Aysha Michot

Area of Expertise:

• Administration, Management, Finance/Accounting, Procurement
• Capacity Building, Training, Advocacy
• Disaster, Aid, Emergencies, Relief
• Human Rights, Law, Migration, Conflicts, Justice
• Monitoring, Evaluation, Policy, Research, Analysis

Professional Experience:

Recently working as an ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) head of office in Putumayo, Colombia, I have been in charge of implementing large-scale humanitarian aid projects in a sensitive political setting as well as managing confidential emergency transport operations for Colombian governmental officials and FARC commanders in the framework of the ongoing peace process in Colombia.

In 2015-2016, while working as an ICRC field delegate in the Pibor area, in South Sudan, I was assigned on an emergency 1-month deployment to another part of the country, in Fangak State, to cover for a colleague, during which I successfully acted as hospital manager for a mobile field clinic welcoming war-wounded weapon-bearers and civilians. I was able to negotiate with local militia commanders the release from the clinic of medically discharged soldiers and the pick-up protocols of injured troops in the area.

In my first mission with the ICRC, I worked during 12-hour shifts in the Emergency coordination cell in Tel Aviv during the Gaza War 2014 as focal point between ICRC staff inside Gaza and Israeli Security Forces (ISF) at the Gaza border, who were organizing coordination of movements between the Palestinian Red Crescent Society/Civil Defense and the ISF.

In earlier field assignments with MSF-Belgium (Doctors without Borders), I joined the emergency pool to work in Brussels headquarters as HR coordinator for the Syria mission. I was tasked with implementing all HR procedures related to opening up a new hospital in Syria, and recruiting expatriate staff with appropriate profiles.

Thanks to my professional experience, I have gained a sound knowledge of project management in emergency settings. I am used to working well under stress in extremely volatile and complex environments. I am equally very flexible, adapt easily to new contexts and rapidly process information to carry out emergency programming. Drafting and updating security contingency plans has further developed my skills in emergency preparedness. In all ICRC missions, I have worked with volunteers of National Red Cross Societies to cooperate in humanitarian assistance operations and have set up capacity-building exercises to improve volunteers’ responses to emergencies. Lastly, throughout all deployments, I have honed my skills in writing project proposals, drafting internal background papers to improve ICRC staff’s cultural sensitivity in operational contexts as well as writing official correspondence to governmental representatives, civilian authorities and weapon-bearers.