At 8pm tonight (Tuesday 5/5), Dr Sam Nutt will be here to answer your questions on her trip to Darfur, her career as a humanitarian and any other pressing issue you may have. See you all later!
OK, an hour to go! We'll try and get as many of your questions in as possible. This is the first time we've done this, so please be patient with us! If we get tons of questions, I'll have to dip in and out, Twitter style, 'cos on my side of this it could easily start getting crazy. Hope you enjoy it!
Here's why we're here...
twitter.comOne more thing - don't be shy, we are happy to take donations in the chip-in jar on the left. We're trying to top-up Mesh09 donations to rebuild an education centre in Darfur in something more solid than grass and plastic sheeting. Rainy season starts in June, so please be generous!
Hello everyone! Sam's just logging in...
happy to start taking questions. Who'd like to start?
Hi Sam, thanks for taking the time to do this. So, just as a bit of background - how did you get into humanitarian work?
I've been interested in international issues most of my life. I spent my early childhood in Africa and part of my adolescence in Latin America. As a med student, I worked in the Middle East. But my first experience in a war zone was in Somalia in the mid 90s. It changed my life.
HI Jacqueline. Did we go to school together by any chance? It is incredibly difficult, as a young person, to be taken seriously. It was a major obstacle for me when I started War Child Canada. It didn't help that when I was 29 I looked about 19 and would still get carded. But you can't let that deter you. I just continued to speak at meetings and put my ideas out there and eventually people started to listen. You have to persevere. And eventually you will be taken seriously for your commitment and tenacity. But even still, there are times when I find it challenging to be heard.
most recently things have really deteriorated. The expulsion of the NGOs has left everyone on the ground scrambling and the security threats are impeding efforts to reach vulnerable populations. But I also see optimism. I see people who are trying to rebuild their lives, to create opportunities for themselves and their children amidst the hardship. I see a determination and a resolve. So while it is an incredibly difficult time at the moment I do see opportunities to continue affecting change.
folks, please call me Sam. When your last name is Nutt....
There are quite a few questions on how best to get into the humanitarian field - what's your best piece of advice?
it is like any other line of work - it is about making connections and proving yourself. I hear from a lot of people who want to go overseas, but many of them know very little about War Child Canada, development, the issues, or how they can contribute. So I recommend that, if you can find the time, you dedicate yourself to spending a few months working with an NGO at their HQ, get to know people, see how the work is done. We hire many people out of these positions and it is one of the best ways to network. Often people who start with us in this capacity do, eventually, end up overseas with one of our team members. But it does mean saying " I will show up every day, do whatever you need done, from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday - in other words, you can count on me - for x number of months". WCC can plug people like that into meaningful initiatives. It is a lot harder to involve people when it is a few hours here and there. and of course, if you take the time to fundraise for an organization, you will command their attention.
in many cultures there are expressions that refer to "if god wills it" ("Enshalah") etc. Particularly for many people living in difficult circumstances, there is a sense that there are factors beyond their control - that the fates have decided what will be. But I don't see them giving up or giving in because of that. I am always respectful of local cultures and traditions, but I am also very clear about what we stand for as an organization. And if the problem is a lack of education and awareness, you can be sure that we will do our best to counteract these assumptions and generally I find people very receptive.
documentaries are an important way for us to connect with people, especially young people. But we were almost killed filming the documentary in the Congo with Sum 41 and I vowed it would be my last. not because I don't ahve it in me, but because this work is unpredictable and I would never want to expose anyone to any level of risk. When we were in the Congo, there had been a peace deal in place for 18 months. There were 16,000 peace keepers. It came out of nowhere - this is the nature of war. But now that I've had some time and space from that experience I recognize that the more we can do to bring these messages to larger audiences, the better. The challenge is always to find the resources, because obviously we would not pay for this out of regular funds - we need to find specific donors who are prepared to finance this kind of educational outreach.
