On the ground with… George Obiero, UNHCR staff counsellor 

With a master’s degree in clinical psychology, UNHCR staff counsellor George Obiero, has extensive experience working as a counsellor and humanitarian across Africa.

From South Sudan to Nigeria and Kenya, his work involves preparing and supporting UNHCR colleagues to deliver critical psychological care in the most challenging situations.

Q. What does your work for UNHCR entail? 

A. My role involves preparing and supporting colleagues who’ve been deployed in our region. Many are away from their families – working, working, working – so they can be predisposed to fatigue, stress and burnout. 

We’ve also had several emergencies while I’ve been here. The Tigray conflict in the north of Ethiopia and the more recent Sudan crisis. In situations like these, we provide support to staff who’ve unfortunately been exposed to traumatic situations. 

Q. What qualities do you think are important in your role? 

A. An important part of my job is to have deep empathy for our staff working in the field. I try to tune in to my own experience of living and working in places where one minute you are working and the next there’s shelling and somehow you still have to work.  

Q. What has been your role during the current crisis in Sudan? 

A. I was part of a contingent who received evacuated colleagues on the runway at Nairobi airport. I remember seeing colleagues with their loved ones, with two- or three-year-old children. Seeing the fatigue on their faces after this arduous ten-day journey, and the sudden change when they saw familiar faces, it was very emotional. 

Now I’m following up to see how they’re recovering from the traumatic exposure and assess their readiness to resume work. It’s a continuous conversation. But UNHCR staff are very resilient. Many are able to hit the ground running and do what is required of them, which is very good to see. 

Q. What advice would you give someone considering a humanitarian career? 

A. I would say it’s important to prepare yourself adequately for the unique challenges of the work, to enhance your mental resilience because humanitarian work can push you into very challenging situations.  

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This Q&A with George showcases the dedicated staff behind UNHCR’s global emergency response efforts.

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