Author Archives: Alessandra Pigni

“Moving home”, because everything changes

Dear friends, The time has come for me to set up a new website, those of you who subscribe to this blog by email will have received my new newsletter today or yesterday depending on your time-zone. If you have seen … Continue reading

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Workplace violence and abuse of power

Sexual harassment and abuse of power in aid: a brief reflection on the culture of silence, “machismo” and impunity A recent article told us about sexual abuse within UN organisations: “The United Nations has allowed sexual harassment and assault to flourish … Continue reading

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I wish you time

Another year is coming to an end, a new one is approaching. My wish for us all is captured in the words of the German poet Elli Michler – her poem “I wish you time” is a reminder that the way … Continue reading

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#MeToo in aid

‘Me too’ is about using the power of empathy to stomp out shame. ~Tarana Burke, founder of the #MeToo movement* People “doing good” around the world are also “doing harm”. No, I’m not talking about the “unintended consequences” of aid, but about … Continue reading

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Past, present, future

Random reflections on walking, burnout, resilience, meaning and “raising awareness”, from Gaza to San Francisco.  Winter is approaching and I find myself reflecting on another intense year gone by. I was in Jerusalem in September, a time when both the Jewish … Continue reading

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Aid to Zen: X/Y/Z – Xanax, Yoga and Zen

This post is part of Aid to Zen – A Quick Guide to Surviving Aid Work from A to Z by Alessandra Pigni. Today I’m serving you a trio of common (or not so common) practices among do-gooders: drugs, yoga and…Zen.  … Continue reading

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Aid to Zen: W – Wounded Healer

This post is part of Aid to Zen – A Quick Guide to Surviving Aid Work from A to Z by Alessandra Pigni. I’ve always been a rather poor student of Latin and Greek back in high school, but I did love … Continue reading

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When ‘working from home’ isn’t as nice as it sounds

In countries where INGOs are seen with suspicion, some agencies choose to operate “informally” so they can assist people in need. When this happens aid workers are forced to “work from home”. I reflect on the impact this can have on our mental health, … Continue reading

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Black humour in crisis

The most recent chemical attack in Khan Sheikhoun in northern Syria acts as a reminder of what the Syrian people have been enduring in these years of war. How can one cope with all of that? If you watched the … Continue reading

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I don’t have time

Scenario: A friend and fellow aid worker based in Sudan sends me a link to a website that runs an online course on Essential Principles of Staff Care  Me: Have you done it? Her: Of course not. I am too busy to … Continue reading

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