INDEPTH: A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE
A life of lessons: emergency response in action
By Nicolas Palanque, CARE Canada | February 13, 2004
Nicolas Palanque
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There I was on a scorching day sitting near my tent in a corner of India devastated by a terrible earthquake in January 2001. My mission was to organize and deliver tents to provide emergency shelter to thousands left homeless in the aftermath of the natural disaster. If anyone had told me five years before that I would end up as a humanitarian aid worker, I would have likely laughed out loud and not even considered the idea seriously.
When going to university in Bordeaux, France, working on my first degree in foreign languages, I intended on working internationally in business and trade. After completing military service, I decided to go back to school to put myself back on what I thought was my desired career path: corporate business. I earned an MBA in Paris and Chicago in 1996.
The beginning of my work in international development was quite accidental, to be honest. A friend of mine, who knew I had a knack for travelling and international issues, approached me to work for a French non-governmental organization (NGO) in Afghanistan. Having no other striking job offers, I thought, "Why not? Let's see what Afghanistan is all about." So off I went on a six-month contract to Kabul. At the time, there were only a handful of other expatriates working for a few NGOs, the United Nations or the Red Cross.
My time in Afghanistan fell over Christmas that year – my first Christmas overseas. There I was in a basement that was turned into a bunker to protect me from the aerial bombs. It was a Christmas I would never forget. It was also when I made a firm decision about what I wanted to do with my professional life.
I saw so much hardship, poverty and suffering in the war-torn capital. The plight of the Afghan people truly made me think long and hard about my purpose in life and what I really wanted to do. Here I was able to use the knowledge from my business degree to support the poorest communities in the world.
My work, whether it was with local carpenters developing business plans or helping to reopen the local coalmines by connecting buyers with sellers, made me realize that I could contribute in an important way. I made up my mind: I would stay in Afghanistan and use my knowledge in the humanitarian field. I remained in Afghanistan for two years.
Just when I thought I had begun to understand my mission in life, more experiences shaped my understanding. It was in 1998 that I met my future wife, a seasoned development worker born in Northern Ontario - someone who shared my passion. In 2000, after a year in Tajikistan, we moved to Canada, where we had our first son, Maël.
The birth of our son sparked so many questions in my mind about the world we live in. I was told parenting had that effect on people, but I really didn't understand what that meant until I, in turn, became a father. This event only strengthened my conviction to dedicate my life to those less fortunate. Offering support to those most vulnerable in times of crisis such as wars and natural disasters allowed me to help other parents, like myself, raise their kids with dignity - just as we in North America endeavour to do.
Nicolas Palanque
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In my present capacity as the head of the Emergency Response Team for CARE Canada, I travel to hotspots like Albania, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Democratic Republic of Congo and, most recently, Chad.
Over the years, I have learned more than I could ever articulate. For those looking forward to careers in humanitarian aid and development, I would share some lessons I have learned and offer this advice:
- Build on your experience and values, but realize that cultural differences exist.
- Don't hesitate to take jobs/internships in forgotten places (outside of the media-covered crisis areas) – there are many such opportunities out there.
- Aid work is not a walk in the park, be prepared to face nasty things.
- Be realistic in your expectations, be ready to face frustration (a lot), and realize that the theory of development can be very different from the reality.
- Be ready to accept you may be wrong and too idealistic.
We are so fortunate in Canada for our access to shelter, education, health and water that we should sometimes consider taking the extra step, some risk, leaving behind some of our comforts in order to help others live in dignity.
My MBA program never taught me about International Humanitarian Law, Geneva Conventions, the "humanitarian space," codes of conducts, the "Core Principles" or the "Humanitarian Imperative." To be honest, I would have never guessed that the world of humanitarian aid and development was such an involved profession. It was far from the image many have that any westerner could add value just by showing up and volunteering. Aid work requires skill and real perseverance. During my time in Afghanistan, I advanced my understanding of the complexities of the country, the forces at play and the humanitarian world of work.
The biggest lesson I have been taught from fieldwork is that nothing happens without the involvement of the local communities. Earning their respect and working in their best interests is paramount. Our jobs as development workers involve enabling communities to build their own lives. We are only meant to be a helping hand.
International humanitarian work is not for everyone - but it is definitely for me. It has been mutually beneficial in my life - giving as much to me as I have given to others less fortunate.
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CUSO tracks volunteers from:
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Collectively, our organizations send or receive more than 3,000 volunteers each year and remain in touch with more than 60,000 returned volunteers. These figures include significant numbers of volunteers from the South, but by and large they represent Canadians so concerned about the disparity between life here and life in poorer countries that they are willing to give up weeks, months or even years of their time to improve the world. Through our network of members and volunteers, we reach into almost every community in Canada, coast to coast to coast. Ours is a real, concrete presence for Canada around the world, often the only Canadian presence outside of capitals, or even in some entire countries.
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