January 12, 2009 | Read Time: 1 minute
The last week-and-a-half has underscored the dangerous conditions in which aid employees work: Two relief workers have been killed in Somalia during that time, and another two in Gaza.
But despite the sometimes deadly working environment for many charity employees overseas, few seem to receive security training, writes Michael Kleinman, a consultant to nonprofit groups who blogs at Change.org.
Mr. Kleinman asked some friends who were either working, or had worked, in Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan, and the West Bank and Gaza about the training they had received. He says that almost none had received security training before going overseas, and about half had received safety training or a briefing upon their arrival in the country.
And Mr. Kleinman says that, if anything, those numbers underestimate the problem. All his friends were international staff members; employees hired within the country receive even less training.
Kevin Toomer, a security officer who writes a blog about nonprofit security, responds to Mr. Kleinman’s post with some advice.
He encourages charity workers to ask about safety training when they interview for a job, to make time to attend training before a crisis hits, and to provide feedback to their employer about the quality of training you receive.
Do you think that safety education at international charities falls short? What has been your experience? Post a response by clicking on the comments box below.
