protection activities.
Project: Self-Assessment MyUNHCR App
Yunesti is currently working with Alexis Ariza and Maarouf Issaka-Toure on this project. This project was designed to provide real-time assessment of refugee needs and to improve the way UNHCR collects and uses this information. Through phones or tablets, persons of concern will be able to provide feedback and other relevant information regarding their needs and priorities, which will then be sent to UNHCR. A complementary App will allow persons of concern to report incidents or to be quickly directed to UNHCR hotlines.