RedR NZ:
Making a difference in Afghanistan
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Afghan children at a Kabul orphanage where
Bruce worked, 2007. |
Bruce Smith attended RedR New Zealand’s Essentials of Humanitarian
Practice (EHP) course in Auckland before heading off to his
first humanitarian assignment. He took up a role with the International
Police Programme in Afghanistan and found the material taught at
the RedR course immediately helpful. He notes, ‘The course
prepared me to work with people of different cultures and to be
aware of the challenges I would face working in a hostile environment’.
The course influenced Bruce to use his time in Afghanistan effectively.
He made a personal effort to support a local orphanage by purchasing
blankets and plastic sheets for windows. He also gathered toys,
clothes and stationary for the children, commenting, ‘If it
hadn’t have been for RedR I wouldn’t have even thought
of helping out at the orphanage’.
Bruce Smith in Konduz, Afghanistan. |
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Bruce developed a good rapport with the local community
and explains, ‘We felt great honour when the elders
acknowledged us as friendly, by directly approaching our translator
and verbally thanking us for helping the children. The RedR
training I received emphasised the need to be objective and
to work with the community to ensure the humanitarian work
was useful, fair and implemented effectively’.
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You too can assist RedR’s emergency support work, by offering
your skills to our Register, and/or by sending a cheque made out
to ‘RedR NZ’ to: Neil Mander, Executive Director RedR
NZ, 38 Arundel Street, Mt Roskill, Auckland, 1041
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