10 Humanitarian Standards of Excellence
Humanitarian standards of excellence is a complicated topic, and deserves to continually be refined. As a start, here are 10 Standards of Excellence that I believe should be implemented across spheres. This is especially helpful for those who are interested in entering the humanitarian world.
The whole of this matter can be summed up in 5 well known words: Love your neighbor as yourself.
The Golden Rule: Do for others what you would want them to do for you.
Seek first to understand.
Go as a learner. Observe and ask questions.
Give charity with dignity.
Honor the people. Most of the time the people have the skills and motivation to design solutions. They just need support. i.e. Don’t give the kids gifts when the parents can’t. Give the gift to the parents and then let them give to the children.
Be strategically helpful.
This is different from being strategic in helping. Showing up without a plan and without qualitative skills to contribute can have tragic effects. Have a plan, even if is as simple as passing out water bottles to thirsty people in a conflict zone or supporting those on the front lines of work. Just showing up to see how you can help is not the best idea. But do be a servant and help in anyway that is needed.
Don’t go in blind.
Learn about the region before and during your trip. Ask questions. What skills should you have before going? What led to the current crisis? Write what you see and report what you learn. Education isn’t just for school children.
Be intentional about being relational.
Human’s love music, smiles, hugs, food, stories, and song. If you’ve got something to contribute, share it! Let them share too!
Stay neutral until you become good friends.
Philosophy, politics, and religious views are appropriate to discuss only after you have established a deep personal connection and rapport. Please don’t go to simply convert someone to your current way of thinking. But do be a learner and be willing to discuss your views and experiences. This can be an enhancing interaction.
Be flexible & adaptable.
This is critical in going to serve as things will almost always change. Don’t complain about it, just go with the flow. “Be like water, my friend.” - Bruce Lee
Trust the people from day one.
Yes, you will get taken advantage of but you will help them more by trusting them. A healthy dose of street smarts is required for this to work well.
Take calculated risks and don’t worry about making mistakes.
Helping is risky business. Once you’re willing to do the uncomfortable, that’s when the most fun happens. It’s a lot of work to help others. You will have to do things you don’t want to do and sometimes will be asked to do something that you don’t know how to do. Don’t assume you know how to do everything. It’s okay to take a temporary break to regain your strength and charge up to go back out.
What do you think could help make this list better?
