‘Being a humanitarian is all I know how to do.’

Name: Carmeline Wanjiru. Born in Nairobi, Kenya

Job title: External Relations Officer, based in Nairobi.

Years at UNHCR: 24 years. Joined UNHCR in 2000 as a community services assistant and went to Somalia in 2017 for two months.

 

Why did you become a humanitarian?

I think being a humanitarian is about knowing that sometimes you have to give beyond your terms of reference, being flexible to work even when it hurts sometimes, because you know there are people depending on you and their context or situation is worse than anything you can imagine. As a woman, when I think about the women in the refugee camps, it gives me the motivation to say, “What can I do to make that situation better within the office I hold? How can I support UNHCR in that work?”  Perhaps that’s why I have stayed for all this time. I have been here for over 20 years, and this is all I know how to do. It’s highly unlikely that I would learn different ways of working now if they don’t involve service to humanity.

 

What is your most memorable experience in UNHCR?

When I went to Somalia in 2017. In Mogadishu, the security situation was different. Sometimes you could be having breakfast then hear bomb blasts a few kilometres away or people firing at each other in a neighbourhood. This really unsettled me as it was not something I had experienced before.

This mission made me realise my interests still lie in Kenya and clarified what I wanted my career path to look like. It helped me realise that my role is better suited to be of a support capacity to colleagues in the field. My choice has been to be a humanitarian supporting colleagues and doing what I can to facilitate their work in the camps. It also amplified my admiration and respect for field colleagues who work under such tough conditions.

Dadaab was also one of my best experiences in UNHCR. I made a lot of friends, and some are still close to this day. I met my husband in Dadaab and 20 years later, we are still together with my three children. It holds a special place in my heart.

 

When I started working with UNHCR and interacting with refugees I got to understand them better. These are people who have undergone immense challenges to be where they are and are still determined. I have interacted with refugee mothers who just want their kids to go to school and that resonates with any mother; you want your children to go to school and have a better life.

When I visit the camps and see refugees doing their businesses, their children going to school, I feel like I am doing something meaningful. They can meet their needs and even their aspirations.

Refugees are contributing to the economy. If you walk around the streets of Kakuma and Dadaab, you see them running their businesses, they are the teachers in the schools, they are providing healthcare services in hospitals, they are working in the digital space… it’s very exciting to see what they are up to, especially the young people. They just need some support and resources to achieve their goals.

What are some lessons you have learnt?

In my career, I have learnt that field work is tough. Sometimes you don’t have all the solutions to offer refugees, and all you can do is just listen.

Sometimes you must be flexible to take on additional roles that mean moving across different departments and sectors and sometimes carer progression is not vertical, it can be linear. But that gives you an opportunity to do something different while expanding your knowledge and skillset.

There is no escaping the commitment to the work that I have to put in daily. I tell myself this job has to be done, and I’m here to do it.

I’ve learnt it’s important to look after yourself. Be more intentional about your mental health and engage with things that make you happy at home, with friends and with family as it helps you cope with the stress that can be experienced at work.

What are you most proud of in your career?

I have risen through the ranks (from a G4 to a National Officer) and the fact that I have done this in my country makes me hope that other Kenyans and Africans can have a sense of pride knowing that you can achieve career growth within your country. With my skillset, I can do a lot for my country and maintain the balance of work and family. I can teach and inspire younger women to achieve as much as they want to if they put their hearts and minds to it.

 

What motivates you?

UNHCR has gone through many changes, and I have been here through most of these changes. I am now evolving with the organization through new approaches and systems such as sustainable programming and integration. I hope that my contribution to the Kenya operation and globally has had and will continue to have an impact.

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