A few days into my mission at the front lines of the Ukraine emergency response, I met nine-year-old Sasha, who came into one of UNICEF’s supported Blue Dots in Poland with his grandmother. They had just arrived from Ukraine, and as soon as he sat down, he started drawing the home he had to leave behind in an apartment building of 14 floors, that had gone up all up in flames.
It was heartbreaking to see the pain and tears in his eyes as he filled the paper with this tragic scene. It was even more harrowing to hear the story of how he escaped the conflict in his country and his fears of the uncertain future he now faces.
My encounter with Sasha got me reflecting, refocusing and strategizing on how best I can contribute to making the lives of millions of children like him around the world better. It gave me the zeal to work even harder and smarter to keep delivering results for children.
As UNICEF staff, we are not immune to thoughts of fear and worry. They cross our minds daily. But our mandate and our slogan – for every child – helped us overcome and achieve.
On 29 March 2022, I arrived in Poland to support the Ukraine emergency response. My role was to coordinate the supply chain from Poland to Ukraine, set up warehouses in Katowice, Poland, work with partners, including the Global Logistics Cluster, and coordinate the deliveries of in-kind contributions.
I worked hand-in-hand with Poland Country Office colleagues to support the dispatching of supplies from other UNICEF warehouses in Rzeszow, Poland, to the Blue Dots set up in response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis. I also worked closely with UNICEF colleagues in the Ukraine Country Office, ECARO and Supply Division to establish needed contract services for warehousing, customs clearance and transportation, helping move much-needed supplies from Poland to Ukraine. I also assessed possible supply corridors from other neighbouring countries.
Unlike previous deployments and missions, supporting the Ukraine response was a particularly different experience for me. This was the first time that I was supporting an emergency in a middle-income country where people are not used to seeing United Nations staff in action. It was bit challenging to get things quickly done such as the paperwork needed to accelerate the shipment of supplies to Ukraine – to move at the required speed.
As UNICEF staff, we are not immune to thoughts of fear and worry. They cross our minds daily. But our mandate and our slogan – for every child – helped us overcome and achieve.
My advice to colleagues working in emergencies is to remember to avoid danger and follow the rules. It is good to be a hero, but it is better to be a smart hero. And it is even better to be part of a group of superheroes!
A big source of motivation for me has been our colleagues in Ukraine who, despite immense pressure and working amid an escalating conflict, have been able to receive and deliver supplies in huge volumes and without fail. I am so proud to be part of UNICEF and the extraordinary work we are doing to support children and families in Ukraine and beyond.
As Supply and Logistics staff, we are typically the first and last line of response, from planning and procuring essential supplies in support of UNICEF programmes to transporting and delivering these supplies to children and their families. This is the case in Ukraine and the 160 countries and areas we procure and deliver for. Each of these locations present different challenges. But wherever we are, and to be able to stay at our best for every child, we need to think about our well-being. My advice to colleagues working in emergencies is to remember to avoid danger and follow the rules. It is good to be a hero, but it is better to be a smart hero. And it is even better to be part of a group of superheroes! So be a team player, take time to get to know your colleagues and take care of each other.
