Stuck on the wrong side of the world but still needing to deliver food to people in Ethiopia 5,000 km away.
WFP staff don’t let a travel shut down stop them from getting the job done!
Interview by Edward Johnson
Over 850 people work for the World Food Programme (WFP) in Ethiopia and travel is a part of everyone’s job. As global travel restrictions tightened in response to COVID-19 in March, some WFP staff found themselves stranded far from their Ethiopian office and had to learn to work from distance.
Two of our staff — Kamal and Nabin — are working for WFP Ethiopia from 5,000 kilometres away in their home country, Nepal. Curious to know how they’re adapting, we asked them a few questions about how they are getting on working from home.
Tell us a bit about who you are, the job you do for WFP and how you are finding this new experience?
I’m Kamal and I run the Pugnido field office which is right on the Ethiopia/South Sudan border down in the southwest corner of the country. My job entails the day-to-day running of the office, coordinating with UNHCR, nutrition partners, government counterparts, and overseeing a variety of operations like food distributions for refugees and livelihood assistance like crop production, livestock, fisheries, backyard gardening, bee keeping and banana cultivation.
I’ve been working remotely from my home in Kathmandu, Nepal since 23 March and as flights in and out of Kathmandu remain suspended, I’m not sure how much longer this arrangement will continue.
I’ve got a few challenges, like the time zone — Nepal is a confusing 2 hours 45 minutes ahead of Ethiopia, and I experience interrupted power and WiFi from time to time but that’s business as usual in Ethiopia anyway.
It’s great to have my kids around; COVID-19 has probably brought us closer together, but that proximity means that panic sometimes escalates quickly when we get new updates.
What’s your new office set up like?
I’ve set up a small office in my bedroom where I know I have a good internet connection and constant power supply.
What tools are important for you now?
Well, ordinarily my WFP laptop would be my main tool but I left it in Ethiopia when I came on what should have been a short trip home. So, I’m using my personal one now and learning how to scan documents on my phone and how to survive without being able to print anything, but perhaps I’m saving some trees in the process! WhatsApp and Messenger are the most efficient ways to reach my team in Pugnido now.
What are you missing from Ethiopia?
I’m missing my small and dedicated team in Pugnido. I know they’re doing a brilliant job in very hard circumstances and I’m doing all I can to support them from here. I’m also missing our coffees together and my favorite Ethiopian food sekala tibs.
What’s good about working remotely?
Thanks to technology, I do feel close to my team and we’ve maintained a good relationship.
What’s good about being back in Nepal?
My family. What’s happening is awful but I’m really glad to be with them in this difficult situation. It’s definitely a relief that we’re all together in one place right now.
What have you learned from this situation?
The importance of hand washing and cleaning! Difficult situations can appear out of nowhere at any time, any where. It’s scary to realise that but if we have contingency plan, either for home or the office, then we’re in a better situation.
Apart from work, how are you doing?
Good — I’m doing some light exercise every morning and trying to get the family to join me. We’re playing a lot of indoor games and enjoying the sun on the rooftop too — as we can’t attend any more social gatherings, the roof is our new hang out.
Tell us a bit about who you are, the job you do for WFP and how you are finding this new experience?
I’m Nabin and am a Logistics Officer (Head of Operations) for WFP Ethiopia’s supply chain unit and together with my team of 13, I coordinate the day-to-day supply chain planning, and customs and transport activities, with the objective of ensuring food is delivered on time and in sufficient quantity. I’m also overseeing the Last Mile and Bag Marking Projects which further strengthen the accountability, traceability and visibility of our food deliveries all the way through the system. I believe I have one of the coolest and most satisfying jobs in the world.
Working remotely has been a mix of opportunities, surprises and challenges. Opportunities because I get to focus and work with myself when I am writing a strategy or documents. Surprises because my family finally understands (after 7 years) what my job is at WFP. There are plenty of challenges too because, unlike in office where I could walk up to my team, discuss problems and find solutions, now we’re sending and receiving a lot of difficult emails.
Where are you right now?
I’m at my family home in Pokhara, north west of Kathmandu.
What’s your new office set up like?
I set-up a small work station in my room — see the photo.
What tools are important for you now?
There are quite a few:
- My laptop enabled with Microsoft Outlook and Office, a WFP VPN AnyConnect, Teams, Skype, Zoom and the Trello,
- WhatsApp to get in touch with colleagues immediately,
- Wifi obviously,
- My notebook, and
- LESS, the Logistics Execution Support System.
Nabin at home/work. Photo: Nabin Kunwar
Is there anything you’re not able to do remotely?
I miss the face-to-face discussions and stand-up meetings with colleagues. That physical contact is limiting — I used to be able to walk up to my supervisor to discuss challenges and we’d find solutions quickly. The internet connectivity also makes accessing corporate systems challenging, oh — and a printer of course.
What are you missing from Ethiopia?
Definitely my team, my small apartment, my friends and the coffee. I also miss the restaurant Tryst close to the office where I’d go almost every day with colleagues for lunch. We became creatures of habit, ordering the same sandwich, juice and coffee everyday.
What’s good about working remotely?
Having a home that’s also an office is definitely a new concept. It took a while, but I now realize that I can be as efficient working remotely as I can be in the office, when all the tools work that is.
Nepal is a mountainous country and I really appreciate that a few steps from my work station, I can look at the mountains which even for a few seconds is a revitalising boost. Also, being able to spend extra time with my family after working overseas for so long is great.
What’s good about being back in Nepal?
It sounds strange, but every time I come home, I feel like I never left. It’s easy to get back into a home routine, rediscover the food I missed, go on long hikes, and meet old friends and relatives.
What have you learned from this situation?
The whole world is going through a difficult time. Many lives have been lost and the future is uncertain, not least for the communities where WFP works saving lives and changing lives. WFP is needed now more than ever and I’ve realised that I can do my part from anywhere. I think a lot of us have realised that.
Apart from work, how are you doing?
I’m doing well. Like I said, these are difficult times and I’m doing what I can stay safe and healthy. I’m following the social distancing guidelines and reminding others to. I’m getting some yoga and breathing exercise tips from my father who practices them every day. But, staying strong physically and mentally are my goals right now.
Final thoughts?
I want to convey my best regards to all my WFP colleagues in Ethiopia and around the globe. I’m seeing lots of new WFP activities and news on social media which is helping to bring a positive dimension to this crisis. I’m grateful to be part of this organization at the forefront of this fight against COVID-19.
