The World Food Programme Staff Magazine N. 55May 2013

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The first wave of WFP’s largest-ever reassignment waslaunched by Executive Director Ertharin Cousinduring an 18 Sept. global staff meeting. Addressing staffconcerns “about what happens next" as the neworganizational design takes shape, Ertharin pledged thechanges would be rapid, transparent, merit-based andinclude full support for staff throughout the transition."It's going to be as open and fair as we can possiblymake it," she said.

Ertharin referred back to her first day on the job as ED– and her first global staff meeting – where shepromised to refashion WFP into an “even greater andmore effective organization”, starting with a rapidorganizational assessment and work by theOrganizational Development Team (or ODT) to underpinher vision of a WFP “fit for purpose”.

Six months after the September staff meeting, in mid-March, the special senior and professional exerciseshad reassigned 515 staff members – almost 60 percentmore than the mid-year exercise in 2012, which involved327 staff members. Of those 515 staff receiving newassignments, 123 were slated to be dispatched to

non-family hardship duty stations – compared to 116out of 327 in 2012.

In a break from standard practice and operating along“an aggressive timeline”, more than 100 seniormanagers’ jobs were posted on StaffNet within a weekof the staff meeting; these comprised most D2 and D1posts in Rome, liaison offices and regional bureaux – aswell as most D-level posts in country offices (COs) duefor rotation this year. The exceptions were direct, D-levelreports to the ED, specialized functions like inspector-general, and "non-rotational" posts. On 6 Nov., WFPreleased the names of 107 staff who were offered newsenior posts or were permitted to retain their currentpost; of those, 24 were promotions – more than half (54percent) women.

The senior staff changes were followed by two phases ofprofessional reassignment (the first launched on 5 Nov.2012, the second 5-8 March 2013) covering more than400 positions. The large, phased professionalreassignment reflected significant turnover in thereorganized Policy and Programme Innovation division –a hybrid of the former Programme and Policy divisions –as well as a higher number of jobs shifting personnel tothe field in line with the organizational redesign thatseeks to empower COs as WFP’s “centre(s) of gravity”and regional bureaux as our “frontline platforms” foroverseeing field operations.

The six months between the first senior-level postingsand the last professional reassignments posted on 19March coincided with a broad offer of an early retirementpackage, creating an atmosphere of excitement andanticipation mixed with anxiety and tension – at least inthe corridors of headquarters – as staff speculated onwho would be moved where, who might be promotedand who would “take the package”.

“There was a lot of stress amongst staff,” said AnneCallanan, HR’s chief of recruitment and reassignment.She noted that in HR, the accelerated timeline and hugecaseload of some 3,000 job applications created theirown pressing demands. In a regular mid-yearreassignment, there is a six-month lag from the start ofpreparations to the announcement of new assignments.

This time, there were three months to organizeeverything for the three major reassignment phases, shesaid. “This was a huge difference from previousexercises,” Anne said.

To help manage the transition, staffing coordinatorswere given a more pivotal role. “They became theprimary port of call – either your own staffingcoordinator, or the one for the functional area where youwanted to shift to,” Anne said. Many staff lamented thefact that the generic job profiles posted for manypositions – particularly in such a sweeping reassignment– were inadequate. Anne said HR would continueworking with staffing coordinators to improve jobprofiles, but noted that this reassignment’s profiles wereconsiderably more detailed and specific than in previousexercises.

In addition, for the first time, HR opened a special “helpdesk” for the reassignment, launched a new globalrelocation website for professional staff and posted anextensive Q&A on StaffNet that was regularly updatedwith answers to reassignment questions posed by staff.“We’ve really sought to make the exercise astransparent as possible – and also made an intenseeffort to keep staff as informed as possible throughout,”Anne said. – Jennifer Parmelee

Alice Martin-Daihirou, fromCameroon, Chad countrydirector

My first international assignment was Chad in 1996, stillreeling from a series of coups d’état – tense and volatile:ex-child soldiers roamed the streets of the capitalN'djamena, often armed or drugged, and on the road, youwere often subjected to “vehicle and document controls”by armed officials. It was a UN-declared “family dutystation” then, but there were no supermarkets, norecreational activities, no good international schools (myson, the only student in his class, took a full school yearby correspondence because there were no teachers),rationed electricity, no fuel for generators, etc. Onweekends, we would escape across the bridge linkingN'djamena and the Cameroonian town of Kousseri – to getprovisions and, as we expats said, "breathe somerefreshing air".

Today, back in Chad, I find little has changed in terms ofstress or insecurity. What has changed is our workingrelationship with the government, for which WFP is anesteemed partner supporting its MDG objectives; it’s agreat place for professional growth. N'djamena, meantime,has become a graceful city with tarred, well-lit streets andattractive buildings. If you search, you just might findsome interesting artwork and foods to keep you happyuntil the next R&R. Check it out for your next assignment!

What was the best advice you got heading out tothe field the first time?Never be rude or talk back to a uniformed official (unlessyou absolutely have to).

Try your hardest not to get in a car accident during yourtour of duty: the local person is always right, even whenthere’s clear evidence and witnesses. Be ready to pay afine; the value will depend on the degree of perceived orreal shock and damages, and how it’s reflected in thepolice report.

What advice or information did you wish you hadgotten (but didn’t)? We often forget that our families are exposed to thesame stress and uncertainties when they accompanystaff to tough duty stations. They, too, should be givenfull practical advice.

Mary Theresa O’Neill, fromIreland, shipping officer inRome

I had never been to the African continent before I washired as port captain for Massawa, Eritrea in 2001 –ostensibly to push through cargo from the Liberty vessels(as long as two football fields and carrying upwards of

40,000 mt of wheat each!). Lonely Planet posts offeredvaluable insights: manage expectations, prepare forextreme heat, bring your own food. I was so naïve, Iwatched movies like 'Kilimanjaro' and 'Out of Africa' toascertain the appropriate attire – but really you can’t gowrong with linen long sleeves and WFP vest. Fortunately,I brought a HUGE sunhat. It saved me from the atrociousAugust heat - 47 degrees! The first time I stepped fromthe jeep at Massawa was like putting my Irish head in theoven!

Best advice? The most valuable and first resource is WFPmedical services, for excellent practical advice.

Colleague Ron Sibanda gave me this great tip: “Take thetime in those first weeks to orient yourself and get a goodplace to live. Colleagues understand you are finding yourfeet, but the work soon takes over; that’s the vulnerabletime when you might make a hasty decision that canimpact all four years you have left.”

Finally, I wouldn’t have lasted five minutes in the ports atMassawa, Haiti, or Dar without the great WFP driverswhom I cannot praise highly enough. These guys know

Historic Reassignment: The Path to the ‘New Shape of WFP’

New Reassignment ResourcesStaff global relocation website: http://gps.wfp.org

Q&A on special reassignmenthttp://docustore.wfp.org/stellent/groups/public/documents/staffdev/WFP253130.pdf

EP Web ‘Pre-Deployment Kit’http://epweb.wfp.org/ep2/pages/?PageID=123

UN Mission Readiness Check-listhttp://docustore.wfp.org/stellent/groups/public/documents/webcontent/wfp251865.pdf

“Every decision wemake, everyprogramme welaunch, everydollar we spend –each must bejudged by its

impact on the people who dependon us. We must achieve this goal asa team in an increasingly complexand ever-changing humanitarianenvironment.”– Ertharin Cousin, April 2012

Mary in her famoussunhat in Asmara,Eritrea, in Sept. 2001before she entrustedthe hat to colleagueEunice Smith, who today runs thesub-office in Malakal,South Sudan (and stillowns the hat). Eunicetook this photo beforethe official “hathandover.”

Reassigned? Field Hands Offer the Best Advice They Ever (or Never) Got

Contents

Editor: Jennifer Parmelee Graphic Design: Helen Clarke

Pipeline: WFPgo In Print is published three timesa year by Internal Communications, sharing themost interesting, relevant news and features fromWFPgo, with a new cover story. We welcome ideasfor WFPgo stories. If you have suggestions, pleasewrite to internal.communications@wfp.org

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HR Officer Filomena Zukauskaite knew all aboutentitlements and benefits when she was reassigned toAfghanistan. Now, plunged into a "boiling" workenvironment – and longing for her 6-year-old daughterback home in Rome – she understands acutely thesacrifices staff make in taking tough field assignments.But the payback comes from seeing WFP make adifference:

About a year into my assignment in Afghanistan,Country Director Louis Imbleau said to me: “Filo, youshould go see the staff counsellor. There’s somethingwrong with you. You’re still smiling!” Of course he wasjoking, but it’s true: I love my job. I came toAfghanistan because after years at our headquarters inRome, I wanted to see what WFP was like “in the field”.It was hard to take the plunge because of my family –my Italian husband and our daughter Sophia. But sinceI decided to come here in May 2011, I haven’t lookedback.

I’m based in Kabul – which although it’s “the field”compared to HQ, is still a desk-based job at the headoffice so far as Afghanistan is concerned. So when Ihad the chance to visit a sub-office, I jumped. As partof the restructuring of WFP’s presence in Afghanistan,we are closing the Maimana sub-office in northernFaryab province. Programmes will continue, but will berun from the Area Office in Mazar, about 320 kilometresaway – while some 14 staffers will lose their jobs. Myassignment was to explain the plans, help out how Icould, and clarify entitlements and options. We had astaff meeting in which I explained everything through atranslator. We had a few laughs – and not a few tears.But I feel everybody went away understanding thesituation.

The best and the worst parts of my job are two sidesof the same coin: I love being able to help people whenthey come to me with problems. But the reality is,sometimes you have to say “no” or make difficultdecisions. That’s tougher to do in Afghanistan than it isin Rome: everyone is so stressed here. People who

have never been to the field just can’t understand whatit’s like. It’s just boiling: it’s full-on, all the time.

I was lucky that my visit to Maimana coincided withthat of my Japanese colleague Kayo Takenoshita, whoruns our cash and voucher programmes in Afghanistan.In Maimana, WFP gives vouchers to the poorest people– in this case, women and disabled people – that canbe exchanged for food in shops. Kayo let me tag alongon her rounds; it was the first time I’d seen a WFPprogramme close up – and the first time I witnessedhow we help. It made quite an impression.

Everywhere we stopped, Kayo and I were surroundedby children, who always greeted us with a few words ofEnglish. Of course they always make me think ofSophia, and how lucky we are to have all the things wehave. I send her photos from Afghanistan – of kids withkites, our rose garden – things that will let her picturewhere I am without worrying. But she’s so bright, shedoesn’t miss a beat. She asks: “Are there children inAfghanistan?” Yes, I told her. “Are there men inAfghanistan?” Yes, of course, I told her. Then she asks:“So why can’t daddy and I come live with you?”

