Placement Experience with CARE International

During our five months of online placement at CARE International, we were assigned to CARE UK’s Shelter Team, under the guidance of Bill Flinn, James Morgan, and Jamie Jones. The experience we gained from our placement was predominantly from the CARE International Shelter Summit 2024, where we had the opportunity to participate in discussions with various CARE offices around the globe, such as CARE Nepal, CARE Vanuatu, CARE Turkiye/Syria, CARE Ukraine in collaboration with the Charitable Foundation Stabilization Support Services (CFSSS), and CARE Research Team UK. Overall, this placement provided us with opportunities for professional growth and personal development and focused on the role of women in shelter initiatives as part of CARE International missions.

One of the most interesting and rewarding experiences from the summit was the presentations from CARE offices around the globe. Each office shared their experiences and projects, demonstrating different variations of CARE’s shelter initiatives.

a) CARE Nepal by Mona Sherpa, Country Director

CARE Nepal presented their work in providing shelter to communities affected by floods and earthquakes. Their projects highlighted their structurally resilient, integrated programming for the communities, from immediate response and early recovery to reconstruction, and emphasised the importance of women's involvement as a key part of the implementation.

b) CARE Vanuatu by Manuel Nawairea, BHA Early Shelter Recovery Coordinator

CARE Vanuatu's presentation focused on their innovative shelter approaches in regions affected by cyclones. They discussed their training of Shelter Focus Points (SFPs), which included equal numbers of men and women in spreading Build Back Safer building practices in the community, and women’s involvement in training programs for chainsaw operators.

c) CARE Turkiye/Syria by Joud Keyyali, Shelter/WASH Programme Manager

CARE Türkiye’s refugee/IDP-based presentation highlighted the challenges of working in conflict-affected areas and focused on the importance of creating safe and dignified living spaces. It emphasised the role of consultation, especially with women, in providing dignified shelter units integrated with WASH services.

d) CARE Ukraine, in collaboration with CFSSS, by Anna Borysova, Director of Humanitarian Response

CARE Ukraine/CFSSS presented their work in providing shelters in conflict zones, especially in winter conditions. Led by a team of professional women, their projects include providing Emergency Shelter NFIs, Institutional and Infrastructure Repair, and Upgrading and Cash For Repairs and recovery projects.

e) CARE Research Team UK by Bill Flinn, Senior Shelter Advisor

The CARE Research Team UK provided insights into their research scope, which includes supporting self-recovery, gender and shelter, health and mental health, evaluating wider impacts, climate change adaptation, and women in leadership. They highlighted the importance of evidence-based approaches and the need to integrate gender perspectives with the implementation.

Roles and Responsibilities

Summit Brochure Report and Video

Besides assisting the team during the Summit in ensuring a smooth programme, much of our responsibilities involved compiling and developing a comprehensive brochure report and a video for the CARE Shelter Summit 2024. Both the report and video were designed to summarise the shelter and development strategies of CARE International’s regional offices. This involved:

a) Data Collection from Video Recordings: We gathered data from the various regional offices' presentations. Each office presented its strategies and challenges in implementing its shelter initiatives, which showed the diverse contexts that require differing strategies.

b) Brochure Report Structuring and Writing: We organised the information into a comprehensive structure highlighting their key strategies, successes, challenges, and areas of improvement. Our targeted audience ranges from stakeholders to practitioners in the field; therefore, our writing had to be detailed and accessible to ensure that it was informative.

c) Summit Video Production: We produced and edited the Summit video. It consists of a collage of both photos and presentation snippets from the Summit. Review and Feedback: Both the report and video underwent multiple reviews from the Shelter team. Bill, James, and Jamie gave constructive comments, which we incorporated to meet CARE’s standards.

Lesson Learned

Through these responsibilities and interactions, the placement at CARE was a rewarding experience, providing us with growth opportunities, especially in our professional and personal development. This includes:

a) Enhancement of Soft Skills

The placement significantly enhanced our soft skills, such as collaboration, problem-solving, and adaptability. Working with Bill, James, and Jamie improved our communication and organisational skills and assisted us in finishing the tasks successfully. Additionally, weekly meetings were held and regular and clear communication was practised between the Care colleagues and us, the interns, and the mentorship from, and collaboration with, these experienced professionals provided some industry insights and improved our professional relationships and mutual support.

