My mentor, role model and guide in UNICEF : Shahida Azfar

 

Editor's Note:  In putting together our March Quarterly, we somehow mixed up two versions of Shahida's article: My Mentor, Role Mode and Guide in UNICEF.  Here is a corrected version.  Our apologies to Shahida for the confusion.

My mentor, role model and guide in UNICEF  

By Shahida Azfar

Having served more than thirty years in UNICEF, there are several colleagues who had a great influence on my career and life in UNICEF. However, the one I owe the most debt to is Manou Assadi Baiki, my mentor, role model and guide from day one.

Manou Assadi was the UNICEF Rep in Pakistan who recruited me at a time when the Islamabad office was dominated by men who were not always welcoming of newcomers, especially women. They strongly guarded their knowledge and experience of UNICEF. 

 Manou Assadi was keenly aware of this and was very approachable for advice, guidance and support to all. When he dropped by my office in the early days to ask how I was doing, I told him that I was not contributing and hence not earning my salary. He assured me that he felt the same when he started, even telling his boss he was “eating haram” but he reassured me by saying that UNICEF invests in its people for them to contribute later. He sent many of us for training and meetings overseas and invited regional colleagues for us to benefit from their experience.

Manou Assadi was man with vision but with the most practical approach to issues. He was a diplomat par excellence and yet fair and fearless when it came to settling issues with all concerned especially government colleagues and a difficult staff association. Having realized that he had recruited an unsavory character at a senior level, he persuaded him to resign and even drafted his resignation letter before he left Pakistan so as not to leave the problem to his successor.

I learnt a lot from him by his approach to people and work. His turn around time was less than 24 hours for addressing any issues and he expected the same from us. He was fun loving with a tremendous sense of humor which encouraged us to be the same. I was also very fortunate to meet Mary Racelis during my first visit to the Regional office as a national planning officer when she was a global consultant to UNICEF. Subsequently, she was my Regional Director and I learnt the concept and practice of participatory management from her as well as of “management with a human face”. She too remained a role model for ever more.

My next close working experience with Manou Assadi was when I moved to HQ as a program officer in Africa Section when he was the Director of the Division. By then, I was not new to UNICEF, but I was new to HQ and more importantly new to Africa and living in New York. All this was most intimidating. I spent several hours memorizing names of countries, capitals and UNICEF Reps in Africa only to find the names changed soon thereafter. Fortunately, at HQ, I had support not only from Manou Assadi but also of an equally charismatic and visionary Chief of Section, Fouad Kronfol. Under their watchful eye, I was given responsibilities much beyond my level and experience, representing UNICEF in UN led interagency emergency missions, representing HQ/ Africa Section in country program reviews and other strategic exercises. On one occasion, I was the only one representing HQ at the country program preview much to the annoyance of the Representative who complained in writing to Manou Assadi that I did not have any experience and should not be sent. I begged him not to send me but he said the decision was his and not the Rep’s. After an initial cool reception by the Rep, she invited me back for an extended stay to help with finalizing the country program documents.

Africa during those days was going through its worst turbulent period in history with drought, famine and wars in most parts of the continent. Under Fouad Kronfol’s leadership, Africa Section became a force to reckon with and assumed full responsibility for dealing with countries in complex emergencies, a concept and approach pioneered by Fouad in UNICEF.

Fouad also pioneered the concept of open space offices for Africa Section much to our initial dismay. However, we soon realized the benefit of developing a strong esprit de corps and camaraderie amongst colleagues in the section. I enjoyed very much working with Jim Mayrides, Jim Mohan, George Kassis, Isaac Gomez , Isabel Austin, Malika Abrous, to name a few.

Adjusting to HQ dynamics and that too in a city like New York, coming from a field office and from a small place like Islamabad was no picnic. What made the transition easy was the very warm friendships extended by colleagues including Habib and Hanan Hammam, Shahnaz Kianian, Nuhad Kannawati, Mehr Khan (who I had known since college), Hans and Sudhershan Narula, Fouad and Nadia Kronfol, and Manou and Farideh Assadi. We even had a small gourmet group set up to explore the culinary delights of New York, which was much envied by others.

I continued to benefit from encouragement and advice from Manou Assadi and Fouad Kronfol long after I had moved from HQ and Africa section as they had. What I learnt from their style of management and from Mary Racelis held me in good stead as I assumed higher responsibilities within UNICEF and subsequently after retirement in other organizations.

However, I owe a lifetime of gratitude to UNICEF who taught me so much and accorded me the opportunity to serve the most vulnerable, underprivileged and disadvantaged segment of society, while earning my daily bread and leading a life of dignity, fulfillment and lifetime friendships.