Being here, I’ve realized just how much our staff givesup to do this work. You’ll never be compensated for thetime away from your family. But coming here was oneof the best decisions I’ve ever made, and I’m sure thiswon’t be my last assignment in the field. - As told toSilke Buhr

HR in Afghanistan:It's Not About theDesk Job

who's who, where, and are walking local encyclopaedias.Get to know them personally.

Best advice or information you never got? Pack thepatience needed to overcome low-speed broadband anddelays in getting your container, a sense of humour, goodbooks, movies, a travel kettle, mosquito net, flashlight,lots of hard copies of your passport and documentation(virtual copies aren’t enough), at least 40 passport-sizedphotos and dollars and euros in small denominations toget you through tricky situations. Go nowhere withoutbaby wipes and two pairs of prescription sunglasses!

Judith Thimke, from U.S.,chief, Shipping Service,Rome

I joined WFP in 1993 as the organization’s first femaleland-side logistics officer.

Best advice?At the time, my future supervisor cautioned me duringthe interview that "It's easy to get into WFP, but veryhard to get out!"

Best information you never got?I have never received a bona fide job description for thepost I have applied for – or been assigned to. GenericProfiles are not enough. A Terms of Reference (TOR)should always be available, so applicants know what toexpect. Also, we expect new staff to "hit the groundrunning" – but this is no excuse for not providing aproper briefing upon arrival.

Devin Gangi, from U.S.,former consultant in InternalCommunications, Rome, andreports officer, Yemen

My first field assignment was WFP Yemen in spring andsummer of 2012. I am now back in Yemen, working forUNFPA.

Best advice heading out?The medical office was great in preparing me andproviding a medical kit. I had to get vaccinations, andDr. Sergio Arena's signature, before WFP could fly meout, so that ‘check and balance’ was good.

Advice you didn’t get?For the rest, I had to do my own homework. I went tosee the staff counsellor for tips on staying sane ifviolence erupted. This was very helpful, but nobodysuggested it during the recruiting process. Same thingfor security: I took initiative and asked around ahead oftime, but there was no official briefing before I left forYemen. Of course, I did get briefed as soon as I arrivedfrom WFP's Security officer and DSS.

I was also unprepared for how much stress can build up.I never freaked out over major violent events, but overtime, the highly restrictive atmosphere does eat at you,affecting your mood and even decision-making at work.So, it’s really important to maintain strong contact withpeople and things that make you feel comfortable and athome. For example, if you're going to the field and neverbothered to set up a Facebook page, now may be thetime!

• Why We Do What We Do• Staff Memories: The Cost of a Breath of Freedom • After 2009 Pakistan Attack, the Long Road Home

• Staff Passions: Logs Officer Finds ‘Ballad of Hope’ • Sudanese National to Carry Olympic Torch in Russia

• In Memoriam: Edith Rodriguez, Warrior Mom• Food Monitor’s Strength Shines Through in Somalia

• The Secret of Partnership Success in Mozambique • Two Ex-Staff Convicted in $6 Million Fraud • Winning Season for Rome Footballers

• Your Voice Counts: Global Staff Survey

• New Strategic Plan for WFP Coming Soon• Food Safety: Often Overlooked, Vital to our Work

• Bidding Farewell to 483 Colleagues• Green Corner

• Ex-Staffer Now President of the Italian Parliament

• Tandem Couples Tell their Stories

The accelerated timeline of the historic2012-13 reassignment exercise – andunprecedented caseload of some 3,000individual job applications – createdunusually high demands on the HRstaff processing the paperwork.

L-R: HR’s reassignment team SeniorHR Assistant Josephine Gonzalez (whois retiring from WFP on 30 April), andassistants Lindsay Rossetti andMarianne Elkjaer

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By Gordon Brown

I'm thinking of the number 95.

But first, some background. In 2003, I was working withFondation Suisse de Deminage, a demining organizationand WFP partner in Iraq. While in Baghdad, I was askedto "put something together" on explosives – a trainingon IEDs (improvised explosive devices), terroristawareness, that sort of thing. Following a series ofpresentations, I was asked by UNICEF to considerjoining them as a Field Security Officer (FSO). Havingobserved the UN from the outside, I was curious as towhat "the UN" actually was. I accompanied the UNICEFcountry rep, a marvellous man named Carel de Rooy, ona road trip. When I saw him interact with a little Iraqigirl, it was obvious that this guy loved what he did andwhy he did it. I was sold.

I signed my very first SSA (Special Service Agreement)with UNICEF on 17 Aug. 2003 with Chris Klein Beekman,a committed, caring and thoughtful man in his early 30s,married for two years, a newborn daughter at home. Hedied in my arms, two days later, in the bombing of UNheadquarters at Baghdad’s Canal Hotel that claimed 22 lives.

I should point out here that, prior to becoming a"humanitarian" in 1998, I enjoyed a lengthy career withthe British military, involving tours in Northern Ireland,the Falklands conflict and Iraq. Injuries, death andconflict were no stranger to me. Yet I was not preparedfor the feelings of horror and outrage that swelled up inme after the Canal Hotel bombing. The UN washumanitarian, it was inviolate, it "did good things" – andyet it was targeted this way? Coldly, calculatingly,callously … and the UN was not prepared. Why should ithave been? After all, the UN was in Iraq to provide life-saving interventions to the Iraqi people.

As individuals, we all cry, and I am no different; the lossof my mother, the birth of my two children, the loss ofChris – all events that led to the shedding of tears.

Fast-forward to 9 June 2009 – past stints in Gaza, SouthSudan, Somalia – and the Pearl Continental Hotel inPeshawar, Pakistan. I was working with WFP (havingjoined from UNHCR just 19 days before), when theTaliban came calling with a truck bomb underneath myroom. Let us say that I took the "express check out" –going from Floor 4 to Floor 1 in milliseconds, with floors

2, 3 and 4 landing on top of me, causing what wereviewed at the time as severe and possibly fatal injuries.Oddly, I didn't cry, but I'm told I was a little vocal andsomewhat "agricultural" in my language.

My dear friend Botan Ahmed Ali Al-Hayawi, whom Iknew from my Iraq days, visited me in the hospital, heldmy hand and apologized for the actions of others. Healways had a ready smile. Four months later, along withfour national colleagues, we lost Botan, too, in thedeadly attack on our country office in Islamabad.

My career has been varied and intense – but not unique.I am not the only person to encounter such tragediesand, sadly, I shall not be the last. I am often asked whyI keep doing this job – sometimes I wonder myself. Butit's a question equally valid if asked of those of youreading this: Why do you keep doing this? Why do yourespond to natural disasters, emergencies and similarevents that invariably lead to UN humanitarianintervention?

There is a British military unit to whose ranks – for wantof fitness, attitude or commitment – I was neveradmitted. Their motto is "Who Dares, Wins." If I were toparaphrase that motto to reflect why we all do what wedo, I'd like to offer this: "We Dare, Because We Care". Iwould also like to quote the words of my grandfather,who to this day remains my only hero: "If you arewringing your hands, you cannot be rolling up yoursleeves."

The number 95? That's the number of names engravedon the memorial wall in the foyer at WFP headquarters.Ninety-five names of those who dared to care – whoexemplify who we are and what we do. The memorialwall speaks far more eloquently than I can ever hope to.The world is not becoming any safer. With that in mind,I ask you to continue daring to care and, above all else,to remain safe.

Why We Do WhatWe Do: A SecurityOfficer Reflects

By Vicki Owens

Late in 2008, WFP Somalia was preparing to movethe country office from Nairobi to Merka, just 75kilometres south of the Somali capital of Mogadishu.I travelled in to visit staff in their new quarters, afreshly renovated compound that served as officeand guesthouse. I was delighted to find it locatedjust across the nearly deserted highway from a long,sandy beach on the Indian Ocean. The only problemwas that Merka was security Phase Four and so thebeach could be enjoyed only by climbing a ladder tothe guard towers to gaze out over the compoundwalls.

After work hours one day, our local security assistantfound me wrapping up some email in the office andsaid, "Come, you must go to the beach!" More thana little surprised, I asked, "Can we do that?" He said,"The others are already there, just come."

So off we went, through the gate, across the road,over the dunes and down to the Indian Ocean waves.It was a gorgeous evening and the wind was blowingfresh salt air in from the east. Since culturallysensitive dress was important for female staff, Iwrestled with my head scarf in the gusts, but nothingdampened the pleasure of the moment. We were asmall group of five internationals, enjoying a rarebreath of freedom in the ocean surf and breeze.

Then, while strolling up the beach I happened tocatch a glimpse of an armed man standing nearby ona sand dune – and caught my breath. My moment ofpanic soon melted into comfort as I realized he wasone of our Somali security guards watching over us .. . as was the man on the next dune, and the next,and the next – six in total. Our fleeting taste offreedom was actually a well-organized outingprepared for us by our sympathetic securitypersonnel.

After an hour, it was time to return to our smallfortress and allow our protectors to get back to theirother responsibilities. But the moment of realizingthe "cost" of our lovely, fleeting moment of freedomwill forever remain a vibrant memory of my few daysin Somalia.

Regional Staff Counsellor Vicki Owens enjoys a“fleeting moment of freedom”, with camels, inSomalia. Photo courtesy of Vicki Owens.

Vicki Owens' Staff Memories piece received anHonourable Mention in the 2012 StaffCommunications Contest on the theme A PricelessMemory from WFP's 50 Years.

Staff Memories:The Cost of aBreath of Freedom

Syed Ali Tahir returned home to Islamabad inAugust 2011 from Geneva, where he spent two yearsrecovering from profound injuries sustained duringthe 2009 bombing of our Pakistan country office. Twoother survivors — Atif Sheikh and Muneer Ahmed— have returned to work and resumed their lives, butTahir, the most severely wounded survivor, stillstruggles to recover.

With weeks of intensive care, several surgeries and agreat deal of therapy behind him, Tahir has madegreat strides. Today, he goes regularly to ShifaInternational Hospital for physio- and speech therapyand remains in strong spirits, his wife Syeda FarahMoin reports. The blast destroyed his ability to speak.One of the few things he can say clearly is"Alhamdulillah" — meaning "thank God."

"Looking at him now, I can't really believe we stillhave him with us," says Farah. "I never lost hope andeven now, when he is still going through differenttreatments… I am positive he will be fully back tonormal."

Tahir, who hasretired fromhis role asF i n a n c e

Officer, keeps a digital camera with him andphotographs every visitor. Seeing their faces helpshim recognize and remember people. Hecommunicates by gesturing and writing messages.Not long ago, he met a colleague from his days in SriLanka during the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami;Tahir recognized him right away.

The disaster impacted not only those injured – butalso their families. "The incident has shattered us.Emotionally and financially, we have struggled, butthank God, who has helped us throughout this difficultand stressful time," his wife Farah says. "Tahir hasbeen a loving father, great husband and a caringfriend." Tahir and Farah have three children, aged 13,8 and 6, whom Tahir considers his best friends. Theyattend the Roots International School in Islamabadand are his motivation for returning to a normal life.

