Humanitarian aid fights its ‘outdated’ image

Delivering humanitarian aid has always been a complex undertaking, but while the way aid is delivered has changed, the public’s perception of who is doing the work hasn’t always kept up.

“Over 90 per cent of MSF’s project workforce comes from the very communities that we are serving [or are] nationals of the countries in which we work. People tend to have an outdated image of humanitarian work in their minds, one in which aid workers are exclusively foreigners flying in to assist,” says Isaac Chesters, financial and human resources manager of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), which provides medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics or disasters.

Staff who do travel for an international assignment are paid, fed and housed, but at salaries far lower than what they’d receive in Australia.

“While we’re not volunteers, we do our work not for financial gain but out of a desire to help those most vulnerable and in need of medical assistance,” says Chesters, who has worked for MSF in non-medical roles in Bangladesh and Africa, as well as its Sydney office.

It’s these non-medical roles which are often overlooked by those keen to undertake humanitarian work. In the case of MSF, the doctors and nurses that are often the front face of direct care are supported by highly skilled teams of non-medical professionals.

“Many people are unaware of the enormous logistical and administrative machinery that sits behind our medical activities,” Chesters says.

Technology is also playing an ever-increasing role for humanitarian organisations.

“Certain MSF offices around the world focus specifically on humanitarian innovation, including technological innovation, in the hope that we can continue to improve the efficacy and efficiency of our medical projects,” says Chesters.

Jez Hunghanfoo is the supporter engagement director at Amnesty International Australia. He’s has worked for years in not-for-profit environments, building expertise in community engagement, communications and marketing.