b) Development of Technical Skills

Besides soft skills, the placement helped us develop diverse technical skills, including report writing, data analysis, video production, and graphic design. The tasks that were given to us boosted our technical proficiency and confidence, especially in using software such as Adobe Photoshop and InDesign for the Summit brochure. By using these tools, we contributed to disseminating key information about CARE’s Shelter initiatives by raising awareness and promoting collaboration among practitioners and researchers. The video collage we created showed the summit’s key moments, to celebrate CARE’s first Shelter Summit.

c) Exposure to Real-world Challenges

Working with CARE International exposed us to the real-world challenges in humanitarian work, which include the logistics, financial, and cultural setbacks in implementing Shelter initiatives. This experience helped shape our perspectives on international and humanitarian aid. Moreover, the summit highlighted the critical role of women in Shelter provisions, as their involvement ensures inclusivity and promotes gender equality in addressing community needs.

Overall, our placement at CARE International was a fulfilling experience that provided us with professional and personal growth. The opportunity to work on the CARE Shelter Summit 2024 was a privilege. This placement also allowed us to contribute small, yet meaningful, projects and helped us develop skills and insights that will be valuable to our future careers. Thank you to everyone at CARE International and the Centre for Development and Emergency Practice (CENDEP) for this incredible opportunity.

By Syafiq Bin Sanusi and Lacey Rojas

CENDEP Field Trip to Ethiopia (May 2024)

By Lou Tooms, Masters Student, CENDEP 2023-24

Acknowledgements: The initial findings of the research summarised here were developed and presented by the research team in the workshop held on the 15th May 2024 in Arba Minch, Ethiopia, and hosted by Arba Minch University (AMU) and GIZ. Research team members are from AMU and CENDEP, Oxford Brookes University (OBU): Supriya Akerkar, Enyew Arkew, Tesfaye Dessu, Pramila Cox-Sehmi, Mamo Gencho, Godsend Korosha, Sneha Maria, Sam Ponniah, Lacey Rojas, Rifah Rakib, Ellen Shaw, Syafiq Bin Sanusi, Hagarework Sinebo, and Lou Tooms.

In May 2024, a team from the Centre for Development and Emergency Practice (CENDEP) at Oxford Brookes University embarked on a field trip to Arba Minch in Southern Ethiopia. This journey aimed to enhance research skills and apply theoretical concepts in real-world settings while fostering collaborative learning and knowledge exchange between postgraduate students at the School of Law, Arba Minch University (AMU), and CENDEP.

Ethiopia presents an intricate migration landscape, both generating and hosting a significant number of refugees. The most substantial displaced group within Ethiopia, however, consists of the 2.1 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by conflict and disaster. Nearly all regions of Ethiopia face ongoing internal displacement, with our project focusing on the Southern Ethiopia Region. Internal displacement in Ethiopia is a multifaceted issue driven by complex socio-political factors and exacerbated by climate impacts such as flooding and drought.

Currently there is limited research on the impacts of multiple displacement on IDPs access to education and livelihoods, and how education and livelihoods interact with displacement across time. CENDEP and AMU’s research therefore asks “How does multiple displacement impact on IDPs access to and experience of entitlements and assistance for education and livelihoods in Southern Ethiopia?”. This research is a collaboration between CENDEP, Oxford Brookes University and Arba Minch University, Ethiopia and is funded by Gerda Henkel Foundation.

Over the course of three days, we visited four villages in Southern Ethiopia and conducted eighteen individual interviews (Male: ten, Female: eight), three interviews of couples (Male: three, Female: three) and two group interviews (Male: eleven, Female: one). The groups were typically composed of two students from Oxford Brookes University, one associate of AMU to translate from Amharic to English and one local translator to translate from the local dialect to Amharic. In the villages, residents were asked whether they wanted to partake in the research project and those who agreed were interviewed. We took a gender balance approach by approaching both male and female residents, and asking questions directly to both male and female participants in group and couple interviews.

Before starting the interview, each participant was informed of the research title and the purpose of the study. Internal displacement is a distressing experience, and the participants who we interviewed may find discussion of their experiences sensitive or traumatic. Therefore, the participants were informed prior to the interview and reminded that all answers are voluntary, and that they may take a break or end the interview at any point. The interview was conducted using a pre-prepared interview guide which consisted of 29 questions under 5 subheadings. These were; Displacement history, Challenges and assistance in current location, Employment, Education and Healthcare. The participants' answers often led to further discussions, providing additional information. At the end of each interview, participants were asked if there was any additional information they wished to share.

