As the head of localization at HelpAge International, Sameena Gul is on a mission to support the transformation of how humanitarian assistance is managed. In her work, she focuses on “challenging existing ways of working and looking towards the ones which are empowering and enabling, led by local actors [and local leaders],” Sameena said.
Her career began “by accident” she said, after studying public administration and human resource development at university. Succeeding an unfulfilling, but decisive, start to her career in a provincial government department, Gul has now spent over 25 years as a full-time employee in the NGO sector — including managerial roles for Save the Children UK, Oxfam, the Norwegian Refugee Council, and War Child UK.
Speaking to Devex, Gul said her approach has been “to observe, listen, reflect, accept failure, be willing to try again, stay humble and work with integrity,” and that it is both the skills and the approach to work that in unison make the biggest difference in this field.
About the author
Katrina J. Lane
Katrina Lane is an Editorial Strategist and Reporter at Devex. She writes on ecologies and social inclusion, and also supports the creation of partnership content at Devex. She holds a degree in Psychology from Warwick University, offering a unique perspective on the cognitive frameworks and social factors that influence responses to global issues.
