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
