As an Afghan national, I have a vested interest in the humanitarian efforts of the United Nations. Many of the people in my homeland are in great need; everything from rehabilitation to development is in high demand. The health of my country is at stake in many of the decisions we make in our daily humanitarian operations. As a Programme Officer, it is my responsibility to ensure we execute disaster relief and recovery efforts with as much integrity as possible.

I work with an incredible amount of respect for my homeland. I combine this deep reverence with an unwavering commitment to the work of the United Nations. I believe the decade-long engineering and humanitarian career I have had with the Organization reflect these ideals.

Before joining the United Nations I was an Assistant Professor of Engineering at Nangarhar University in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. Although I loved the academic world, and firmly believed in the value of having a well-rounded education, I felt the strong pull of serving both my country and the world. After having worked in international non-governmental organizations - including the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) and Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees (DACAAR) - I began working for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) as an Assistant Programme Officer. I could see right away how my skills in analyzing systems and efficient coordination were valued by the organization. As a professional and academic with extensive engineering knowledge, I was able to provide needed assistance.

Afghanistan is a beautiful yet dangerous country. Much of the nation is located in a particularly active climate, geologically speaking, where earthquakes are frequent. Afghanistan is prone to both extraordinarily hot summers and bitterly cold winters. During the winter months, high in the Hindu Kush mountains, it is not uncommon for the snow to lie on the ground for two to three months straight. With temperatures averaging -24°C, people are forced to sleep by their wood-burning stoves. When the summer arrives, the snow melts, often causing floods. In the summertime, the simoom, or dust cyclones accompanied by intense heat, often prevail. The forces of nature know no bounds.

Such extremes of weather often call for a humanitarian response. As the first ever national officer with this United Nations Assistance Mission, I feel it is up to me to help to make ours a mission that is not merely acceptable, but extraordinary in its output. Given that analysis and engineering play a large part in my work as a Humanitarian Affairs Officer, I conduct a lot of planning and executing for gathering resources and deploying teams during an emergency. I request food supplies, oversee the training of first-responders, and coordinate logistics with local village humanitarian workers. As a Senior Programme Officer with OCHA, I am responsible for the programming and administration of the Emergency Response Fund. It is amazing how many small details need to be in place to create the smoothest and most effective responses to an emergency. As an engineer, I have experience in establishing and building upon networks; the process does, in fact, come to me instinctively.

I treasure my homeland and want to help stabilize it for the sake of the future of my grandchildren. My wife and I have nine children, four of whom are married. I love nothing more than to return from a full day’s work to my remote village and create memories with my ever-growing family. Though times in the field can be harsh, it is for the future of my grandchildren that I work so hard to establish safety and security. My one wish is for Afghanistan to gradually become fully stable despite whatever forces nature may throw our way.