After 2009 PakistanAttack, the LongRoad Home

"If you are wringing your hands, youcannot be rolling up your sleeves."

Syed Ali Tahir(right) with afriend at hishome inIslamabad Photo courtesyof Syed AliTahir

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Aziza Mohamed, a warehouse storekeeper in EastDarfur, Sudan, has been selected to represent WFP inthis year's Olympic Torch Relay. In a global webcast,ED Ertharin Cousin chose Aziza's name from dozensof nominations. Aziza will run her part of the relay on27 Oct. in St. Petersburg, Russia, leading up to theGames in February 2014. Aziza, the only femalestorekeeper in East Darfur – where WFP helps156,000 people a year – talks about her job toLeighla Bowers of Logistics:

How did you join WFP? I started with WFP in 2006, as a casual labourer. In2007, I was promoted to storekeeper, supervising allcommodity handling – including arrival, storage anddispatch. Food and relief items from our warehousesare delivered to IDP camps, schools and local villages.

How did you find your new job as astorekeeper? I quickly learned it wouldn’t be easy. In the first year,WFP’s monthly food requirements nearly tripled, andwe needed to move to a bigger warehouse. This meanttransferring 2,500 tons of food (1,250 bags) with onlytwo WFP trucks, each able to carry just 15 tons. Youcan imagine how many trips it took to move all thisfood! Within a few months, we relocated warehousesand went from handling 2,000 tons to nearly 6,000tons per month.

What do you like most about your job? I like that I am the last one to check the convoy andsend it off for delivery. Being a part of the team in EastDarfur makes me very proud because I am helpingsave thousands of lives.

What is your biggest challenge? In Darfur, the job of storekeeper usually goes to aman. Given the nature of the assignment, it wasexciting to take on this new role. Besides running theoperation with a skeletal staff, my biggest challengewas to have faith in myself as a manager, as well asto prove that women like me have what it takes to dothis job in a demanding context.

I had to work hard - not only for me, but to gain therespect and acceptance of my community as a teamleader, paving the way for other Darfurian women.Now after four years with WFP, I can say I havesucceeded and I am proud that I have upheld WFP’sgood reputation. It is largely due to the excellentsupport of my supervisors and the WFP family,especially strong and inspiring women like Azeb Asrat(now retired, then WFP Area Coordinator in SouthDarfur), that I am able to successfully continue thisrole.

Do you have any advice to women who wouldlike to take on a role like yours? Believe in yourself and be confident! WFP is not onlysaving lives, but it gives hope, makes you strong, andgives you the opportunity to be a part of the solutionin the community around you.

Sudanese NationalWins Chance toCarry Olympic Torchin Russia

The refugee camps of Goma, Democratic Republic of theCongo, are set in a landscape of catastrophe. Smokefrom the smouldering Nyiragongo volcano darkens thesky above thousands of crude shelters across the lavabeds around Lake Kivu – called the "killer lake" for thedeadly gases beneath – and for the thousands of bodiesit has buried from 18 years of violence and conflict on itsshores. Amid the suffering, logistics officer FranckAynes – who joined WFP five years ago – discovered aremarkable human vitality that somehow also thrived,especially among children. Inspired, he worked over thecourse of a year to compose, perform, shoot andproduce a music video dedicated to the kids whoseready smiles offer "a gleam of hope".

With his trusty guitar, he wrote the music and lyricsduring evenings and weekends in Goma and while onholidays and R&R. He recruited a handful of churchgospel singers and two local musicians who were crucialto blending in the Congolese elements – Alain Tumani,who sang and played guitar with Franck, and SammyMubere Mapezi, who sang background and played ahome-made traditional Congolese harp. Franck talks toJennifer Parmelee:

How did you get the idea to create a music video?I love to discover musicians or bands who come from thegrassroots – not the ones you see on TV, from the bigmusic studios. A few years ago, I ran across thisorganization, "Playing For Change" – the amazingproject of a sound engineer who travels around theworld with his computer, microphones and videocameras. So you can have a drummer from Congo, asaxophonist from the US, an Italian guitar player, anIsraeli singer, South African choirs. I found this a brilliantidea – also because blending this music brings amessage of peace. This was one of my inspirations forthe project.

What's your musical background?I'm from a musical family – professional and amateurmusicians, as well as music teachers. I have played theguitar since I was 12.

What were some of the challenges you faced?My first priority was to record "the Congolese spirit" – allthe voices and the harp, on my computer withprofessional recording software. We recorded theCongolese voices fairly smoothly, but the harp proveddifficult. As you can see in the video, it is hand-madefrom an old USAID/WFP oil can. This particularinstrument can't really be "tuned" at all, so it is tough torecord it in a clear and audible way.

The recording studio in Goma was also challenging:small and dusty with no electricity, the equipment wasbasic and very old, while the generator broke down allthe time. I paid the fuel costs on a regular basis andbrought in headphones and microphones from France.But there was a warm, magical atmosphere created byall those nice people packed in there, giving their bestand 1,000 percent motivated for this project. With a lotof effort and energy, we managed to capture it all.

Now, like a cook preparing a pizza, I had all ingredientson my computer (the Congolese voices and harp) andthe clear idea of the music in my head. My challengewas then to add all my own ingredients to the mix(guitars, voices, drum, bass, percussion, etc.) and thencook it – ready to serve! The whole process took morethan nine months.

Watch the video here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWtlMPJcQuw

What drew you to make the music video on thecamps of Goma, so bleak?The children – 100 percent. I remember one little girl Inoticed during a food distribution taking place during a2009 visit to the area by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. As you can imagine, there was a lot of activity.She was just sitting in the middle of it, collecting waterwith an empty look in her eyes, completely detachedfrom her busy surroundings. She then got up, smiled atme, and left with a jerry can full of water that wasalmost as tall as she was. I never saw her again. It wasjust a few minutes in my life when our looks and oursmiles crossed. I will never forget.

Did you have a specific inspiration for the lyrics?Yes, an article I read about a little Congolese refugee girlwho lost everything when her village was attacked. Shehad seen family members killed, women from her villageraped, her village burned – the kind of story terriblycommon in the bush country around Goma. This girl saidshe ran for days through the forest in the rain, sufferingfrom hunger, and finally reached the Kibati refugeecamps near Goma. She explained how she and otherrefugees had received cooking pots, sheets, matches, abit of food. She said something like, “A new life can startnow: at least we have something.” This spirit of hope isexpressed at the end our song: "Film the Congo. Takepictures of everything for the TV news in your country.But tell them that in my tears, shines a gleam of hope."

You sing about “ma petite soeur”, my little sisterin French. Are you referring to these girls?Exactly. The "axis" of the song is like an older brotherholding the hand of his younger sister. They go throughthis terrible story together. He narrates the song, talkingabout his sister as they run away from the war. Hedescribes her "fearful, empty look", how they slept inthe jungle under the rain, their heads full of the terribleimages from their ruined village, how "hunger erasedthe others around them". We (Alain and I) sing it as if itwere our own little sister.

Staff Passions: LogsOfficer Finds ‘Balladof Hope’ in DRC

Aziza Mohamed with colleagues in Darfur

Leila Ali Ahmed, 32, is a field monitor in one of theworld's most dangerous environments, her nativeSomalia. In four years with WFP, she has endured deaththreats and civil conflicts in a job that requires constantescort and a vigilant eye. Here, Leila shares her storywith WFPgo.

How did you come to WFP?I joined WFP in 2008 as a field monitor. Since childhoodI have witnessed my countrymen, especially women andchildren, suffer the consequences of armed conflict andhumanitarian catastrophe. I have always prayed that oneday God would give me the opportunity to help them.When I was offered this position, I knew that theopportunity to dedicate my life to humanity had come.

Where do you work?Most of my work is currently based around Galkayo, acity in north-central Somalia that is one of the highest-risk places in the country. The city is divided into twoareas, each dominated by opposing clans. At the back ofmy mind, I know something bad could happen to me ormy family. Official cars pick me up and drop me off athome, and I don't move around the town alone. I hardlyever go out at night and always keep my doors locked.

How do you juggle work with family? I am a wife and mother of two sons and three daughters,from ages two to 10. It's not easy balancing work,motherhood and housework. Sometimes my job requiresme to work longer hours and babysitting expenses addup. It's hard to get home after a long day and startsorting through the children's mess; I’ve been known todoze off while trying to catch up on household chores!

What are your main job responsibilities?I coordinate our local emergency nutrition programme,monitoring the movements of our foodstuffs: deliveries,storage, transport and particularly on-site distribution at

field level – it is vital to ensure that the correctentitlements are given to the right beneficiaries. I alsoverify if the amounts received have been accuratelyrecorded and report all relevant information to thecountry office. We place a strong focus on genderequality such as facilitating women's access to economicskills development and sensitizing public opinion ongender-related issues.

Any advantages or disadvantages in being a femalefood monitor? There are currently five WFP female field monitorsworking in the region. As women, we are particularlyvulnerable and it's hard not to think about all thehumanitarian workers who have been abducted andkilled in Somalia. And it takes a strong personality towithstand the stress and daily contact with great humansuffering. The advantage is that it's easier as a womanto build rapport with female beneficiaries: they see me asa role model and are more likely to follow my advice.Also, as a mom, it’s easier for beneficiaries who aremothers to trust me and discuss delicate issues theywouldn't share with male staff.

What do you like most and least about your job?As a food monitor, you often have to deal with sensitivesituations and negotiate with different people who canhave strong opinions. You need to think on your feet,stay calm and make the right decisions. For example, Irecently visited a compound for internally displacedpersons. We were only authorized to give food to childrenunder five, pregnant women and lactating mothers. Thecommunity elders were angry and told me I was creatingproblems and to leave their village immediately. Theircomments were like a slap on the face. The communityexpectation is often that all the families receive food aid.However, I find the challenge of meeting, sharing,discussing, distributing, prioritizing, problem-solving bothstimulating and rewarding.

What dangers have you faced in the line of duty?I have worked in many regions of Somalia and havereceived many threats. One of my most frighteningexperiences was in an area controlled by militant groups– one of which was trying to take WFP food forthemselves. I called our cooperating partner, a localNGO, and told them that food aid is strictly for the peoplein need – not for local administrations. The armed groupstarted to threaten me by phone and text message. Theytold me I was working for the infidels and to relinquishmy position or face the full force of Sharia (Islamic law).I knew these were not idle promises and I left the area.

Have you ever thought about giving up your job? No, never. Our beneficiaries are exposed to the samesecurity threats we are. Abandoning them would beselfish. I want to continue helping the hungry poor forthe rest of my life.

Editor's note: Since January 1994, eight WFP staffmembers have lost their lives in the line of duty inSomalia. Half of them were field monitors.

