I am Excel Botigan, and I am currently pursuing a master’s degree under the NOHA+ Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree Programme in International Humanitarian Action. I spent my first semester at University College Dublin in Ireland (home university) and my second semester at the University of Warsaw (host university). Considering my goal of broadening my knowledge in disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM), I chose to take the work placement track for my third semester. That is how I decided to apply for an internship at the AHA Centre.

My interest in DRRM and humanitarian action was shaped by my work experience at the Office of Civil Defense, which is the implementing arm of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) in the Philippines. This is where I first heard about the AHA Centre. However, I never thought that I would have the chance to do an internship in this regional organisation that facilitates disaster management in ASEAN. It was indeed a great opportunity, and I am very grateful for it.

Throughout my internship, I was given interesting tasks, but there are two assignments that I consider to be the most memorable. First, I got the chance to listen to the unedited conversations between the first two AHA Centre Executive Directors, Pak Said Faisal and Ibu Adelina Kamal, when I was tasked to transcribe some of their recorded exchanges to be included in one of the AHA Centre publications. Through these recorded conversations and the AHA Centre at the Crossroads podcast on Spotify, I came to know and understand the birth pains of the AHA Centre as well as how the ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT) was organized. I was amazed while listening to how these two leaders worked during the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004 and during Cyclone Nargis in 2008 when there were no specific central coordination mechanisms and no ready-to-deploy emergency response teams. They showed passion beyond duty, and their stories made me reflect on my personal DRRM experience. Compared to them, I would say that I am still a toddler in this field – a toddler who is very much inspired by their stories.

Second, my task to gather some pieces of information about the ten ASEAN National Disaster Management Offices (NDMOs) served as a window for me to take a glimpse at how the other ASEAN countries deal with disasters. Although these NDMOs are structured in different ways, most of them involve a council or a committee composed of various government agencies, private institutions, and civil society organisations, among others. This further proves that a multidisciplinary whole-of-nation approach is necessary to efficiently and effectively address all aspects of DRRM and that no single agency/organisation can handle it all.

Despite doing the whole internship online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was manageable because my supervisors were responsive, and they made me feel that I was part of the team by including me in their discussions, meetings, and training. Personally, I believe that it is important for an organisation to make their employees and interns feel a sense of belongingness, especially during these times when almost everything is virtual, because it boosts the individual’s productivity. These experiences motivate me to visit AHA Centre and meet my supervisors Ms. Caroline Widagdo and Ms. Merry Rismayani in the near future.

In summary, I would say that my six-month internship at AHA Centre was EPIC (exciting, practical, informative, and constructive) as it has greatly complimented my educational learning objectives, and it further encouraged me to continue my career in DRRM and humanitarian action.

Written by: Excel Botigan | Photo Credit: doc. Excel Botigan

In July 2019, I was instructed by my internship supervisor at the time to visit the AHA Centre office at the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB) Headquarters in Jakarta. I had never heard about the AHA Centre and didn’t know much about the disaster management field beforehand. I was impressed by the big screens lining up on the wall in a room, which I learned was the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) room at the AHA Centre office. Nevertheless, learning about the AHA Centre’s roles and functions sparked my enthusiasm for disaster management and humanitarian assistance works. As I was leaving the AHA Centre office, I said to myself that: “One day, I will work here”. And so, that was how it started.

My name is Alifia Putri Rahmadewi (Fia). I majored in International Relations at Padjadjaran University, Bandung, Indonesia. After my unforgettable visit to the AHA Centre, I finished my previous internship to continue my studies. A few days after I graduated, I joined the AHA Centre as an intern. For me, joining the AHA Centre internship programme was the best decision as it was a very fruitful experience and provided a positive contribution towards my self-development journey.

I was selected to be part of the ASEAN Standards and Certification for Experts in Disaster Management (ASCEND) Project Management Team (PMT), joining Andrew Mardanugraha as the Project Coordinator, Ririn Haryani as the Project Officer and Haura Mayang as Project Assistant. The ASCEND project focuses on developing disaster management standards and certification for disaster management professions in the ASEAN region. Although I had a basic knowledge of disaster management in ASEAN before, I had less understanding of the professional certification process in this field of work. Luckily, the ASCEND project team members were always willing to share any subject matters related to the Project and their experiences working as humanitarian workers that I was keen to learn.

One of my primary tasks was to develop a pre-departure handbook for the Benchmark Study to South Korea that is planned to take place in 2022. The team always encouraged me to challenge myself to elevate my skills and open up my knowledge horizon. Indeed I was challenged, but on the other hand, I was also given the freedom to develop the handbook’s contents and take care of the design. Not only did this task teach me the difference between disaster management in ASEAN and the Republic of Korea, but it also sharpened my skills in writing and layouting a publication, and I even gained new design software skills. With full support from the ASCEND PMT, I was able to finish the handbook with a satisfactory outcome by the end of my internship this early February 2022.

The ASCEND team always included me in official meetings, workshops, and other events. From there, I learned a lot about ASEAN, starting from its administrative system, bureaucratic system, and practices that I didn’t get in college. Because the Project is still in its early stage, I had a chance to learn a lot about project management, from planning, implementation to evaluation, as my team always included me in Project activities.

I was also included in training and courses held for the staff of the AHA Center. I remember having disaster management and humanitarian assistance courses with the AHA Centre Executive (ACE) Programme participants. They are all experienced in their field, and sharing the same platform was an honour. I also participated in content writing training which enhanced my writing skill and is beneficial for my future career development.

Overall, an internship at the AHA Centre is an excellent experience. The working environment was positive and supportive towards the intern’s self-development and growth. Interns have many opportunities to channel their capabilities while gaining new ones. For me, a fresh graduate who is interested in the disaster management and humanitarian assistance line of work, an internship at the AHA Centre was very inspiring and now can become a gateway to many opportunities for my future endeavours.

Written by: Alifia Putri Rahmadewi | Photo Credit: doc. Alifia Putri Rahmadewi