r/humanitarian • u/SgtRevo • 1h ago
ICRC delegate interview tips
Hey all,
I passed all the tests for the ICRC delegate pool, I have a panel interview scheduled.
I’m looking for any tips or advice on what to expect.
Thanks!!
r/humanitarian • u/bloomberg • Feb 07 '26
The head of the International Rescue Committee on facing up to today’s global conflicts, Donald Trump’s plans for Gaza, and Keir Starmer’s problems.
r/humanitarian • u/jcravens42 • Aug 01 '26
18 months on: What happened to USAID’s local staff? DevEx explores the answer.
Following the White House's announcement last year, the 5,500 foreign service nationals who ran and supported USAID programming around the world were put on leave and left to hope that the U.S. government would follow through on promises of compensation and visas. DevEx has examined how, more than a year after the dismantling of the agency, many of these former country staff remain unable to find work and have been living in fear of arrest or attacks from their own communities because of their work with the agency.
From the free DevEx newsletter (most links require DevEx membership to read in full):
"I was passionately dedicated to my job, even to the point of neglecting my private life, only to end up with nothing."
— A former USAID foreign service national based in Bosnia-Herzegovina
While U.S. personnel were repatriated following the announcement in February last year that the U.S. Agency for International Development would suspend all programming, their local colleagues — 5,500 foreign service nationals, or FSNs — were placed on leave and left to face the consequences of the country's withdrawal.
Devex contributing reporter Rebecca Root spoke to 10 FSNs to learn more about how USAID's dismantling had impacted the local experts who had spent years, sometimes decades, supporting the agency's mission. The majority asked to remain anonymous but spoke of a sense of abandonment, as well as struggles with their mental health and ongoing concerns for their safety among their own communities.
One former FSN based in El Salvador, who was forced into early retirement after 40 years of service with the agency, said local staff who had worked on USAID democracy and governance projects in the country feared for their lives. Another former FSN based in Southeast Asia, but who preferred not to disclose her country, described spending the past year worrying she would be arrested because of her work on the agency's democracy programs.
These concerns are not unfounded, according to Kent Benson, who held a leadership position in the agency's Bureau for Management. He believes that rhetoric and false allegations from the current administration have seen former staff in some countries "branded as enemies or thieves," which is also hindering their ability to find work.
In April last year, as one of the few remaining staff at the USAID headquarters in Washington, D.C., Benson was charged with terminating all 5,500 FSN contracts. He and other colleagues worked to get country staff the best payouts they could based on specific country labor laws and years of service, but rates varied depending on the local compensation plan and some FSNs got nothing.
A year on, most of the former FSNs whom Devex spoke to have been unable to find employment. In some cases, their years of experience with the agency are working against them — having spent 12 years in a financial compliance role focused on U.S. federal regulations, a former FSN based in Bosnia-Herzegovina shared that she no longer feels competitive in the local job market. "I genuinely do not know where else to look for work. I am completely overwhelmed and profoundly desperate," she said.
Others described a sense of abandonment and loneliness, having centered their lives around their work. "I really don't have any contacts here in Uganda. All the people that I used to socialize with were agency people," said an IT FSN who worked with the agency for almost a decade.
Full story on What happened to the 5,500 local staff USAID left behind at DevEx (membership required).
r/humanitarian • u/SgtRevo • 1h ago
Hey all,
I passed all the tests for the ICRC delegate pool, I have a panel interview scheduled.
I’m looking for any tips or advice on what to expect.
Thanks!!
r/humanitarian • u/jcravens42 • 23h ago
DAKAR, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Africa's top public health body and Congolese health authorities this week called for greater transparency in the use of Ebola response funds, saying financial information provided by aid organisations left more than $700 million of donor money yet to be accounted for.
