On this World Humanitarian Day, 19th August, members of ATE team give their thoughts on what it means to be a humanitarian aid worker. Here are the reflections of founder and Chief Executive, Sarah Gardner:
The founding principal of ATE was to directly respond to community need. We place great value on listening to local people and taking action to enable them to improve their own lives. In these rapidly changing times, ‘responding’ is more important than ever.
As the communities we work in become increasingly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, we are required to work flexibly, dynamically, and with the needs of our beneficiaries at the heart of every single decision we make. To be an aid worker in this crisis means putting down the plans that we had, pausing the strategy that was agreed, stopping in our tracks and putting first and foremost the immediate needs of those we serve.
The world we live in today is one where the poor are increasingly vulnerable, where hunger is rife, and where small charities are at risk of collapse. We must protect what we have with a dedication and energy that feels hard to come by on days where zoom meetings are never ending, and income is dwindling. Now is the time to prove that we will survive, to be ambitious and focused, to protect the future of the people we work with. Their future is in our hands, and no one can do it alone, it takes a united team with varied skills and expertise.
The overwhelming task ahead takes a person with dedication, resilience, flexibility and a passion which can shine through at the darkest of times.
