Profile

by Erika Gitchell, MSW DO Program Assistant

Doctoral student Nathalie F. Hamoudi was attending the School of Social Work in 2004 when the opportunity to work for the global humanitarian organization UNICEF surfaced. For the past seven years, she has worked for UNICEF in Congo, Iraq, and most recently Haiti, where she is Chief of Education for Learning Opportunities, directing UNICEF's efforts to assist in the rebuilding of the country's educational system after the January 2010 earthquake.

Hamoudi, who will be returning to PSU to finish her Ph.D., took time out of her busy schedule in late February to talk about her field experiences with UNICEF. About 25 SSW administrators, faculty, staff and students attended the presentation, where Hamoudi focused on her time in Haiti.

"We are assisting the government to provide the first response", she said of UNICEF, whose team worked in Haiti to set up basic services, providing safe water, sanitation, vaccinations and education. The organization's core commitments are to the children, she added.

UNICEF worked quickly to provide more than 200 temporary learning spaces under tents for the country's children. But as the children returned to school, "they were frozen with fear", Hamoudi said. "They were waiting for the next earthquake to happen. We had to help them readjust to being in school".

Hamoudi said UNICEF trained teachers, provided school supplies and psychosocial support to children in school. In some cases, children must walk two hours to attend school and then walk two hours to return home.

According to UNICEF, 120 semi-permanent schools have been built, incorporating hurricane and earthquake-resistent designs, as well as water and sanitation facilities. Another 80 schools that will benefit more than 120,000 students are now under construction. Hamoudi said that about 80 percent of the children who were attending school before the devastating earthquake are again attending classes.

"Education", she said, "...for parents, it's hope".