World Humanitarian Day 2022: “I want to make an impact, even if it’s a small one”
Humanitarian logistics, food security and drones: the faces of the women behind it all at WFP’s Pacific Multi-Country Office.
by Maria Shumusti
After almost 2 decades in the public sector, Akosita Lewai decided to finally pursue a career in the humanitarian world. An expert in localised capacity strengthening, she joined the World Food Programme’s (WFP) Logistics Unit as the Information Management Officer in May 2022. As part of her role, Akosita supports the regional Pacific Logistics Cluster with information management, coordination and capacity building.
“I am from a small island in the Lau group in Fiji. We are a tight-knit community, and my goals were always driven by a sense of purpose. At first, I wanted to join the army, but my mother inspired me to take up Geographic Information Systems. Growing up, my dad’s village constantly experienced droughts and cyclones — the loss of land, farms and livelihoods has been a reality for many of us. At WFP, I have the chance to bring along my previous professional experiences, and work with partners who have the same vision — to minimize the effects of disasters on our communities.”
“I want to make an impact, even if it’s a small one and working with WFP is making this possible. It is after all, changing and saving one life at a time,” she added.
26-year-old Aleen joined WFP Pacific as a Food Security Analyst in April 2022 and is the youngest member of the team. She is also one of the very few female drone pilots in Fiji.
Hailing from a small town in Labasa on the island of Vanua Levu in Fiji, Aleen moved to Suva to study Geospatial Science — which inspired her work with drones. But her passion in food security is what brought her to WFP. Here she is using her expertise to analyse food security data and supporting Emergency Telecommunications in setting up and testing drones before deployment.
“I grew up in a small town, with limited access to technology. So, when I was given the opportunity to acquire a drone license through a capacity strengthening project at university — I took it. Since then, I have always wanted to work towards enabling opportunities for others, that I was once given. Sometimes helping build the capacities of others can uplift one person, one community at a time.”
“At my role in WFP, I’m also glad to be a part of a team that represents the needs of those most vulnerable. Giving voice to the voiceless is what makes this job so fulfilling and meaningful.”
