Sudan is a country constantly facing crises. Sudanese people are under constant threat brought on by political power struggles, economic troubles, and constant conflict displacementi. As a result, 13 million people are in dire need of humanitarian aidii. Sayed Masood Aslamzad is on the frontline of efforts to assist thousands of Sudanese refugees as an international humanitarian aid worker with Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) Sudan, stationed at Gedaref in East Sudan.
Aslamzad works at a refugee camp housing 6,000 families who were forced to leave their homes in a flood-prone area. He describes Sudan as a country “famous for its raging shower rains” that force massive evacuations. He enrolled in the Executive Master in Disaster Risk and Crisis Management (EMDRCM) program at the encouragement of a former supervisor, who was also an alumnus of the program. With further research, Aslamzad found EMDRCM to be a strong fit for his career goals and interests.
Soon after his matriculation, he realized the vast scope of disaster risk and crisis management. The EMDRCM program goes beyond post-crisis management to include disaster prevention and mitigation. “As climate change and change in human life trends have imposed crisis to the daily life and routine of humanity, this is vital knowledge for ensuring the resilient life of mankind,” he shares.
The EMDRCM program curriculum provides its students with tools to implement and measure interventions for disaster risk and crisis management. Aslamzad learned about mitigative measures which he subsequently implemented at the refugee camp. He hopes they prove to be lifesaving for many of the refugees. However, the complicated problems that refugees face will not be resolved by the mere rollout of policies or programs. Aslamzad acknowledges this, while also emphasizing the benefits that these interventions provide. “The idea of advocating for such structures all came from the preventive DRCM class!” he exclaimed.
An invaluable component of the EMDRCM program is access to a vast network of professionals with relevant expertise. Aslamzad and other EMDRCM students are part of a community of talented faculty, like-minded peers, and passionate professionals in the development sector. These connections have been crucial to helping him advance in his career in humanitarian aid. “Getting in touch with scholars and professionals and receiving some up-to-date training, I could never imagine a better chance of promoting my career,” he reflects.
Aslamzad urges future DRCM students and leaders to consider taking the course. “It helps you develop skillsets for the 21st century that can also be pivotal to your survival.”
Students like Aslamzad enroll in the Executive Disaster Risk and Crisis Management program to evolve into leaders and changemakers who can help their countries move beyond disasters and develop systems that enable them to flourish.
The Executive Master in Disaster Risk and Crisis Management trains students in the multi-sectoral and inter-disciplinary aspects of disaster risk and crisis management. If you would like to learn more about the program, visit devatwork.aim.edu or send an email to emdrcm@aim.edu