Food Monitor’s StrengthShines Through in Somalia

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In just over four years with WFP, Edith Rodriguez(pictured above, centre) – who succumbed to cancer on4 Dec. 2012 – made a name for herself as the tenaciousnational officer-in-charge who reinvigorated theDominican Republic country office, which had struggledto stay open after the government took over schoolfeeding in 2005 and food aid was phased out.

Passionate about the power of nutrition and armed withundergraduate and Master's degrees in food andnutrition, she helped the country office shift its focus tofood assistance in line with the Strategic Plan. She set tobuilding national capacities in hunger and nutritionprogrammes – and worked with the government to reacheven the poorest children. To succeed at a time ofincreasing competition for resources, she mobilized herWFP team around the mission. "Her enthusiasm wascontagious. Everyone in our office was compelled to liveand breathe nutrition," said Programme Assistant KeylaDiaz. "We regarded her as more than a boss: she wasalso a friend and close supporter. Her life's work willserve as an inspiration to all of us."

Edith was a woman who refused to bow beforeaggressive cancer – which she described as her "greatestbattle" after being diagnosed in July 2009. In spite of thetough chemotherapy regime and the heartbreak ofdiscovering it was not, after all, in remission – Edithremained positive, vigorous and on-the-job. Colleagueswho saw her at a regional meeting not long before herdeath reported her as active and spirited as ever.

In excerpts from interviews in fall 2012, she talks aboutthe challenges of balancing the demands of the missionwith her dedication to the lives of her husband of 20years, Eddy, and her two children: Amber, 20, andEduard, 17.

How did you start working for WFP?It was always my dream to apply my skills as anutritionist and improve the quality of life for the poorand marginalized. In 2008, a vacancy opened at WFPDominican Republic for a national officer and I won thecompetitive process.

What’s the hardest aspect of your work?Budget cuts … it’s difficult to get funding to developprojects because Dominican Republic is considered amiddle-income country. Yet the overall statistics hide thesocial problems of the country's poor, who comprise morethan a third of the total population.

What do you like the best?Being creative – you have to be, when resources arelimited! For example, we’re developing a true nutritionproject for the conditional cash transfer programme ofthe Dominican Republic government. What I really love,though, is being able to make real changes – to knowthat the rate of anaemia and the number of acutemalnutrition cases are declining, that pregnant womenare regularly attending their prenatal care sessions, etc.

How do you juggle your family’s needs with the"greater" needs of our beneficiaries?I receive great support from my family: they share mypassion for social work. Yet it remains a challenge tobalance it all. Throughout my career, I have spent longhours at work. After suffering from cancer, I realized thatI needed to re-balance my life. So I have beendelegating more work to my team, taking care of myhealth and spending more time with my family.

You keep strong in the face of so many challenges,Edith. What is your secret?Thank you for defining me as a strong woman– yet Ibelieve that strength comes from within. The importantthing is to not give up the fight – to be confident that youwill win. At work, I have enjoyed the support of awonderful team, committed and passionate about whatwe do. At home, I have been fortunate to have a greatspouse who believes in the bond of family and mutualsupport. We’ve been lucky to have wonderful children,Amber and Eduard, who are responsible, understandthey must strive to achieve goals in their life and howimportant it is to help those less fortunate.

Lastly, my battle with cancer has been a painful and hardprocess. But now I understand that sometimes we needto go through terrifying situations in order to recognizehow wonderful life is and to value the things we have intheir rightful dimension: a close family, comforting work,a committed team, projects that help improve the livingconditions of the poor and vulnerable, colleagues andbosses who support me unconditionally, an army offriends and relatives who pray for me every day. Afterthree years of cancer, I've come to understand that allhuman beings come to suffer some catastrophe in theirlives – that this does not happen only to "others". Now Iam a more complete person, more sensitive and eager tolive for many years to come. – As told to MichellePellegrino

In Memoriam: A Warrior Mom who Took Aim at Work – and Life

By Jordan CoxThe Mozambique country teams from FAO, IFAD and WFPreceived the first joint Award of Excellence: WorkingTogether in the Field at a 14 February 2013 ceremony heldin Rome. Later that day, WFP Mozambique Country DirectorLola Castro and FAO Mozambique Representative Juliode Castro joined staff at WFP's Rome headquarters for aninformal chat on how the three agencies began workingtogether, and how they've made their partnership sosuccessful.

Lola, a native of Spain, started with WFP in Mozambiquein 1994, working with refugees from the country's brutal15-year civil war; she came back to the country again inJune 2009. Julio, a native of Uruguay, started inMozambique September 2010. Along with IFAD CountryProgramme Officer Custodio Mucavele, the three agencieshave spent the last four years building a partnershipthrough a series of successful programmes. Here's howthey did it.

The three Secrets to SuccessFor Julio, one difference between success and failure hasbeen a willingness to talk. "If you don't discuss, you arefinished," he says. "It's essential to keep that line ofcommunication open." Sharing a common language(Spanish) helps, too.

"[Another] secret of my success is very simple," he says. "Iallow Lola to micro-manage my office." Sharing a sense ofhumour helps too, of course, but Julio's light-heartedexample is really about having confidence in one's partner."We trust each other."

His third secret? "Being generous." When Lola was headedto a meeting with the European Union to talk funding, "shesaid ‘I cannot go alone, FAO must come with me' … we arepart of the one UN." This generosity extends into the realmof the practical. "Sometimes Lola calls and says ‘I need acar.' Or I call and ask for a truck to transport something. OrI call last minute needing an interpreter — and Lola knowsone," says Julio. "A practical sense of partnerships is what[makes it work]."

The ChallengesJulio says their biggest challenge has been conveying tostaff the need for partnerships and working regularly withcolleagues from other agencies. Lola agrees. "Staff say,

‘Oh, if I work with FAO and IFAD, it's going to be morework,'" she says, adding: "But the outputs are better."

Sitting down with staff from the other agencies can beharder than Lola and Julio make it look: "I've been withFAO for 25 years, including nine years in Rome, and I havenever been here to WFP before today," Julio said whenmeeting WFP staff at HQ. Set to retire in four months, hewould never once have visited WFP HQ had he not joinedLola for the informal chat. "How can we collaborate if I haveno idea where you are working?"

Purchase for Progress Director Ken Davies — who wasWFP's country director in Mozambique before Lola Castro —told a similar story about the recent P4P consultations heldat FAO. "There were 15 WFP country directors present, andsome said ‘thanks for holding it here, you know, I've neverbeen to FAO before.'"

Lola says partnership is an ongoing process. "It takes time.[Collaboration] doesn't fall from a tree. You get discouragedby the time it takes you to overcome those barriers – andmany times we lose opportunities because you losepatience with all those obstacles in the way."

She says that moving outside our respective organizations— "breaking the boxes," as she puts it — is something thatstaff need to see not as a threat to their jobs, or assomething that will only create more work, but instead assomething that "is healthy – and something that donorswant to see".

The RewardsThough the Rome-based agency partnership inMozambique is just a few years old, it has already reapedrewards on nearly every front – from operations to funding."We don't come separately all the time to talk to thepeople, to do assessments, to do training," says Lola. "Wecome as a team." Julio adds: "You save in logistics, time,transport. It means more than just adding three agenciestogether – it’s multiplying their potential."

That donors want successful partnerships means there's astrong financial advantage to working together. Forexample, Julio says, if he goes to see the minister ofagriculture, he has "some influence" but believes theydouble or triple their clout if they visit that ministertogether. "Together with IFAD, we are food security in thatcountry."

The success of previous joint programmes has beenrecognized by the European Union and the government ofMozambique, who are now working to expand thepartnership through a 67 million euro project as part of theEuropean Commission's Millennium Development Goals(MDGs) initiative.

Those successful partnerships were fostered in part byMozambique's being chosen as one of eight pilot countriesfor the Delivering as One project, begun in 2007 to improveUN coordination. "In line with Delivering as One," says KenDavies, "the most sense was to focus our efforts aroundfarmers. For example, IFAD could handle credit issues, FAOpost-harvest technical expertise, and WFP procurement."Their initial joint programme went on to become theplatform for Purchase for Progress, which debuted in 2008.

The FutureFor Lola, the next step is for donors to perceive the threeagencies working together as one. "The more projects wedo together, the more [donors] see the added value. Wepresent a stronger case, a huge menu of projects, buildingon past successes, expanding them, making them grow.New tools, innovations, different approaches. We can showhow we're working together on the [food security] chain atevery step, from production to nutrition," she says.

With the just-completed reassignment cycle bringing in arange of new country directors across the globe, how canstaff maintain partnerships? For Lola, investing inpartnership with her staff pays off, and now: “They make it happen themselves.” In other countries, she adds, "I'msure it'll be different, but we encourage them to really tryit."

Two Ex-StaffConvicted in $6 Million Fraud A South African magistrate on 4 Dec. 2012 handed downconvictions on 18 counts of fraud against two formeremployees, Emile Massoudi and Ashwin Barnabas,accused of bilking WFP's South Africa regional bureau ofapproximately $6 million. Bail was revoked and the twomen, who had worked for WFP in finance, were takeninto custody.

"We are pleased by the convictions in these cases," saidWFP General Counsel Bart Migone. “They send a clearsignal that WFP has zero tolerance for fraud and will,where required, work with local authorities to ensurethat those who divert resources from the beneficiariesare held accountable. We are grateful for the judgmentof the Specialised Commercial Crime Court and theefforts of the South African police and prosecutionauthorities in ensuring that justice was done."

The two men face up to 15 years in prison on each ofthe 18 counts of fraud. Sentencing has been rescheduledfor the end of May 2013.

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The Secret of PartnershipSuccess in Mozambique

The WFP's women's football team in Rome, born in2005, is a force to be reckoned with in the 2013season. Fielding 20 staffers, the team, co-captained byKatie Alderton, a UK staffer with CONNECT, andJanina Keith-Kirk, senior food procurement assistantfrom New Zealand, was undefeated in 2012. The teamthen won the Master Cup championships. Thechampionship team is pictured below: Back row L to R:Janina Keith-Kirk, Lucy Russell (Canada) SilviadiPilla (Italy), Cecilia Sena Monteiro (Cape Verde),Mirjam Jaring (Netherlands), Chiara Satta (Italy),coach Italo Vassallo (Italy). Front row: L-R: KatieAlderton, Nastassia Faccio (Italy), Emily NicosiaVinci (Italy/New Zealand).