Please read the entire piece before commenting.
r/humanitarian • u/AdGreen7455 • 23h ago
I'll be on a Guatemala medical mission near Antigua in two weeks. If anyone has experience going there is there something I can bring, ie clothes, shoes, tee shirts, that I can bring to hand out to the kids/locals?
r/humanitarian • u/Hopecleb • 2d ago
Hi everyone,
I’m a compliance, quality and policy professional with 16+ years in the humanitarian sector. Because I’m caring for my parents, I can no longer take on-site or field roles, so I’m looking for paid remote or home-based work, full-time, part-time or consultancy.
My background:
My questions:
Thank you, any leads or advice are very welcome.
r/humanitarian • u/Maanyi_women_d_trust • 2d ago
r/humanitarian • u/Stompimus • 2d ago
Hey - I'm part of a group project (MS in supply chain) that is looking at sustainable methods to improve delivery outcomes on vaccines in Jharkhand state, a landlocked state bordering Bangladesh which is, in relative terms to the rest of India (I don't want to get into a conversation about India's relative wealth - "under resourced" vs "developing" vs "third world", because arguments over nomenclature are usually a distraction from focusing on solutions) is very poor.
There's a ton of things that go into this but what I'm here to ask is: what's the track record on NGO's, even ones that are more hands off and distribute money more than do active programming (Gates Foundation, etc.) respectfully engaging with communities they want to serve for the purpose of figuring out what their real interests and priorities are? I know there's not one answer to this but even anecdotal perspectives from people with direct experience in this, even in different countries, would be super useful for me.
r/humanitarian • u/DragonfruitOk7952 • 4d ago
Hi everyone,
I've been trying to find my way into work that has a positive impact, particularly around environmental issues, communities, livelihoods and humanitarian work. Along the way, I've started experimenting with some small projects of my own.
One of them is Forest Watch, a little tool I built using freely available satellite imagery to look at possible changes in forest cover around Than Sadet–Ko Pha-ngan National Park, where I live in Thailand.
The idea was to see whether I could turn satellite images into something practical — identifying places that might be worth checking on the ground.
You can have a look here:
https://koh-phangan-forest-watch.vercel.app
I'm still figuring out where I fit in this sector and what I could realistically bring to it. I enjoy building things and working through practical problems, but I don't want to spend months developing tools that nobody actually needs.
So I'm curious about people working in NGOs, whether in conservation, humanitarian response, livelihoods, community development or other areas.
What are the kinds of problems you come across in your work where you wish you had better information, a simpler process, or just a little tool that made things easier?
I'm not necessarily talking about anything complicated or technical. I'd just like to understand what people actually need and see whether I might be able to contribute something useful.
I'd appreciate any thoughts or advice. Thanks!
r/humanitarian • u/Odd-Low3527 • 4d ago
Hi everyone!
I recently applied for the Associate External Engagement position at ICRC Geneva (deadline: October 11) and would appreciate any insights from current or former ICRC associates!
I'd also love to connect with current or former ICRC associates and hear about your experiences.
Thanks so much in advance!
r/humanitarian • u/Lazy_Section_6961 • 8d ago
r/humanitarian • u/Special-Job-8136 • 8d ago
Hi everyone,
I recently got shortlisted for a written test for an Intern – Filing and Electronic Records Management position with Terre des Hommes (Tdh) in Kabul.
Since this is my first time taking a written test for a records/archiving role in an international INGO, I want to prepare as thoroughly as possible.
For anyone who has taken a similar test or worked in document/records management within the humanitarian/NGO sector:
What core concepts or technical skills are usually tested? (e.g., electronic filing structures, data privacy/confidentiality, indexing, archiving standards, MS Excel/database management?)
Are there practical/scenario-based questions? If so, what do they typically look like (e.g., how to organize messy files, handling sensitive participant data, standard naming conventions)?
What soft skills or general NGO operational knowledge should I review?
Any tips, sample topics, or resources you could share would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance for your help.
r/humanitarian • u/MahmoudElshami • 13d ago
I’ve been thinking about an idea based partly on my experience living in Gaza during the current crisis and working in the humanitarian sector.
