Support mission to the field? Belkiss stepped up
“Support missions” are short field assignments to fill staffing gaps as they arise. These assignments can last from one to six months, and are a great opportunity to contribute to a delegation while ensuring the ICRC’s operational continuity.
When Belkiss Ben Farhat was offered a three-month support assignment to Beirut amid the escalating conflict in Lebanon, she had the weekend to think it over. She decided within the hour, and the answer was yes. Belkiss joined the ICRC in 2022 at the headquarters in Geneva through our Associate Programme. With an academic background in machine translation, professional experience in communication, and a passion for humanitarian work, she saw a traineeship with the ICRC’s Talent Attraction team as the perfect opportunity to combine her passion for comms with a lifelong aspiration to make a positive impact in the world.
“At the ICRC, I found people who encouraged me to do what I wanted to do. Not only did I learn about the humanitarian world and everything that comes with this kind of work, but I also got to invest my diverse background into a single role,” Belkiss explained. “This was a work environment I truly appreciated.”
She worked first as a community engagement officer, then as a talent attraction officer based in Brussels: a role she held until November 2024, when she made one of the biggest decisions of her life… and in record time! But that doesn’t mean it was easy.
Belkiss says her trust in the ICRC’s mission and mandate, and her desire to make a difference, definitely helped. But one thing still weighed on her: how her mother might feel. “Maybe the only hesitation in my mind was whether my mom would be very scared. But thankfully, that same night when I told her, she said: ‘Look, I know who you are, and I know you are going to assist people, to support people, and that is why I have all of my prayers and my whole heart with you.’ That was the biggest relief for me.”
With her mother’s love and support, Belkiss began preparing for her first field assignment. First, she applied for a visa. Then, she got the necessary vaccines, a thorough security briefing, and extensive resources to prepare her for life in Lebanon. But no matter how much you prepare, the reality on the ground can be surprising.
“Since I was a little kid, I’ve always watched the news, and the news presents that region in a very intense way. So, I believed that’s what I was going to find,” Belkiss said. “The moment you land, you’re just trying to make your mind realize that, despite not seeing airstrikes or destroyed buildings instantly, you are indeed in a country at war.” It didn’t take long for reality to sink in. The sound of drones as she walked down the street or lay in bed at night, the alerts on her phone about airstrikes nearby, and the streets overflowing with displaced people were constant reminders that the situation was far from normal.
What struck Belkiss most was the fortitude of her new colleagues at the delegation. “I expected to work with people who were overwhelmed and wouldn’t have time to talk to me. But I was wrong. I actually relied on my colleagues in Lebanon a lot,” she said.
During her three months at the ICRC delegation in Beirut, Belkiss worked as a recruiter. She managed the emergency hiring of field officers, nurses, economic security specialists, etc., and collaborated with the delegation staff on a feedback mechanism to improve talent acquisition and equip the team with essential tools and techniques, such as talent pipelining.
It was a visit to an ICRC field hospital, however, that left a particularly deep impression. There, Belkiss says she came to truly understand the Fundamental Principle of neutrality—not just as a concept, but as a lived commitment. She realized that the ICRC’s neutrality was what made it possible for her and her colleagues to be in that hospital, as well as all the other places where people need our help. Standing on the hospital roof marked with the protective red cross emblem, she was struck by the vulnerability it takes to show up for humanity.
Support mission to the field? Belkiss stepped up
“Support missions” are short field assignments to fill staffing gaps as they arise. These assignments can last from one to six months, and are a great opportunity to contribute to a delegation while ensuring the ICRC’s operational continuity.
When Belkiss Ben Farhat was offered a three-month support assignment to Beirut amid the escalating conflict in Lebanon, she had the weekend to think it over. She decided within the hour, and the answer was yes. Belkiss joined the ICRC in 2022 at the headquarters in Geneva through our Associate Programme. With an academic background in machine translation, professional experience in communication, and a passion for humanitarian work, she saw a traineeship with the ICRC’s Talent Attraction team as the perfect opportunity to combine her passion for comms with a lifelong aspiration to make a positive impact in the world.
“At the ICRC, I found people who encouraged me to do what I wanted to do. Not only did I learn about the humanitarian world and everything that comes with this kind of work, but I also got to invest my diverse background into a single role,” Belkiss explained. “This was a work environment I truly appreciated.”
She worked first as a community engagement officer, then as a talent attraction officer based in Brussels: a role she held until November 2024, when she made one of the biggest decisions of her life… and in record time! But that doesn’t mean it was easy.
Belkiss says her trust in the ICRC’s mission and mandate, and her desire to make a difference, definitely helped. But one thing still weighed on her: how her mother might feel. “Maybe the only hesitation in my mind was whether my mom would be very scared. But thankfully, that same night when I told her, she said: ‘Look, I know who you are, and I know you are going to assist people, to support people, and that is why I have all of my prayers and my whole heart with you.’ That was the biggest relief for me.”
With her mother’s love and support, Belkiss began preparing for her first field assignment. First, she applied for a visa. Then, she got the necessary vaccines, a thorough security briefing, and extensive resources to prepare her for life in Lebanon. But no matter how much you prepare, the reality on the ground can be surprising.
“Since I was a little kid, I’ve always watched the news, and the news presents that region in a very intense way. So, I believed that’s what I was going to find,” Belkiss said. “The moment you land, you’re just trying to make your mind realize that, despite not seeing airstrikes or destroyed buildings instantly, you are indeed in a country at war.” It didn’t take long for reality to sink in. The sound of drones as she walked down the street or lay in bed at night, the alerts on her phone about airstrikes nearby, and the streets overflowing with displaced people were constant reminders that the situation was far from normal.
What struck Belkiss most was the fortitude of her new colleagues at the delegation. “I expected to work with people who were overwhelmed and wouldn’t have time to talk to me. But I was wrong. I actually relied on my colleagues in Lebanon a lot,” she said.
During her three months at the ICRC delegation in Beirut, Belkiss worked as a recruiter. She managed the emergency hiring of field officers, nurses, economic security specialists, etc., and collaborated with the delegation staff on a feedback mechanism to improve talent acquisition and equip the team with essential tools and techniques, such as talent pipelining.
It was a visit to an ICRC field hospital, however, that left a particularly deep impression. There, Belkiss says she came to truly understand the Fundamental Principle of neutrality—not just as a concept, but as a lived commitment. She realized that the ICRC’s neutrality was what made it possible for her and her colleagues to be in that hospital, as well as all the other places where people need our help. Standing on the hospital roof marked with the protective red cross emblem, she was struck by the vulnerability it takes to show up for humanity.