Be prepared for anything, says Japanese field worker
Nozomi Hashimoto, from Japan, is a crucial part of WFP’s work assisting refugees in Turkey. As head of the Ankara office, she ensures the smooth running of a cash-assistance programme in 43 provinces. It’s a big challenge that comes after serving in emergencies in Uganda and South Sudan.
Tell us about a memorable moment in your work in WFP?
When I was in Uganda, I spent three weeks in one of the most remote areas of the country. It was a village with just one street. One day, we went to do a food distribution. Normally, we would drive to the distribution point at the foot of the mountain and then someone would shout into a megaphone to announce our arrival to the people up in mountains. By early afternoon hundreds of people would come and we would distribute food. However, on this day the road was really bad and our food truck got stuck.
We tried to move it for 45 minutes, got muddy from head to toe. In the end we were able to move it but it got stuck again after 400 metres. Our team did not have enough people to carry all the food to the distribution point. So we went to the distribution point, apologized to the community and asked them to come down the road to receive food. We ended up distributing on the roadside and somehow we managed to get back to the base before dark. We arrived there covered in mud. That day was my birthday! This is how WFP colleagues work in the deep field.
How has WFP helped you develop?
My early bosses at WFP always believed in me and gave me opportunities to demonstrate my ability, even though I had little experience in the humanitarian context. I have been fortunate also to have opportunities to experience different types of operations. South Sudan was a big emergency so I learnt a lot about food distributions in emergencies. In Turkey, the WFP mission is mainly cash assistance, so it is a different experience.
What drew you to WFP originally?
During my time in the private sector, I travelled a lot so I got exposed to the world outside of Japan. I realized that it would be a very predictable life if I stayed there. I would always be in my comfort zone. I therefore decided to shift my career to do something in international development or assistance. After getting a Masters’ degree in International Affairs, I worked at the Japanese Embassy in Uganda and I got to learn about various UN agencies’ works. When my contract with the Embassy ended, I decided to apply to WFP.
Could you describe a day at WFP’s Ankara office? Could you give us some details about your responsibilities?
The programme here aims to assist the refugee population in Turkey. With EU funding, the programme, called ESSN, provides cash assistance to the most vulnerable refugees.
WFP’s main role is to make sure the programme is implemented correctly. This is why we need monitoring visits. The Ankara office covers 43 provinces. We have about 450,000 refugees spread over a large area. That is why it is important for us to analyse how the programme is being implemented by monitoring visits in different locations.
As the Head of Ankara Area Office, I am in charge of managing the team, participating in coordination meetings and going on field missions as much as possible.
What impressed you most during monitoring visits?
The hospitality of the Turkish people. Even before our programme started, the local community helped refugees a lot. For example, I visited a family in Konya and asked how they were paying the rent for their house before ESSN started. The mother told me that they were in a desperate situation and a Turkish person let them stay in a house he was not using and did not charge rent. Furniture was given by neighbours.
One day, the landlord was in difficulty and he asked for the rent only for that month. The family did not know how to find money. While they were talking about this, a random person passing by heard them and gave money to the family for a month’s rent. We hear such stories so consistently in so many locations. Of course, our assistance and the efforts of the Turkish Government are important but ordinary Turkish people are also willing to help.
What do you like most about the job you are doing?
The sense of fulfilment. With WFP, in every single project or operation, what we are doing is helping people. You are so proud of what you are doing, your team and your organization. That is the basic motivation. Then, in Turkey, there is also the fact that the Ankara Area Office started with my arrival in December 2016. So starting up something new and building a committed team of 14 including myself is nice.
What have you gained from working here?
I learnt that in field work, anything can happen. Be prepared for everything. We have to think out of the box, be quick and multi-task. We are working for people’s basic needs.
What is your first memory of Turkey?
Turkish people are very hospitable. It is a society that has kept its traditional cultural and social values even in 21st century.
For example, when I first went to Gaziantep, I was going for a monitoring visit to a bank so I took a taxi. On the way, I told the taxi driver that I was coming from Ankara but was originally from Japan. When we arrived, the driver refused to take any money from me. I had to throw the money in his window! These are small examples of big, kind hearts. They appreciate visitors and show great hospitality. Turkish people are extremely pro-Japanese and welcome Japanese visitors in Turkey.
What do you want other people to know about WFP Turkey?
I wish they knew how significant it is for a country to host 3 million refugees, and how it is affecting the everyday lives of Turkish people. WFP is working with the Turkish Government, the Turkish Red Crescent (TRC) and Turkish people to provide cash assistance. We all work hard and we complement each other. Some banks open their branches over the weekend to help move things along and the staff of the Government offices and TRC work hard to deal with all the applications.
What advice do you have for prospective WFP candidates?
It is not an easy job: The organization requires commitment. Yet, it is a group of professional people who are willing to assist people in disadvantaged areas. I assure you that WFP will open a new world to you.