You just came back from Darfur. We hear a lot about the crisis but rarely from people who have been there. Is the crisis as horrific as we hear?
it is abhorent. it is brutal. And for the next year it is likely to be the worst that it has been since the start of the war (2003...though it likely started in the late 90s, but that's another issue). Solving it will require a significant investment at the field level, the political level, the corporate level and the international level (Security Council). Frankly, it just needs real, consistent, creative leadership.
I can answer that one - organize! Your $10 may not seem much but if all your friends can add there's and then all their friends, the sum soon adds up. Just look at the Obama campaign! And watch this space for events coming up...
hi Lindsay! 1. You don't ahve to have a lot of money to organize an event or do something with us - contact alyson in our office and she will give you some creative ideas! 2. Yes. But if I tell you, well, someone in the office would smack me. So stay tuned on that.
Yes, I would!
hi Saleem. Excellent question. Yes, there are fewer international news bureaus and fewer journalists who are able to go overseas and resport (though there are some notable exceptions - Stephanie Nolen, Brian Stewart, etc). NGOs are working very hard to get information out there but that can, at times, be tricky, because it can put those agencies and individuals at risk and can even shut down their programs. We walk a fine line every day at War Child - the line between getting to the truth of what is happening, and ensuring that our efforts are allowed to continue. Overall, though, I think we do a good job of finding that balance.
James, I believe you would have to stand in line.
Here is an example of the work we're doing in Darfur - food preservation classes for young mothers. What would you say to those who say "but you should be giving water and shelter and saving lives now before these longer term solutions"?
I can answer this one too. Project management is what we do - whether it is in the field or in marketing and fundraising. There are no shortages of niches for you! Also, donations of time and expertise can be as valuable as donations of money.
you cannot do one at the expense of the other. this is a conflict that has been going on for more than 6 years. there is an expectation on the ground - by people living in camps - that their lives are about more than day to day survival. Basic needs is a priority in the ealy stages of a conflict, but in later stages you must also offer program in education, livelihoods, psychosocial etc. Because when a conflict becomes contracted there is greater risk that children will join militias, there is less money and less interest in supporting " urgent" initiatives, and people need to have other means of earning an income, feeding their families and they want to become less reliant on hand outs. The recent move to focus entirely on basic needs in Darfur is a huge mistake. People were beginning to see that there was a way out for them. When disillusionment sets in, and when you focus on basic needs for too long, you create cycles of dependency that are impossible to undo. the great thing about our food preservation program is that it enables women to be less reliant on the ups and downs of food rations. they have greater food security. Ultimately, this is how you save lives in the long run.
the same thing I tell them...why is it a CHOICE? Why do we assume that you can only do one thing and not the other as well? In my mind, it's like saing to someone who has two children " well, you must have a favourite". It's absurd. I work internationally, I'm dedicated to these issues, but I also have a clinic here in Toronto where I see patients 8 hours a week from all walks of life. I believe in international development, but I am also dedicated to Women's Health, to the environment, etc. Social responsibility is a way of life, it isn't a choice of one thing at the expense of the other.
Another one for me! We're streamlining that side of the operation and largely doing away with titles. But the work goes on in a less regimented way. Again, Alyson in our office is the person to contact.
youth advisory committe. Yes. well, it is in a slightly different form now but Alyson can plug you in. Ok, now I feel old! HA!
You were tweeting from Darfur - does that kind of communication open up new possibilities for organisations like ours?
on the project management question, I agree with James. EVERYONE in our office is some kind of project manager. no exceptions. These are skills that are unversally adaptable. The key is to demonstrate that you have the competency to make that change. Often, that means volunteering in the HQ office and showing people what you are capable of.
Twitter. Without a doubt. I'm not the most consistent Twit. I tweet when I think I have something relevant to say. In Darfur, that was 20 times a day. But in the course of my daily life, I am sure no one cares that my son needs a bath, etc. But the more we can bring these issues and stories directly to people at home, the better. It was also very comforting for me to feel that connection to people at home. Especially when you are surrounded by insecurity.
I am sorry for the typos. My fingers do indeed work faster than my brain.
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