We found that the main reason for displacement is conflict: people vs. local government and ethnic group vs. ethnic group. The recent conflicts started in Jan 2019 and spread across multiple villages in the Dirashe and Konso regions. Hunger and lack of shelter followed. People’s homes and lands were burnt and many people were burnt alive in their homes. Others were imprisoned for alleged political crimes. Some even feared for their lives, as people had attempted to kill them. Certain participants said they still have not returned to their homes due to fear of prosecution from the local government. There has been alleged government corruption and discrimination, with the favouring of and selectively giving support to certain ethnic groups over others. This has led to feelings of further discrimination.

Due to the frequency and number of conflicts, the government and NGOs have not been able to meet the needs of the people and the assistance and support received by the participants has not been distributed equally. Additionally, some participants mentioned that they had received assistance from NGOs in the absence of government support. The NGOs’ assistance has included food items and NFI items such as blankets and tents. The majority of the participants received help from the host communities, families, or relatives. However, community-led assistance is not always available due to the mutual struggles and displacements.

When asked about their living conditions, many people were living long-term in housing meant for short-term living such as in emergency shelters. One lady from the Konso religion had been living in a tent made from tarpaulins for five years with her family of ten. We also found that the amount of shelter assistance provided to internally displaced individuals during their initial displacement was higher than in their subsequent displacements, therefore making the individuals more vulnerable during their multiple displacements. We also noticed a lack of security, as families that have been moved from their own homes feel an increased sense of insecurity due to relying on host families or recurrent home destruction.

The majority of the interviewed participants were farmers before displacement and are continuing to try to farm. However, they face extreme challenges. Many are still displaced and can only farm on others’ land, often in insufficient sharecropping or exploitative labour situations and they are facing increasing climate issues such as drought and flooding. Several participants stated that they need support and overall economic progress in order to farm sufficiently. The greatest and most stated need was a sustained peace that would allow them to rebuild their lives and livelihoods.

The displacements also had a destructive effect on the livelihoods of students and government employees and one university student had to drop out of school and he and his family were barely surviving on some farming and pastry selling. One 10th grade student had to leave school and lost a year of his studies. Though still displaced, he’s currently working a part-time job and studying to eventually improve his circumstances by becoming a doctor. A previous government employee was able to find a new government position, but it is not secure and is far below his skill level and previous pay. A highly educated man was imprisoned and still faces persecution and his family is still displaced. He and his wife have managed to find jobs with a local government, but his position is far below his skill level and previous pay. We found that most participants have not completed their primary education due to constraints such as constant conflicts and extreme economic hardships. Few children have been able to attend primary education during their displacements but all of the participants wish for their children to be educated and to stay in education. We found multiple barriers in accessing education. Such as embarrassment due to unclean lack of proper clothes, lack of food, lack of resources such as stationery and books and a lack of infrastructure. UNICEF was the only NGO mentioned to have supported the infrastructure required for informal education. Few participants have mentioned receiving support from their neighbours and host communities to help with their children’s education.

We found that throughout conflict and displacement and during resettlement long afterwards, there is very limited, if any, access to healthcare. Access to healthcare is limited in many ways, including health centres being physically destroyed during the conflict and people being in transit or in hiding and there are still barriers once IDPs have resettled. A health insurance certificate is required to access government funded hospitals, but many don’t know how to access these or cannot afford it. Even those who do have access are referred to independent pharmacies due to lack of medicine in stock. Women’s health was a common issue raised throughout the interviews. Lack of maternal healthcare during displacement and within settlements has led to fatalities during pregnancy and childbirth. Another common theme is the psychological trauma caused by conflict and its aftermath as Mental health care is lacking.

A recurring theme among the participants' aspirations was the need for lasting peace. Many believe that peace would significantly improve their lives, allowing for economic and social stability. We also identified further research areas, including maternal and reproductive health, the impact of natural hazards on livelihoods, and mechanisms for conflict resolution. We had the opportunity to present our preliminary findings at an experience-sharing workshop hosted by AMU and GIZ. This event, attended by representatives from GIZ Better Migration Management, the British Council, and UNHCR, enriched our understanding of Ethiopian migrants and returnees. We are now collaborating to develop and disseminate our research findings through a comprehensive report.

During our stay in Arba Minch, we explored the local culture and landscapes, visiting the Dorze Village with its beehive-shaped huts, attending an Ethiopian wedding party, and enjoyed lots of traditional cuisine. A boat safari on Lake Chamo offered us glimpses of African fish eagles and crocodiles, adding memorable experiences to our impactful trip.

This field trip not only advanced our research skills but also deepened our appreciation of Ethiopia's complex displacement challenges, reinforcing the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing such critical issues.