During her recent visit to Nepal, Republica's Bipulendra Adhikari caught up with Henry to talk about her career, the challenges of working in development agencies, and her advice to young people seeking development works.
ExcerptsHow did you start working with development agencies?
After I completed my Bachelor's degree with a major in Political Science, I joined Peace Corps as a volunteer from 1987 to 1990. I was 23 then, and I was deployed to Niger (West Africa). I worked as a community development worker and was responsible for a project on water sanitation. My team constructed five wells and shared knowledge on basic hygiene and growing vegetable gardens.
My two and half years of stay in Niger engaged in development work gave me a whole new perspective in life and that's when I realized that this is what I wanted to do in my life. It was also after completing my stint as a Peace Corps Volunteer that I decided to pursue my Master's in Non-profit Management.
Tell us about the challenges you faced as a development worker. How did you overcome them?
To choose a career in development sector was not an easy job even back then. I juggled my studies and work at the same time—working in the day and studying in the night shift. I joined New York-based Lutheran World Relief as the Project Officer when I was still a postgraduate student. Convincing people was probably the most challenging part about my job when I started out, because I was young and I only had a Bachelor's degree. They thought I was too young for the job that I was offered. I worked really hard to prove myself, and they soon changed their opinion about me.
How do you think a student should choose his/her career?
I always say that you should pursue a career that corresponds with your interests. Not everyone in the world is born to be a doctor or an engineer. Paycheck should not be the only consideration when choosing a career; look for something that you enjoy doing. Working for development agencies is considered by many to be a luxurious job. However, not everyone enjoys it. I enjoy my job because I love meeting people from different walks of life. I get to learn about new languages, culture, customs and places. Above all, no matter what career you choose to pursue, don't forget that there is no alternative to hard work.
How competent do you think Nepali youth are?
I have been working closely with many young people here who have taken up development works. More often than not, they come up with new ideas, and they are ready to take risk in life. They love exploring new places and trying something new. My impression is that they are hardworking, bright and skillful. They have positive perspective towards life and are always eager to learn new things. If given good opportunities and trainings to hone their skills, Nepali youth can make the best out of everything.
Do you have any advice for young people here willing to take up development jobs?
First thing first, get out of your comfort zone. Especially if you're a city dweller, you need to be ready to experience village life and understand the people and their ways. To do that, you might work as a volunteer for some time. Trust me, your volunteering experience will help you stand out when you apply for a job in development agencies. A candidate with a volunteering experience and an okay grade has a better chance of getting the job compared to another candidate with excellent grades but no volunteering experience. If I were to hire anyone, I would first look at their village-life experience; a mere 15-day or a month of spending time in village doesn't count. You need to be able to live with local people, and only your experience can prove that.
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