Page 78 - 80 YEARS OF VOLUNTEER IMPACT WITH FAO

Emergency When crisis calls: on the frontlines of food and aid

Fiza Mazhar

FROM PAKISTAN FLOODS TO TIMOR-LESTE’S HILLSIDES

In 2022, Pakistan was hit by one of the most devastating floods in its
history: one third of the country went underwater, affecting over 33
million people, with millions displaced and livelihoods swept away.

Fiza Mazhar, then 34, was at that time on the frontlines with FAO,
working as a Humanitarian and Resilience Officer in Islamabad. She
74 supported the organization’s emergency agriculture response across
Balochistan and Sindh, two of the hardest-hit provinces. Her focus—
getting farming tools and livestock to communities, helping people start
over after losing nearly everything.

The experience was a turning point. Fiza later joined UNDP in Timor-Leste
as an international UN Volunteer supporting disaster resilience projects.

Reflecting on her journey, Fiza finds gratitude in being able to contribute
to communities and playing a meaningful role in their recovery and
Fiza Mazhar (centre, chairing the meeting), UN Volunteer Programme Support Officer development: “Although I worked on multiple projects with the United
with UNDP Timor-Leste, held a team meeting to discuss the annual work plan.
[UNDP, 2024] Nations and other international organizations in the past, the spirit
of giving back to society and helping people in need motivated me to
become a UN Volunteer,” she said.