Since the 1994 Rwandan genocide, I have been answering the same question. The question comes in many forms, from many different kinds of people: skilled and unskilled; old and young; UK and international citizens. What is the question? I want to go and help in X situation.
My answer has never changed. Understand What Is Happening Disasters are an unbudgeted 'surprise' for aid agencies and they need to raise funds to respond to the situation, hence emergency appeals. Agencies will relocate current staff to assist in the situation. Agencies do not need willing good intentioned foreign volunteers. In most cases, the local population help (although this will depend on the nature of the emergency). The willing volunteer needs to ask practical questions about what are they practically offering, another pair of hands? They also need to ask: what can they do and who will supervise them, where are they going to sleep, what are they going to eat and drink, etc. How much is it going to cost for a visa and for me to fly there? Could that money be better used by donating to an emergency appeal to an organisation that is best placed to help in the situation. So my baseline answer is... Whether they are man-made disasters or natural hazards such as armed conflicts, floods, drought, famine, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions - Emergency or disaster situations do not need expat volunteers. However, once funds have been raised there might be opportunities for experienced and skilled expat professionals, such as medical and watsan engineers, once programmes have been funded, designed and implemented. That is a different question...
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Kevin CusackEveryday I read articles and blogs about careers, personal development, marketing, IT, and scrutinise hundreds of jobs. Archives
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