One Team, One Mission
By: Usaid Food For Peace
Tags: Usaid, Humanitarian, Food Aid, Foreign Service

One Team, One Mission

On Foreign Service National (FSN) Recognition Day, we celebrate our FSNs, who represent the largest portion of the USAID workforce and make vital contributions to our mission to end hunger and strengthen our partner countries along the Journey to Self-Reliance. USAID Food for Peace Nov 20, 2019·5 min read

USAID’s family of more than 4,600 FSN staff are the backbone of the Agency. Along with their incredible technical expertise, they bring intimate knowledge of country contexts and a great commitment to USAID, helping us to meet our humanitarian and development goals — as one team with one mission.

Get firsthand the unique perspectives of FSNs located around the world who are part of the USAID Food for Peace team.

Amman, Jordan

Reem Jafari, Food for Peace Officer, Syria Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART)

Reem Jafar, second from left in green, talks to beneficiaries at a food market in Amman, Jordan.

What do you love about working at Food for Peace?

I often meet with people who are struggling to make ends meet, have suffered the consequences of war, and continue to strive for a dignified life. In many of these cases, our food assistance is the only stable source of livelihood for these families. I am proud to be part of USAID’s efforts that continue to make a difference in the lives of millions of refugees fleeing their war-torn countries.

Does being an FSN impact your work and how so?

I am a native of West Bank and Gaza, and was born and raised in a refugee camp in Bethlehem. I have personally benefited from humanitarian assistance and education programs to refugees. Education has been the greatest equalizer for many refugees and I was fortunate to have the opportunity for a good education that allowed me to pursue a career in development. The impact of these programs on my life is a daily reminder and my motivation for my work.

Bamako, Mali

Amadou Maiga, Project Management Specialist, USAID Mali

Amadou visits a community health center in Dandoli village, Mali.

FSNs play a vital role for USAID around the world. As a native of Mali, how does that affect your approach to humanitarian work?

FSNs are tremendous wealth for USAID as they are really bridges. As a native of Mali, the best way I can help the mission is [through] professional and cultural understanding, and identifying relevant, potential partnerships or interventions that may have positive impacts on the lives of people in my country, [while also] contributing to security in the United States and global peace.

Does anything special come to mind about working for Food for Peace?

When others try to pull out their programs due to [humanitarian] challenges from a region or area, Food for Peace (and humanitarian workers) try to stay and adapt to the situation, and learn.

Budapest, Hungary

Orsolya Josvai, Management Administrative Assistant, USAID Budapest

What do you love about your job?

I love that we are all working as a team to make life better around the globe. This truly creates a family environment where everybody is there for each other.

Does being a native to Hungary affect your approach to humanitarian work in Eurasia?

I’m passionate when it comes to humanitarian work. It has more to do with my views about life, my belief regarding humanitarian support and my giving personality, than with my Hungarian nationality. But as an FSN, I do help the USAID Budapest team with the language and cultural barriers so they can operate more easily and develop better relationships.

Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Magdala Beaublanc, Project Management Specialist, USAID Haiti

Magdala Beaublanc, far left, at a food distribution site in Haiti.

Does being Haitian bring a special perspective to your work?

As a native of Haiti, a country that has never-ending crises (political, natural or societal), my approach to humanitarian work is based on a sense of service. Through this work, I am able to serve communities that are in need.

What do you love about your job? Any memorable moments to share?

I will be forever grateful that I was part of the response team after Hurricane Matthew. This was something close to my heart as one of the affected cities, Jérémie, is my hometown. I was able to be on the ground providing technical and supervisory assistance, ensuring the timely and orderly distribution of the aid.

Yangon, Burma

Aung Soe U, Project Management Specialist, USAID Burma

Aung Soe U, front far left, takes a moment to chat with individuals in Burma who benefit from USAID humanitarian assistance.

What motivates you to do humanitarian work?

As a humanitarian assistance worker in USAID, I feel I can at least contribute something for people in need. In comparison to other communities in Rakhine and Kachin, internally displaced people (IDPs) have limited access to basic needs, and assisting these vulnerable communities is really motivating.

How would you describe FSNs’ roles in the humanitarian assistance arena?

The contextual understanding of FSNs and their contributions to USAID missions play a critical role in developing humanitarian and development progress in [partner countries].