Interview of Suad, a protection project-manager in Jordan

Suad Shehaded has worked as protection project-manager in Jordan for Première Urgence Internationale since August 2016. She explais why she chose this occupation and the values that matter to her.

“I’m someone passionate about humanitarian”

My name is Suad Shehadeh, I’m Jordanian, I’m 26 years old and I work as a project manager for the protection of vulnerable refuees and  host populations in Jordan.  My academic background includes a Bachelor’s degree physiotherapy, and a Master’s degree in public health.

I have one year experience with Première Urgence Internationale. Before that, I have been involved in the humanitarian field for 5 years. I joined many certified work trainings, some of them about the Project management during emergencies.

I am someone who is passionate about the humanitarian work. The skills and experiences that I have gained through different work settings combined with my character qualities of reliability, dependability, and leadership skills.

“A social responsibility”

I decided to work for a humanitarian association when I was a student, during University. I joined many social voluntary works as I believe that the social responsibility is a duty that every individual has to perform.

After I graduated, the Syrian crises began, and I was kept my eye on the newscasts, listening to the updated news about the armed conflicts that was going there, thinking about the elderly, women and children! How they felt, what they could do to survive!

After that, I started to look for any chance to help Syrian civilians. This happened with the Syrians refugees’ influx toward Jordan, who fled to Jordan with injuries, hard disabilities and many other medical issues.

“Support the vulnerable populations”

Through my physiotherapist background, I started my humanitarian journey in order to help and support these vulnerable people as much as I can. In June 2016, while I was reading news on Facebook, I noticed a great event called “cash for winterization campaign” that targeted Syrians refugees families, organized by Première Urgence Internationale. Here I got very impressed to know more and more about this organization and the projects led in Jordan, so I visited the website for reading its missions and its human principles.

Why protection?

I believe in the importance and the fully respect of the human rights without any discrimination. As human beings we should all know that an action must be taken to ensure an enjoyment of rights for the refugees or displaced people, and to prevent any enforcement to the others rights.

For me protection is the main pillar in the humanitarian sector.

I will never forget the story of a single mother who had two children with injuries. They fled to Jordan during the Syrian crises, then the mother started working as a domestic helper in order to ensure needed medicines for her sons. She called the Jordan’s mission and our staff recorded this as an urgent case to be visited by the team. After a few days, the mother said “I am really grateful to Première Urgence Internationale, the assistance that I got helped me a lot to survive and to afford treatments expenses”. This really touched me and since that moment I got totally engaged with my heart and my mind in every single case.

Whenever I went, whatever I work, I will be always a believer of the quote “Helping others is what life is all about”.

“Helping others is what life is all about”.