Winning Season for Rome Women’s andMen’s Footballers

Following in the footsteps of the victorious women’s team,our Rome-based men's football squad’s four-month 2012-13 football season ended with a championshipmatch on 12 Feb. – a hard-fought game right up until thefinal whistle. Conceding two early goals, the team cameback strongly to win 3-2 and take home the 2013 MarconiCup, a tournament of 12 amateur teams in Rome.Comprised of 11 WFP staffers, the team was co-captainedby Gianluca Guerrini, an Italian national andadministrative assistant in Purchase for Progress, andlogistics assistant David Sabbatini, also from Italy. Thechampionship team is pictured below. Back row L to R:Gabriele Dingiullo (Italy), David Sabbatini, MarcoGalotti (Italy), Henrik Hansen (Denmark), GianlucaGuerrini, Kevin Moore (Ireland); Front row L-R: JacobStefanik (U.S.), Joris van Hees (Netherlands), Nils VanWassenhove (Belgium), Sandro Banal (Italy).Championship teammates Edo Ndeke (Netherlands) andMattia Pinzone (Italy) were not available for the photo.

Mozambique Country Director Lola Castro (R) – soon to be reassigned to Pakistan as countrydirector – with a community volunteer during flooding in Mozambique in February 2013

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Taking Stock of theGlobal Staff SurveyThe Global Staff Survey, conducted in November 2012,sought the views of some 13,620 employees on a range oftopics, including job satisfaction, workplace relationships,organizational culture and career opportunities – and6,045 responded, a 44% response rate. This response ishigh enough to give reliable indications of staff perceptionsacross the organization.

The good news. The survey tells us that employeeengagement in WFP – the extent to which people aremotivated to contribute to organizational success –matches and in some areas exceeds global private sectornorms. In general, respondents think that WFP iscommitted to high levels of service and quality, as well asto continuous improvement to achieve betterorganizational results. WFP compares well with globalnorms and has some real core strengths, including:

• Pride in WFP• Belief in and clarity of our purpose, role and

objectives• Teamwork• Safety and security• The effectiveness of our line managers

For example, 85% of us are proud to work for WFP and74% of us are, overall, extremely satisfied with WFP asa place to work.

Where we need to do better. You told us that we need toget better in a number of areas:

• Growth and development• Equality/opportunity/fairness (particularly in

relation to women)• Involvement and empowerment

For example, 56% of you feel you can achieve your careergoals in WFP and less than half (43%) feel that WFP doesa good job of developing capabilities. In fact nearly all ofthe lower scores are in the area of career development,support, promotion, fairness, etc. These results are verymuch in line with what the Organizational DevelopmentTeam found in its work as part of our organizationalstrengthening. Women staff members feel consistently lesspositive in these areas than men.

One in five of you said you had experienced harassment onthe job within the past year and one in four said you hadwitnessed it. Conversely, 69% and 62%, respectively,disagreed or strongly disagreed that you had experiencedor witnessed harassment. Although this is a slight

improvement in levels reported in previous staff surveys, itis unacceptable given our zero tolerance policy.

Next steps. One of the most significant findings was thattwo-thirds of you believe the results of the survey will beacted upon. And they will be.

Preliminary findings were shared at the GlobalManagement Meeting in December, and a working groupbegan meeting in January 2013 to develop a framework toaddress the survey's most significant implications. Chairedby Chief of Staff Jim Harvey, it includes OmbudsmanFrancisco Espejo and representatives fromCommunications (Steve Taravella), Ethics (CatherineColmay), Human Resources (George Heymell), theProfessional Staff Association (George Aelion and LauraLoCicero) and the Union of General Service Staff (NancyAlvarez and Antonio Brina). The group will ensure that staffwill be consulted during the process of discussing resultsand planning actions.

Human Resources has been generating reports forindividual divisions and country offices, which can receive these tailored analyses by emailingGlobal.EmployeeSurvey@wfp.org. We encourage allmanagers to analyze and discuss local results with theirstaff. Managers and their teams should consider what localactions are appropriate and incorporate activities into 2013work plans.

We have included some highlights of that report below, but you can now find the full question-by-question results at this link:http://docustore.wfp.org/stellent/groups/public/documents/other/wfp255295.pdf

Please remember that most questions were framed aspositive statements – thus higher favourable scores are"good". However, since – for example – questions 54, 55,65 and 66 were framed as negative issues, a low"favourable" response rate for these four questions isactually the more positive result.

The next Global Staff Survey is expected to take place in2014, using these results as a baseline.

Your Voice Counts

School feeding focal points Kenneth Chola(L) from Zambia, Nivine Osman from Egypt,Carol Montenegro from Panama and IrumKanwal from Pakistan share experiencesduring a school feeding workshop in Bangkok.They learned about improving sustainabilityduring transitions to nationally-ownedprogrammes. Photo courtesy of AdeyinkaBadejo

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WFP conducted a broad, consultative process to developa new Strategic Plan to guide the organization's workfrom 2014 to 2017. A strategic plan gives anorganization's staff and board members a commonreference point when looking at priorities, resources,outcomes.

WFP's new plan will replace the 5-year plan adopted in2008, but will generally continue that plan's direction.The plan will "make targeted adjustments and fine tunewhere necessary," according to a four-page ‘Road Map’guiding the process.

Consultations included one-on-one interviews with fieldstaff and country directors, covering issues such as ourperceived progress in the shift from Food Aid to FoodAssistance; the extent to which our work is perceived tobe guided by the plan's objectives; which objectivesmight be significantly revised, dropped or folded intoothers; and any one thing that might be changed aboutthe Strategic Plan.

For instance, to the latter question, Field MonitorNagmeldeen Abdallah from Sudan’s Nyala sub-office,

offered this advice: "I would add one thing: a clearguideline prioritizing WFP's strategic objectives at thefield level. The priority is objective number one (‘SaveLives and Protect Livelihoods in Emergencies'). Anyother project which is not saving lives should comesecond. We need support on the ground to prioritizeWFP's Strategic Objectives in the field."

Other parts of the exercise include working groups madeup of staff from all regions, discussions with partnersand NGOs, a review of more than 100 documents, and asurvey of staff views that can be accessed using thefollowing links. The chain of consultations will result in adocument that will be presented to the board in June2013.

The current draft of the 2014-17 Strategic Plan isavailable under ‘consultation documents’ on:executiveboard.wfp.org/home

Full survey results available here:http://go.wfp.org/web/wfpgo/newsview-comments/-/journal_content/56_INSTANCE_8V0k/10502/4097592

Corn-soya blend that turns green when cooked,aflatoxins that develop in maize, exploding cans of fish(see photo at right) or high-nutrition supplementaryfood contaminated during production. These are some ofthe issues that WFP's Food Safety and Quality Unit –created in 2009 – must contend with. With an averageof 4 million tons of food moving around the world eachyear, amid often-challenging climactic and securityconditions, the unit has the daunting responsibility ofensuring that the food our 90-million-plus beneficiarieseat is safe.

Yet this crucial aspect of our work is often taken forgranted. "We cannot continue to be the firefighters,going from one blaze to another. Many of our countryoffices don't know we exist," says the unit's first head,Bertrand Salvignol. "We need to institutionalize foodquality and safety throughout our operations." Bertrandwas succeeded in the post in October 2012 by ShanePrigge, who came to Rome after four years as foodtechnology and commodity quality control officer basedin Bangkok. WFPgo’s Michelle Pellegrino interviewedBertrand before he departed on a year's sabbatical:

What is food safety and why is it an important partof WFP's work?Food safety means ensuring that the food we supply willnot cause harm to our beneficiaries, who are often weakand have no power to complain. It is both a legalrequirement and our duty to deliver good quality, safefood.

How do we keep our food safe?WFP has a highly complex food supply chain with adiverse food basket made up of basic commodities andprocessed foods. We distribute our food across morethan 70 countries, often in harsh climatic and securityconditions. To oversee it all, we deploy just 19 foodtechnologists – only eight of them fully engaged on foodsafety; the rest divide their time with otherresponsibilities ranging from procurement andprogramming, to logistics.

Ideally, we should have staff in Rome to design the foodquality system and prepare the training, plus one personper regional bureau to implement. We also work withmyriad partners, ranging from suppliers, manufacturers,inspections companies, shippers and truckers towarehouse managers, cooperating partners and labs. We

need a preventive system based on risk assessmentalong the supply chain, ensuring the food we buy is keptsafe throughout – not just a "one-point check".

What are the new challenges facing food safety inthe 21st century?We have new, more sophisticated products such asReady-to-Use Supplementary Foods and SuperCereal Plus that require more careful monitoring thanproducts in the past – not only in the process stages butalso in the countries where they are distributed. Whathappens to fat-based products when exposed to the 50-degree temperature in the Sahel, for example? Weneed to find this out. We've teamed up with Logistics tocarry out tests in both the lab phase and under realconditions to measure the impact temperature has onthe quality of stored food.

Both recipient countries and external stakeholders areincreasingly interested in the quality and safety of WFP'sfood. Communication nowadays is extremely fast anddiffuse: the entire world can hear about any food safetyissues WFP may have. It’s essential for us to be able toprove at any time that our food is in good shape

Could you tell us about a recent food safety issue?One of the most notorious cases was the over-fortification of corn-soya blend – known as "green CSB",as it turned green when cooked. This problem arose dueto the over-fortification of iron and Vitamin A in the CSB– which is potentially detrimental for pregnant womenand certain age groups. The result was that 34,000 tonsof CSB had to be re-processed across 24 countries – anoperation that began in 2003 and was only completed in2006. Luckily, "big" food safety issues are rare.

Are some of our foodstuffs "safer" than others? Grains and pulses are less at risk because they usuallyare further processed or cooked, which destroys anygerms. The exception is maize, which is vulnerable toaflatoxin (a poisonous fungus).

What should a country office do if it hears of asuspected food safety issue?The first step is to be quick. If kids are sick we need tosend a doctor to evaluate the symptoms to ensurethey're not caused by something else, such ascontaminated water. We have devised a five-stepprotocol called "IDEAL":

• Initiate: provide each country office with contact listsof doctors, food authorities, partners, etc. We alsoneed to supply the CO with information on thesupplier, such as the latest audits and overallperformance evaluations

• Detect: identify the incident, notify the relevantauthorities and register the issue

• Estimate: the incident must be contained and therelevant authority assigned according to the extentand seriousness of the incident, which is determinedby our unit, based on the collected information

• Act: decisions need to be made on how we are goingto resolve the issue

• Learn: what can we learn from the incident? How canwe use this information to further improve our systemand avoid this type of incident from happening again?

Our unit is aiming to have this protocol standardizedthroughout the organization. This way, all regionalbureaux, country offices, and HQ will know the correctprocedures to follow should a food safety issue arise.

Food Safety: Often Overlooked, Vital to our Work

New Strategic Plan for WFPComing Soon

Bertrand Salvignolinspects a food bag

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Travel Rules Aim forTrimmer, Greener WFPTo make our organization leaner, greener and conformmore closely to UN travel standards, WFP has revisedtravel rules and regulations that impact everything fromDSA rates to lump sums upon taking home leave. "Travelis an integral part of WFP business and should beundertaken as economically and efficiently as possible,"said Executive Director Ertharin Cousin.

