30 July 2009

Ruyigi, Burundi: The UN estimates that there are 9.2 million refugees and displaced people in the world today. Even if these people do make it back home, they still need somewhere to live. In Burundi, hydraulic engineer Lahatra Rakotondradalo is part of the team that helps repatriated refugees rebuild their lives.

Ms. Rakotondradalo began her career as a quality assurance engineer in a geotechnical research department. She then took on a Project Officer position with a Government and World Bank-financed organization in her native Madagascar.

Her five years with that organization (FID) responding to damage caused by natural disasters and rehabilitating basic infrastructure – housing, schools and hospitals, water supply etc. – gave her the necessary project management experience to take up a new role as a UNV volunteer in Burundi.

Like all UNV volunteers, Lahatra Rakotondradalo is driven by a desire to make a difference to peace and development. “Being a UNV volunteer is not – and will not be – an end, but a continuation of the fight I began with FID in my own country,” she says.

She now works with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Ruyigi, Burundi, helping people who fled the ethnic violence of the 1990s settle back into their lives. In cooperation with the Government and several other UN agencies, her assignment covers managing construction, water supply and environmental considerations in resettlement schemes.

The scope is enormous. “The aim of our current project,” she explains, “is to construct decent accommodation for repatriates in 23 communes across three provinces in Burundi.” In real terms, that means 4,000 houses for an estimated 20,000 people.

The UNV volunteer explains that this means identifying and evaluating construction needs; then implementing coordinated strategies for getting the construction of houses and shelters moving. It entails seeing through housing projects from planning stages to implementation, with regular visits to supervise the work.

These projects are funded by a combination of UN, European Union and Danish Government cash, so yet another key responsibility is ensuring that the donations are well spent. She also stays in close contact with the provincial governor and community elders, keeping them informed on progress.

Lahatra Rakotondradalo’s work is not just about engineering, however, and she is very conscious of the people she is assisting. Often the former refugees themselves get involved in the reconstruction work, from making bricks to helping build walls, sanitation facilities and so on; while UNHCR provides materials like iron sheets, doors and windows.

“Our approach to the beneficiaries has to be rather delicate,” she adds. “Their change of status – from being refugees totally dependent on outside help to becoming ‘repatriates’ – is often difficult. Their requests and complaints reach us every day. So our task it is to facilitate their reinstatement within their communities as well as possible.”

Though there’s certainly a language barrier to overcome, the UNV volunteer Engineer is determined to pass on her knowledge. “Conservation and environmental protection, including water resources, are close to my heart so I want to sensitize the maximum number of people to this important subject,” she says.

“It’s an enriching experience,” she adds, “though from the technical point of view what we do is fairly basic, and sometimes I worry that new technology will pass me by! But at the same time I’m learning so much about the humanitarian and social approach to what I do.”

She also concedes that civil engineering is considered a ‘man’s profession’, but that being a UNV volunteer has given her a chance to shine. “It’s not easy to balance work and a family life, especially if you live far away,” she concedes, “but I’ve lived a surprising and enriching volunteer experience that I recommend to all, especially other women.”

“Every day I discover things about myself, and find out what I’m capable of,” she concludes.