Question 1: How has Covid19 impacted on your work and RedR?
For RedR Covid19 has been a global health emergency that includes impacting our people in our own work environment. RedR’s mandate is assisting communities overseas before during and after crises and conflict.
This time we are in in the middle of our own crisis ie. Covid19 - which has provided challenges for all staff – both in the Melbourne office and our roster deployees around the world.
We have had to be innovative in the way we deliver our service. Hence we are working remotely and with changing technologies.
Kirsten leads the senior management team working between head office in Carlton and remotely from home as Kirsten manages and oversees all staff based around Australia and overseas in country.
Robyn is working remotely from home and communicating with her team and RedR corporate partners via Zoom and webex meetings. Like all business, it took a couple of weeks to get all staff remotely set up however the flow and ease of communicating has been relatively smooth and all projects are on track.
Question 2: Is RedR having to work differently and are their different people seeking access to your services?
Yes, deployees are working both remotely and in country. Currently we have 60 active deployments. 31 working remotely and 29 in country - throughout Asia, the Pacific, Europe and the Americas.
In Vanuatu, we locally engaged deployees who are working with communities post tropical cyclone Harold. This has worked well particularly during Covid19 limiting travel and working from home territory.
One are that has changed for us with Covid19 is our Insurances - ie. coverage for our deployees in country. This has been challenging to navigate during Covid19 particularly for our new deployments. We have had to set new policies and this continues to be a work in progress.
Yes different people are seeking our services - we have a new agreement with the UN resident coordinator for the Pacific - ie head of the UN in the Pacific. We now work for her in 5 - 6 islands in the Pacific post TC Harold and during Covid19.
Question 3: How have you juggled personal family lockdown whilst taking care of yourself? Examples?
Kirsten: My two daughters ( at tertiary and secondary education) have brought me Milos, Tim Tams whilst on perennial international Webexs' at any time of the day and night. I am fortunate to have two girls who are very independent and caring and understand flexibility is key at home at times like this.
They have also welcomed me being at home so much as I spend 50% of time usually overseas for work. Our dog Aubergine has also appreciated lots of love and care.
Robyn: My garden is thriving and my golf has suffered. However fortunately, was well set up prior to Covid19 with a home office well equipped.
My husband who is in the health sector has gone to the clinic each day so I have had the study to myself – I have kept an eye on our neighbor who had not left her house in 6 weeks and provided some baking treats for her and ensured her shopping was up to date.
My parents are very independent have managed extremely well and so regular phone calls to check in and the odd care package has certainly been appreciated.
Regular exercise is crucial to keeping healthy and sane!
Question 4: Have you a message you would like to provide to Rotary/Members/readers?
Like Rotary, RedR is committed to humanitarian action when and where it is needed most.
RED R: "Our people repair and rebuild infrastructure, coordinate response efforts and public communications, map and track relief activities, assist in the prevention of gender-based violence and manage the movement of essential supplies."