The changes that will have the broadest impact on staffare those regarding official air travel, a major line itemin the budget and a chief source of WFP’s carbonemissions. Those new norms bring all senior staff,including the ED, into alignment with those for the restof WFP. Specifically, economy class will be used for allduty travel the sole exception is when staff with fixed-term, continuing or indefinite appointments flyfrom Rome to New York or Washington, or when totaltravel time exceeds nine hours. If you’re traveling toattend training or workshops, you will fly in economyclass no matter what category of staff or how long yourtravel time.

The new rules encourage staff to avoid or limitdiscretionary travel to cut costs and carbon emissions in

line with WFP’s Climate Neutral Emission ReductionStrategy. Approving managers must ensure that alltravel authorizations document why, for example, two ormore WFP representatives are needed from the sameoffice – why WFP could not be represented by local staff– or why videoconferencing couldn’t take the place oftravel.

To see full story with links to all documents:http://go.wfp.org/web/wfpgo/newsview-comments/-/journal_content/56_INSTANCE_8V0k/10502/4061944.Inquiries on travel to: WFP.ASKTRAVEL@wfp.org

Somalia’s Solar Ware houseAfter almost three years of work and surmounting hugesecurity and logistical hurdles, the Somalia country officehas converted WFP's Galkayo warehouse and compoundin central Somalia from reliance on diesel generators tosolar panels.

Today, lighting, air conditioning, satellitecommunications equipment, and computers are allpowered by the sun – meaning significant financial and“green” savings of at least 4,000 litres of fuel per year,permanent connectivity and a far cleaner system. Thesecurity advantages are multiple: no more riskytransporting of diesel (a lucrative commodity) acrossSomalia, and the system can be entirely monitored andprogrammed from the country office in neighbouringKenya. – Adam Ashcroft

ABDOOL RAHMAN Ameena Bibi, Mauritius ABRAMOVICI Pierre, FranceABU-GHANNAM Thafer, PalestineABUGO Arona Suliman, SudanACAYO Grace, UgandaACHEAMPONG Ebenezer, GhanaACHUKA Paul, UgandaADAYE Mattewos, EthiopiaADMASSU KASSA Senait, EthiopiaAGHEGN Tedros, EthiopiaAHMAD Kamran, Pakistan AHMED Nazir, Bangladesh AHMED Rashid, Myanmar AIKORU Aisha, Uganda AISYAH Nur, Indonesia AKHROROV Sobirjon, Tajikistan AKWI Christine Asio, Uganda ALAM Md Shamsul, Bangladesh ALEMAYEHU Sisay, Ethiopia ALEX Stephen Towongo, Sudan ALFARO Lesly Yamileth, Honduras AL-HUSSAISY Faisal, Yemen ALI Nurain Abdalla, Sudan ALOYS Kabore, Burkina Faso AL-SAQQUAF Mazen, Yemen AL-SOUD Khawla, Jordan AMONGIN Ruth Mary, Uganda ANDERSEN Dorte, Denmark ANDRIANAVONISON Ranto Tiaray, Madagascar ANGEL Manuela, Colombia ANWAR Afsheen, Pakistan ARANDA DA SILVA Manuel, Mozambique AROUNA Traore, Cote d'Ivoire ASKAN Paul Wilson, Sudan ASRAT Azeb, Ethiopia ATLAW ALULA Tarikayehu, Ethiopia AYLLON Luis, Bolivia BACA Ernesto Enrique, Argentina BAGWIZIMANZA Aloys, Rwanda BALA Richard Jewel, Bangladesh BALCHA Muluken Taddesse, Ethiopia BANANA Lisa Gayle, USA BANDORAHO NKWINE Philippe, Dem. Rep.Congo BARIYO Benison Frank, Uganda BARRET Raphaelle Genevieve Gisele, France BARROSO LOPEZ Maria Montserrat, Spain BASOMINGERA Emmanuel, Rwanda BASTIEN Nadege, Haiti BASTY Adham Mohamed, Kenya BATO Daniel, USA BATTAGLIA-NERI Elisabetta, ItalyBAYOUMI Gihan, Egypt BAZINGERE Fuljencio Thomas, Sudan BEHERA Sarat Kumar, India BEKELE Meseret, Ethiopia BEN ALI Abdelmoneim, Libya

BENAVIDES Yolanda, Colombia BENTIVOGLIO Maria Cristina, Italy BEPPU Masami, Japan BHASKARUNI Sankara, Canada BHATIA Rita, India BHATNAGAR Monica, IndiaBIGIRIMANA Tharcisse, Rwanda BIRHANU Aytenew, Ethiopia BLANCHARD-BAILEY Shannon, USA BOCCACCINI Angelo, Italy BONOMO Michael, USA BOWER Trudy Elizabeth, USA BROWN Lynn Rita, United Kingdom BULGU Woldegiorgis, Ethiopia BURBERRY Janice, USA BWANAUSI Ilayila Ceciwa, Malawi BYENKYA Conrad, Uganda BYORUGANDA Gad, Uganda CAMARA Aboubacar, Guinea CAMARDELLI Eduardo, Brazil CARRASSE Pierre, France CARRION CANDANEDO Enibel Xiomara, Panama CASIER Peter, Belgium CEESAY Moses Augustus, Sierra Leone CHANDRASEKERA Pavithra, Sri Lanka CHERICHEL Widline, Haiti CHOWDHURY Sujim Kanti, Bangladesh CHULLAKESA Srikunya, Thailand CISNEROS Ramon, Peru CLAASEN Leon, Namibia CLARO Michele, Canada COLE Margaret Hannah, Sierra Leone COLLIA Loredana, Italy CONTINO Antonino, Italy COPE Anna, Sweden CROSSLAND Amanda Victoria, United Kingdom CUADRA SANTINACH Maria Del Pilar, Panama CULLSBERG Lars Hokan, Sweden CUNHA Domingos Bartolomeu Da, Angola D'ANIELLO Liliana, Italy DAOUDI Amer, Jordan DARIOLI Gaston, Switzerland D'ASCENZI Angela, Italy DAYAMA Kanaha Ram, India DE OLIVEIRA Roberto, Brazil DEIVA Baskarane, France DEKHILI Zoubir, Algeria DEL RIO Irene, Spain DI FOGGIA Nicola, Italy DIATEZUA LAKABI Nestor, Dem. Rep. Congo DIAZ Armando, Philippines DIOP Djamilatou, Senegal DJIBO Oumarou, Niger DJISSOU Francois, Burkina Faso DLAMINI Nontobeko Innocentia, South Africa DOMINGO Laurent, Niger DONACIEN Marie Gabrielle, Haiti

DONJE Rose Abanga, Sudan DOUCH Steven, United Kingdom DOUGLASS Judith, United Kingdom DROKO Justin Valfrido, Sudan DUE Torben, Denmark DUMUI Henry, Liberia EBOA-NDA Quentin Désiré, Cameroon EBRAHIM SALEH Abdelhameid, Libya EKWEU Richard, Uganda EL AOUNI Zouhair, Tunisia EL HAKIM Nadine, Egypt EL KHADEM Heba, Egypt EL RAZZAZ Rania, Egypt ELEDU Allan Charles, Uganda ELIZALA Jacob Night, Sudan EL-TOBGY Amin, Egypt ENDEAN Christopher John, United Kingdom ENDERS Kabeh, Liberia ENENU Moses, Uganda ERCULEI Luigi, Italy EWALD Marie Joyner, USA EYORU Rose, Uganda FALDOR Jean Rony, Haiti FANG Cheng, Canada FANZO Jessica, USA FLEUREN Johannes J.M.M., Netherlands FORBES Charles, United Kingdom FRANCISCHI Rachel, Brazil FRENCH Peter Shenton, Australia FUKUSHIMA Yoko, Japan GAHUNGU Emmanuel, Burundi GARIWE Regina, Zimbabwe GEBREMESKEL TESFAYE Senait, Ethiopia GEBREMICHAEL Tesfabruk, Eritrea GENOVESE Damiano, Italy GETU Henock, Ethiopia GILLESPIE Stuart, United Kingdom GILLIAM Fatimah, USA GIRUKWAYO Theoneste, Rwanda GOMES Adam, Bangladesh GOMES Matias Fatima, Timor-Leste GOMEZ ACEVEDO Lady Johanna, Colombia GORG Sher Ahmad, Afghanistan GRAY Robert, United Kingdom GROVE Ruth, USA GUAZO ALONSO Pedro Antonio, Mexico GUEVARA MANN Carlos Francisco, Panama GUNARATNE Srimavo, Sri Lanka GUO Huanping, China GUPTA Nirmala, India HABIYAMBERE Laurent, Rwanda HAKIM Abdul, Bangladesh HAKIZIMANA Charles, Rwanda HALLER Anette, Germany HAMDI Neila, Algeria HAMID Abdelgadir Ahmed, Sudan HAMID Md Abdul, Bangladesh

HAMIDOU Souleymane, Niger HAMMAM Mona, USA HANNEMAN James Olivier, Canada HANSEN Rebecca, Canada HAQUE Md Emamul, Bangladesh HAROUNA Salamou, Niger HASSAN Hassan Gumaa, Sudan HEADINGTON Timothy Andrew, United Kingdom HEDARALY Saklaine, France HENG Chiv, Cambodia HLAING Htun, Myanmar HOGENKAMP Jolanda, Netherlands HUANG Treena, Canada HUSSEIN Mohamed Hassan, Somalia IBRAHIM MARONE John, Sudan IDRIS Lana, Syria IKINYA Caroline Chemutai, Kenya ILUNGA LONJI Patrick, Dem. Rep. Congo IMIRANE Habiboulaye, Niger INDARJO Markus Mispan, Indonesia INPHONEPHONG Souphalack, Laos ISSOUFA Abdoul-Aziz, Niger JAMAL Ismael, Mozambique JAN Mohammad Omar, Afghanistan JASSIM Aqeel, Iraq JEAN LOUIS Nelta, Haiti JEAN MARY Myrtha, Haiti JEONG Juhyun, South Korea JUAREZ LEAL Carlos Alberto, Guatemala JUFFERMANS Evonne Gerda Barbara,Netherlands JURY Allan, USA JUSTINIANO Andres, Bolivia KABAALE Geoffrey, Uganda KABEK Gana Athiavanya, Sudan KADULI Alphonse, Rwanda KAJUBA Susan, Uganda KAMAAL Amena Aly, Pakistan KAMAFA Rogartus, Tanzania KAMAL Md Mostafa, Bangladesh KAMARA Daniel Mucktarr B., Sierra Leone KAMARA Mohamed, Liberia KAMARA Mohamed Simbo, Sierra Leone KANGETHE Nicholas, Kenya KAREMERA Laurent, Rwanda KARIOM Makur Majok, Sudan KARKI Rojan, Nepal KASANA Damallie, Uganda KAYISIRE Jeanne D'Arc, Rwanda KEHLER Alan, Canada KEIKEIRE Francis, Uganda KEULEMANS Jack, Netherlands KHAIR Md Abul, Bangladesh KHALEQUE Abdul, Bangladesh KHAN Arshia Ahmad, USA KHAN Kaniz, Bangladesh KHASHMAN Ahmad Abdel, Jordan

Bidding Farewell to 483 ColleaguesThis list includes retirements and separations during the period 1 Jan. 2012 to 31 March 2013, and includes all staff categories with contracts of one year or longer.