When people are living under prolonged stress and uncertainty, I think their ability to concentrate and take on additional mental effort can be significantly affected. At the same time, many young people spend hours doomscrolling—not necessarily because they want to, but because it requires very little cognitive effort compared with learning or building new skills.
My idea is to create a platform that encourages young adults in crisis-affected communities to use some of that time for learning.
The basic model would be:
Technically, I don't think building the platform would be particularly difficult. Many Coursera courses can be accessed for free, and I believe it would be possible to build mechanisms to verify participation and completion.
The part I'm less certain about is whether the behavioral and economic model makes sense.
I'd be interested in hearing from people who have experience with humanitarian programs, education, behavioral economics, NGOs, or social-impact startups:
I'm particularly interested in honest criticism. If you think the idea is fundamentally flawed, I'd rather understand why before investing time in building it.
r/humanitarian • u/Many-Coach6987 • 14d ago
Dear all,
I hope this is the right sub. In my professional life I investigate financial crimes, which is stressful and often frustrating, but it’s nothing compared to my volunteer work in animal welfare.
After a few years now, also being active in developed countries, I noticed how it gets to me emotionally and that I lack the tools to manage that burden as sadness adequately that comes from being exposed to animal cruelty and suffering
I was wondering if you have some advise, in the end your cause can be different, but I assume the burden is similar.
Grateful for your help 🙏
r/humanitarian • u/frakbar • 14d ago
Hi all, I am unsure about what to do now.
Two weeks ago, on Monday, I finally received the communication from ICRC that I was shortlisted for the recruitment process to become an ICRC delegate. For an unfortunate coincidence, that exact day I was leaving for Canada, and was therefore unable to immediately do the language test (first step of the process). Luckily, they give you 7 days to do the test, I guess anticipating a situation like mine, and I didn’t worry too much.
After arriving to my destination, and overcoming jet lag, I finally tried the test, well before the deadline. However, when I clicked on the link provided, a message came up saying, I quote, "This company has no remaining assessment credits. Please contact them to resolve the issue”. Moment of panic. I immediately emailed the person who sent me the email saying I was shortlisted, since they said to contact them for any technical issue. Took them three days and one follow-up from me to answer with a very vague response stating that they were looking into the matter.
Two days later, the same email address re-sent me the same email I received initially, saying I was shortlisted, but with no new link for the test. I immediately emailed back asking for the link. Another two days have passed, and still nothing. I am sending another follow-up.
I refuse to lose such an opportunity for technical issue. Has anybody ever experienced this? Who else could I contact for help?
Thank you!
r/humanitarian • u/NoticeQueasy6650 • 16d ago
r/humanitarian • u/Parnaa_Paul • 17d ago
r/humanitarian • u/Potential-Feeling-17 • 20d ago
I don’t know where to start other than google but I want to go put some hands on help in to action but I don’t know who to talk to what orgs are actually doing something not just a program made to make you feel like you did. Where do I go?
r/humanitarian • u/BulkyYoghurt34 • 20d ago
I have been developing policy ideas concerning disability employment and social participation in Japan. I would like to learn from people in different countries about how disability inclusion, employment support, and social participation are approached in their communities. If you have personal experience or work in this field, I would be grateful to hear your perspective.
r/humanitarian • u/Ok_Manufacturer6872 • 21d ago
r/humanitarian • u/HelpingWithSunil • 22d ago
Looking for Volunteer Opportunities in Kerala
Hi everyone! 👋
I’m looking to volunteer in Kerala, and I’d love to contribute my time and skills to a meaningful cause.
I’m open to opportunities with NGOs, community organizations, social initiatives, education programs, animal welfare, environmental projects, or other volunteering activities where I can genuinely be helpful.
I’m willing to learn, take responsibility, and actively participate rather than simply observe. I’m especially interested in opportunities where I can interact with people, work as part of a team, and make a practical contribution.
If you’re part of an organization or know of any volunteer opportunities in Kochi, please feel free to comment or DM me with some details.
Thank you! 🙌