PUCDC Career Talk Series: Career journey in humanitarian field of Myanmar

For its fifth career talk series session hosted in February, Parami University’s Career Development Center welcomed Sayarma Nilar Oo from the Centre of Humanitarian Dialogue to share her career journey in the humanitarian field in Myanmar over the past 30 years. It was a great opportunity for students, alumni, and partners of Parami University to not only explore career paths in the field but also gain valuable insights to help them navigate their professional journeys with greater clarity, purpose, and confidence.

Under the title “Career Journey in the Humanitarian Field of Myanmar,” the speaker, Sayama Nilar Oo, shared her work experiences and journey in the Humanitarian field over the past 30 years. She joined the Centre of Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) in 2012 and took the position of Country Representative in Myanmar the same year. Now, she oversees all aspects of the HD Programme in Myanmar. Beyond her professional responsibilities, she worked with the Empowerment of Women program, helping marginalized girls and women through capacity-building, vocational training, and employment programs.

She shared how her career transitioned into the humanitarian sector and how she overcame the challenges of managing various projects across diverse communities. She also encouraged participants to pursue careers that align with their passions and bring them a sense of job satisfaction, while reflecting on her own journey in the humanitarian field. 

 “For 20 years, I worked at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), as the leading person in the world's international organisation. Though I have been working with HD Organization for over 14 years, the years don't matter. What is important is the content of each job, achievements, and satisfaction and joy in your work,” said Sayarma Nilar Oo.

Moving on to the journey, she explained the strategies and approaches that she applied in her work. For instance, she simplified the five interactive processes of project cycle management by giving examples of her tasks as follows:

1. Assessment: identify needs and problems; engage community and stakeholders; set goals and objectives

2. Design: develop proposals with a detailed plan; prepare a budget and timeline; gather resources and work team

3. Implementation: carry out activities; train staff or volunteers; deliver services & materials

4. Monitoring: track progress Vs plan; collect feedback and data; readjust approach if required

5. Evaluation: measure outcomes and impacts; document lessons learned; plan for sustainability

Sayarma Nilar Oo continued to share opportunities and challenges encountered in the humanitarian sector and described risk-management strategies that used diplomatic approaches. Moreover, she highlighted the potential risks for humanitarian workers in Myanmar, which was truly helpful for anyone considering stepping into the field. At the end of the session, she actively engaged with the participants and provided many guidelines for entering the humanitarian field. 

The PUCDC team is grateful to Sayama Nilar Oo from the Centre of Humanitarian Dialogue for her close engagement with the participants and for sharing her experiences and insights, based on her expertise in the humanitarian field in Myanmar.