Green Corner Green Corner Green Corner Green Corner

At left: Thirty solar panels power the lighting, airconditioning, satellite communications equipmentand computers.

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Ex-Staffer ElectedPresident of theItalian Parliament

By Luciana Romani

Former WFP Public Information Officer Laura Boldriniwas elected on 16 March 2013 to the third mostpowerful job in Italy, as president of the Chamber ofDeputies. I still remember the day Laura came to WFPfor a job interview. She was expecting a baby, due afew weeks later, and she couldn’t believe that thenChief of Public Affairs Branch Paul Mitchell wanted tohire her even though it meant waiting until the end ofher maternity leave.

When she came aboard I understood why Paul was sokeen to wait for her. Laura is a staunch believer of thehumanitarian work and an energetic spokesperson. Shespeaks for the poorest of the poor, she publiclydenounces the injustices, the inhuman living conditionsof the hungry poor, and she did so first while working forWFP and then, for 10 years, in her role of UNHCRSpokesperson.

We became friends immediately. Laura was an incredibleteam player, with a sympathetic ear. We used to call her,half-jokingly, “La Baronessa”, for her aristocratic allure,wisdom, and charisma. And we still look up to her as arole model.

At WFP she was extremely pro-active, organizingawareness campaigns and events, being constantlypresent in talk-shows, doing interviews and always inthe frontlines of WFP emergencies. She sacrificed a lot ofher private life to witness, in the most dangerous places,

the hunger and malnutrition conditions of thousands ofIDPs, refugees fleeing their homes due to wars, naturalcalamities, etc.

She used to tell me that her work at UNHCR neverstopped, because when she was leaving the office lateevening she very often found refugees, waiting for helpon the street, in front of her office. She listened andreassured them that they would not be left alone. Ongoing home, she had a heavy heart, thinking of thesepeople with no home, no food….nothing.

I and her other friends like Donor Relations OfficerMarta Laurienzo always thought that she would havebeen good in politics for her strong sense of ethics,morality and tirelessly commitment to the mostvulnerable. The recent events proved we were right.

Laura resigned from UNHCR to run as candidate for theregion of Marche and Sicily with Sinistra Ecologia Liberta’of Nichi Vendola. She won in both regions with theelections of 24-25 February 2013, before her election aspresident of the Chamber of Deputies in March.

I am sure that, with such a president of the ItalianChamber of Deputies, the humanitarian issues willbecome part of the political agenda and addressed withthe right approach. As she has always said, “We have allto engage in a battle against poverty”.

KIM Aun, Cambodia KIMERA Joseph Hanks, Uganda KING Peter, Liberia KIRABO Jane-Frances, Uganda KOJAN Alucia George, Sudan KPAINGBAI Peter, Liberia KULSUM Umme, Bangladesh LADO Postino Jada, Sudan LAROUSSI Mouna, Morocco LECLERCQ Dominique, France LEGESSE Selamawit, Ethiopia LIBSEKAL Mesfin Equibegsi, Ethiopia LOKONGA Nicholas Jingos, Sudan LUHANGA Kaselema, Tanzania LUWATE Samuel Lasu, Sudan LUZOT Anne-Claire, Belgium LWANGA -SSERWANJA Fred, Uganda LWIN Hnin Wai, Myanmar LYNGSIE Henrik, Denmark LYONS Simone, Australia MABASSO Samson, Mozambique MACHARIA Gerald Mwaniki, Kenya MAEDA Tomoko, Japan MAGANYA Patient Bamporiki, Rwanda MAGARA Venny Enzaru, Uganda MAHLANGU Mmakubu, South Africa MAJEED Zahid, Pakistan MAKONNEN Girma, Italy MALANGWANE Bhekithemba, Swaziland MALINGA Martin, Uganda MALISH Isaiah Joseph, Sudan MANSOUR Khaled, Egypt MANYERENYERE Oliver, Zimbabwe MAPFUMO Shadreck, Zimbabwe MARAGAN Victor James, Sudan MARCHETTI Roberto, Italy MARMA Khye Mong U, Bangladesh MARTINEZ Tonya, USA MARTINEZ RIVERA Jose Luis, Peru MASTRAPA Raul, Cuba MATALEZA Celina, Mozambique MATANDIRE Alberto, Mozambique MAYEKA John, Tanzania MBAYE Mamadou, Senegal MCFARLANE Alicia, Peru MENKVELD Gerrit Johan, Netherlands MIKKOLA Riikka Elina, Finland MINDREA Eddy, Uganda MINGA Anna Awate, Sudan MINT LOULY Marieme, Mauritania MISHRA Rasmi Ranjan, India MOHAMED Ahmed Jama, Somalia MOHAMED Bushra Abdel Salam, Sudan MOHAMED Halima, Djibouti MOHAMED Kamal Sayed, Sudan MOHAMED ABDALLA Shaaban, Sudan MOHAMED MIYIR Baidane, Djibouti MOHAPATRA Rosalin, India MOLLEL Saiboku, Tanzania MONGA KATAMBALA Laurent, Dem. Rep. Congo MONTEMBAULT Sylvie, France MONYA Bella Edith, Uganda MOORS Daniel H.G.J., Belgium MORA GUIMERA Maria Del Mar, Spain MOROTTI Wendy Lee, Australia MOUSSA DIRIEH Kadir, Djibouti

MUCHENGA Benedito, Mozambique MUFUNDI Simeon, Tanzania MUGISA Mustapha Juma, Uganda MUGISHA Ali Mohamed, Rwanda MUHAMED Hawzhine, Iraq MUHIMPUNDU Beatrice, Rwanda MUHYIDIN Muhyidin, Indonesia MUKAMA Samuel, Rwanda MUKAMANA Josepha, Rwanda MULENGA Robinah, Zambia MULLEGAMGODA Kithsiri, Sri Lanka MULOBE MUSOMBANI Baudouin, Dem. Rep.Congo MUNGANGA EDJA Giselle, Dem. Rep. Congo MUNYAGARA Tai James, Dem. Rep. Congo MUNZANIRE Silver, Rwanda MURAMOTO Atsushi, Japan MURIRA Kennedy, Kenya MUSA BISHIR Abdel Samy, Libya MUSHID YAV A MBAL Patrick, Dem. Rep. Congo MUTAGORAMA Benny Bonaparte, Burundi MUWAGA Martin John, Uganda NABBALE Jane, Uganda NAGAHASHI Atsushi, Japan NAIKETE Djimrabaye, Chad NAIMA Zalika, Uganda NAIR Gopalakrishnan, India NAKASOLYA Mary, Uganda NAKKASH Fawzi, Iraq NAMINI Ghazaleh, Iran NARANG Abhinandan, India NARASINGHAM Vasuky, Sri Lanka NASSUNA Justine, Uganda NCALA Maritta, Swaziland NDANGIRA Epimaque, Rwanda NELSON Peggy, USA NETTI Rose Patricia, USA NIBIGIRA Aline, Burundi NIYONKURU Samirou, Burundi NORCEIDE Jean Carrel, Haiti NOU Ty, Cambodia NSANZUMUKIZA Jean De Dieu, Rwanda NTAKIRUTIMANA Jean-Baptiste, Rwanda NYIRENDA Rachel Helen, South Africa ODINAEV Vladimir, Tajikistan OGITA Motohiro, Japan OJERA Josephine, Uganda OKENY Kasmiro Quiriko, Sudan OKOT Primo Davinci, Sudan OLIVERI Rosario, Italy OMAMO Steven Were, Kenya OMER Ibrahim Ishag, Sudan OMER Salman, Pakistan OSMAN Idris Mohamed, Somalia PAGANI GUAZZUGLI BONAIUTI Matteo, Italy PAONE Gina, Canada PASETTI Venerio, Italy PATRICK Juana, Sri Lanka PEARSON Brenda Lee, USA PEDERSEN Ulrik, Denmark PENMAN David, United Kingdom PERROTTI Maria, USA PHE Lamine, Cambodia PHYOE Ei Ei, Myanmar PHYU Nang Shwe, Myanmar PIERRE Bafiogo, Burkina Faso

PIZZINELLI Carla, Italy PONSICCHI Patrizia, Italy POVYSSHAYA Olga, Russia POZZI Lia, Italy QUAYE Albert, Liberia QUAYE David, Liberia RAGNI Patrizia, Italy RAJ Nikhil, India RAMAN J K, India RANGIRA Theogene, Rwanda RASASI Omar Ciru, Uganda RASHEED Sayed Abdul, Afghanistan RATNAM Philip, India RAYOS DIAZ Jose Antonio, Panama READING Mark Leslie, Australia RHODES Jonathan James, USA RICHARDS Gloria Adeyinka, Sierra Leone RODRIGUES Dorothy, India RODRIGUEZ Adriana, Honduras ROMAN Nancy Ellen, USA ROSIAS Hubert Claude, Haiti ROVIRA Alejandro, USA ROWLAND Jeffrey, USA RUTAGENGWA Ariane, Rwanda RUZINDANA Jean-Bosco, Rwanda RWAMWIRU Christopher, Uganda RWIGENZA Viateur Kamunuga, Rwanda SABBAH Safaa, Egypt SACRISTAN Astrid, Spain SADEQUE Md Ahia, Bangladesh SADOYAN Anahit, Armenia SAFARI Emmanuel, Rwanda SAKTHITHARAN Rasarathinam, Sri Lanka SALE Peter, Cameroon SALEHEEN Mohamed, Bangladesh SALEM Abdo, Yemen SALHA Haladou, Niger SALLE Abdul, Mozambique SALVIGNOL Bertrand, France SAMBOLA Henry K., Liberia SANDSTROM Susanna Helena Christina, Finland SANDY Amelia Josephine Fatima, Sierra Leone SANGMA Swopan, Bangladesh SAPKOTA Bharati, Nepal SARPONG-KUMANKUMA Francis Agyekum,Ghana SARTORI Giorgio, Italy SCALISE Joseph, USA SCARCELLA Anna Patrizia, Italy SCHAAD David, USA SCHULER Judith, Switzerland SEDKAOUI Salim, Algeria SEKOU Diomande, Cote d'Ivoire SENANAYAKE Nanda, Sri Lanka SENDELA Zaqueu, Mozambique SENGKHAM Vieng, Laos SENGONZI David, Uganda SENKATUKA MUWANGA-SSEVUME Marietta,Uganda SERIGUMBA John Abel, Sudan SHAHDEO Lal Rakesh Nath, India SHARMA Rajender Prasad, India SHAYYA Tarek, Syria SHEERAN Josette, USA SHOJI Yuriko, Japan SINGH Gurmeet, India

