Humanitarian aid workers trade the rough and ready approach for a<br>professional career

MONTREAL, Oct. 16 /CNW Telbec/ - Disaster victims in the Indonesia are lining up for relief as government and aid workers assess the damage done by two major earthquakes in the province of Western Sumatra. Entire buildings have collapsed including schools and hospitals, and city water systems have been completely destroyed. Hundreds of thousands have been left without basic needs, and the Indonesian government is requesting more international aid to deal with the shortages. Action contre la Faim - ACF international, one of the world's leading disaster relief and humanitarian aid organizations, already had aid workers on the ground when the disaster struck. Within hours of the quake, ACF deployed an emergency pool of experienced logisticians and water and sanitation engineers to the region.

Some 4000 people are employed by ACF worldwide. They are characterized by their technical skills, their ability to work under pressure, and their cultural sensitivity.

"Aid workers were once seen as missionary type do-gooders, but the market for humanitarian aid work has changed. It is much larger, more mature, and more global," says Mira Cuturilo, HR Director of ACF-Canada. "Higher wages, professional working conditions, and opportunities for professional development have replaced the rough and ready approach of the past."

Ms Cuturilo stresses the importance of hiring qualified candidates to work in the field. The minimum requirements are a university degree and two years of international work experience. An information session for candidates will take place:

    
    Thursday, October 22, 2009
    6pm - 8pm
    UQAM
    200, rue Sherbrooke ouest
    Montréal, Québec
    Room SH-3420
    Metro Place des Arts
    

The event is organized in partnership with the Chaire Raoul-Dandurand, an institution at UQAM dedicated to research and training in development and diplomacy. It will feature talks from humanitarian aid workers recently returned from the field. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, as well as to meet them personally after the talks.

Action contre la Faim is an international network that brings aid to over 5 million people in 40 countries. ACF's programs focus on malnutrition, water and sanitation, food security, and humanitarian advocacy.

Find out more about a fulfilling career in international aid! Contact Action Contre la Faim!

For further information: Emma Osborne, Human Resources Coordinator, (514)-279-4876, [email protected]; www.actioncontrelafaim.ca; www.dandurand.uqam.ca