SINZINKAYO Emmanuel, Rwanda SISULU Sheila M., South Africa SODANO Alessandro, Italy SOLITRO Diana, Italy SOME Langou, Burkina Faso SOW Hawa Racine, Mauritania SPARAPANI Vincenzo, Italy SRIVASTAVA Radhika, India SSEMAKALU John, Uganda STANLEY Stella, Tanzania STEWART Lynne, Liberia SUBRAMANIAM Krishnamurthy, India SUK Sai Som, Myanmar SULTANA Fateha, India SUNARSO Sunarso, Indonesia SURUR John Rehan, Sudan TABAN WOJA John, Sudan TAFESSE MULUGETA Zelalem, Ethiopia TAHER Mohammad Abu, Bangladesh TAHIR AHMIDA Ramadan, Libya TAIFOUR Hassan Yousif, Sudan TAKURA Kenji, Japan TANUBRATA Temmy, Indonesia TEFERA Hawan Admassu, Ethiopia TEGEGNE Tadesse, Ethiopia THOMAS A K, India THURING Wilhelmus Johannes, Netherlands TNUNAY Agustina, Indonesia TOURAIS Fatima, Mozambique TOYOTA Terri, Canada TUAN Jacqueline, Liberia TURAY Mariama Mary, Sierra Leone TYRRELL Philip Nigel, Canada UCHIDA Maiko, Japan UWUMUKIZA Francois, Rwanda VALLI Jaakko Matias Oskari, Finland VAZ Nadia, Portugal VILLANUEVA Vivian, USA WACHIRA Francis, Kenya WACHIRA WARUTERE Joseph, Kenya WAMBOGO Lucy Mukami, Kenya WANG Weijing, China WANI Ali Juma, Sudan WARAMBO Alice Achieng, Kenya WARSAME Musa Osman, Somalia WAURE Peter Minario Mathew, Sudan WEERAKKODY Wasantha, Sri Lanka WENG Zhigang, China WILLIAMS Stephen, Liberia WONG U-Jin Eric, Malaysia YAMAGUCHI Ikuko, Japan YASMIN Salma, Bangladesh YATAB Ismail, Uganda YERMOH Eunice, Ghana YOUSSOUF Kaba, Cote d'Ivoire ZAPATERO LARRIO Eric, Spain ZARRELLI Adriana, Italy ZEMOUCHI Samir, Algeria ZIRAK Abdul Wahid, Afghanistan ZORN CHIARELLO Damiana, Italy ZUPPINI Eliana, Australia

From left: Laura Boldrini, Luciana Romani, SherriDougherty (former WFP photographer), Gillian Hazell(former WFP video editor). Photo courtesy of Luciana Romani

Tommy Thompson, globallogistics cluster coordinator, andHiwot Thompson, ITconsultant in the Office of theExecutive Director, Rome.

Not long after being transferredin 1998 to run the Makalle sub-

office in Ethiopia, Tommy, an American, met Hiwot, fromEthiopia, over a game of pool (billiards). According toTommy, Hiwot easily prevailed and Cupid's arrow struckhard. Wedding bells swiftly followed and today, they havea 4-year-old daughter, Abyssinia Ann Thompson.

Favourite moment as a WFP couple? Our wedding andreceptions in Ethiopia. We had so little time to prepare thatmy relatives couldn’t attend. Hiwot's family and WFPcolleagues stood in for my family. These were fantasticcelebrations. We really felt "at home" with the Ethiopiacountry team.

Biggest challenge? Just like all couples at WFP, dealingwith mobility, TDYs and travel is always hard on a family.But a bigger challenge is finding work that is satisfying foryour partner when you move duty stations. It's a big "ask"to have your partner quit a cool job and start all overagain.

Adeyinka Badejo, programmeofficer in the School Feeding Unit,and Issa Sanogo, senior marketanalysis advisor

Adeyinka (on right), from Nigeria,and Issa, from Ivory Coast, metin 2011 during a meeting at WFP."We sat next to eachother, and, as iscommon in WFP, wemade small talkwhile waiting for the

meeting to start. This resulted in a promise to meet overcoffee," recounts Adeyinka, who says the promise waskept – first with coffee, then lunch, then many moredinners. “A year and a half later, we are married."

What's been your favourite moment as a WFPcouple? When our families met. It was a meeting of twonations with very different cultures and languages. Youcan imagine the communication challenges in translatingfrom Yoruba to English to French and then to Malinke. Butboth families embraced our uniqueness and foundcommonality in the two of us. It was a joyous occasionand our proudest moment.

And the biggest challenge? The obvious response isreassignment – striking a balance between pursuing ourindividual professional goals and maintaining our familylife. We just got married and here we are heading indifferent directions (Issa will stay on in Rome, whileAdeyinka transfers to Syria as head of programme).Now, we will have to make it work!

FlaviaScarnecchia (farright), soon to bereassigned toRome, and CesarArroyo (far left),recently namedhead of aviationin Rome.

Flavia, of Italian-Scottish heritage, and Cesar, fromPeru, met in Angola in September 1998 during amassive operation in the war-wracked country.Although the capital of Luanda was relatively quiet,towns in the countryside were changing handsconstantly – putting continually shifting demands onstaff trying to deliver food. "With all theseoperational difficulties, we were still able to work anddeliver with a sense of pride," says Cesar. AddsFlavia: "It was an intense and stimulating time to bein Angola. So was our story!" Today, the couple hastwo boys, Alejandro, 12, and Nicolas, 8.

Favourite moment as a WFP couple? Moving toSudan with the children and seeing how good it hasbeen for them and their development is gratifying –a direct result of our being a WFP couple. Everymoment in an "interesting" foreign country is achallenge. Learning how to overcome the challenge isspecial and enriching, and our children are learningthat.

Biggest challenge? We come from very differentbackgrounds – sometimes it seems we haveirreconcilable positions. But as we work our waythrough them, there is actually more to gain and tolearn than to disagree upon. Being apart as a couplemakes it even more of a challenge and sometimesit's hard to accept missing all those special familymoments. Our 2013 resolution is to spend ALL of ourbirthdays together!

Marta Fontan, head of sub-office in Blantyre, Malawi, and Umberto Greco, head ofprogramme, Hargeisa, Somalia

Marta, the daughter of a Spanish naval officer who has always traveled the world, andUmberto, from Italy, met in Iraq, in 1997, while they were both working for NGOs. Umbertowas running a children's clinic in Basra, and Marta was working on rehabilitating the BaghdadPediatric Hospital. "From the first moment he seemed very familiar to me," she says now."Predestination?" The two share a strong sense of humour and thrive on challenges – helpful

in raising three children – Bito, 14, Lula, 12, andClarita, 2 – in a global whirlwind of reassignmentsthat has meant many separations and reunions.

Favourite moment as a WFP couple?"Our fondestmemories arefrom DPRK(North Korea),where wejoined WFP andthe only dutystation wherewe have livedtogether," saysMarta. "The last nine years we have been living indifferent duty stations – I've been posted to familyduty stations and Umberto in hardship duty stations,with R&Rs for visits." When the arrangement grewtoo tough, Umberto took two years' leave withoutpay – "and we have Clarita as a happy consequence"!

Biggest challenge? Living apart is a huge challenge(Umberto is being reassigned to Galkayo,Somalia, while Marta and kids head toZimbabwe). Skype has helped a lot because thelittle one, Clarita, demands to see her father everyday. Says Marta: "Clarita has helped me overcomethis hardship as I have someone to kiss 100 times aday!" Holidays are tough as the family runs fromcountry to country to ensure they see all the family.Despite the hardships and challenges, however, weknow we're very fortunate to be able to work to helppeople in need and to do so through such a goodorganization as WFP.

WFP’s Tandem Couples Tell their Stories

Love Trumps WarRana Hokan, telecommunications assistant, andYaakoub Al Nayf, warehouse storekeeper, Syriacountry office

Rana (at left) and Yaakoub, both Syrians, met in 2007in Dubai, where Rana was working with EmiratesAirlines and Yaakoub was her customer. A year ago,Rana fulfilled a long-time dream of working with theUN when she landed a job with our Syria office inDamascus. Some months later, Yaakoub also got a jobthere, giving them the means to fulfil another dream:marriage and starting a family.

Alas, their happiness was tempered by Syria's descentinto war. The couple got married 26 Nov., exchangingvows in the traditional Kateb Ktab ceremony asfighting raged outside. Although a sheikh presidedover the ceremony, only two family members couldattend because of dangers on the roads. Rana also felt“it wasn't right to make a big celebration while ourcountry is suffering."

The next morning, the couple showed up at the officelike any other day. But when word spread, staff threwa small celebration. "It was so nice to share my bestday with my WFP family," Rana says. The couple isgrateful to WFP not only because it enabled them toget married – but gave them the chance to "help ourSyrian brothers and sisters during these hard times."

- Laure Chadraoui

Liljana Jovceva,programme officer, andVladimir Jovcev, head oflogistics, Zimbabwe.Liljana and Vladimir met23 years ago, at the highschool prom in Skopje, intheir native Macedonia. Atthe time, Liljana says, "ajob was a foreignconcept." Nine years later

Vladimir joined WFP as a national staffer in Skopje duringthe Kosovo crisis, while Liljana worked for the EuropeanCommunity Humanitarian Office (ECHO). The couplemoved to Rome in 2001, and Liljana joined WFP thefollowing year as a consultant. They served together inRome, then in Harare, Zimbabwe, and are now bothreassigned to the Somalia country office based inNairobi. They have two daughters, Jana, 12 and Marta, 8.

Favourite moment as a WFP couple? Gettingreassigned to the same duty station and the family staystogether!

Biggest challenge? Keeping the family together!

Bassam Hanaand DanaYousif, bothIraqi, weremarried inBaghdad in1997. Dana,who wasworking as anHR assistant,

took her first international assignment in Sudan, andBassam, an engineer, agreed to join her. Thanks toWFP's spouse employment policy, Bassam was hiredon short-term contracts until winning his firstinternational post in North Korea. They have sincelived and worked together in Indonesia and now, Italy.They have two children, Samer, 14, and Lara, 11.

Favourite moment as a WFP couple?Each duty station has had its own special moments.But Dana will never forget giving birth to Lara inKhartoum. "Many colleagues urged me to go abroadto give birth," she says. "But everything went well andwe never regretted the decision."

Biggest challenge?No doubt it's reassignment. We hope being a marriedcouple with kids will be a factor and priority in theprocess. Also, being Iraqis, we can't really visit homewith the current situation. Being away from yourcountry for over 10 years is hard and emotional.However, WFP is our ‘second family’. We’ve found lotsof friends who share our happiness as well asdisappointments.

– Interviews by Jennifer Parmelee