A Bitter Sweet Journey

by Martha Menezes

Out with the Old and In With the New

UNICEF New Delhi in 1972 was clearly a “man’s world” except for the Receptionist. So the sudden descent of three women (Indira Roy, Shirley Kingham and myself) aka the “three Musketeers” in this patriarchal/chauvinistic male dominated culture ruffled feathers, and created quite a stir. Some men were chivalrous and welcomed the “colorful change” as they put it. The rumblings and grumblings of a few diehard long timers were palpable seeing their apple cart turned over. The mold was broken with the “old order yielding place to new”. Soon thereafter, an echelon of qualified ‘colorful’ sari-clad women entered UNICEF’s portals.

In those early years, staff were cramped in a cluster of rented residential premises – a logistical nightmare … until the much welcomed BIG MOVE to a brand new ultra-designed UNICEF owned complex. (Hallelujah!) UNICEF HOUSE was located at Lodi Road, bringing everyone under one roof, complete with state of the art décor … and everything new. Likewise, the arrival of computers in the workplace was initially daunting, and meant adapting to new technology. Switching my well served SELECTRIC for a WANG computer was akin to parting with a loyal friend.

Being a ‘cog in the wheel’ of the administrative hierarchy required creativity and provided the opportunity to work alongside wonderful professional colleagues. I am prompted to mention Regional Director David Haxton whom everyone had to reckon with. No doubt others who knew and worked with him would agree that he had indomitable energy, a photographic memory, a wry sense of humor and suffered no fools! Perhaps this caused him to sign off on my move to the international post of Operations Officer to Afghanistan in 1985 to contend with a cantankerous Representative!!

My international labyrinth

Three of my five postings (Afghanistan, Somalia, Liberia) were deemed hardship duty-stations. A common thread was a landscape besieged by political upheaval, menacing military presence, child soldiers brandishing bayonets, countless displaced/maimed refugees, restrictive curfews, bomb riddled buildings, heightened security and safety risks that eventually culminated in two mandatory evacuations with loss of all personal effects.

In Kabul, the perimeters of the office premises were sandbagged against the onslaught of rockets blasting the horizon. The international community was on 24-hour walkie-talkie standby alert. On one occasion, an explosion shattered my glass windows into smithereens and though badly shaken, I narrowly escaped with bruises and cuts. The unrelenting turmoil compelled evacuation of all internationals. I received my marching orders to Mogadishu which was a jump from the proverbial frying pan to the fire. It was a daunting assignment coupled with harrowing experiences, which are better left unsaid. Evacuated once again, but phew…..was I glad to get out!
 
My next stop was post war-ravaged Liberia, headed by Carl Tinstman. We teamed up with Tony Raby, Esther Guluma and Branislav Jekic to re-establish UNICEF’s presence. The stark grim reminder of the atrocities including skeletal remains was not only poignant but unnerving. I ventured into the vandalized pre-war UNICEF office premises, but could salvage nothing.

I might add that some ‘unsavory’ aspects mentioned here were certainly not for the faint of heart, so much so that I earned the label “tough cookie”! Be that as it may, I’d like to think HQs finally had a change of heart and summoned me to New York. I was initially assigned to the Division of Personnel, headed by Fouad Kronfol, and then appointed to the post vacated by the late Samir Beida in the Office of Administrative Management as deputy to the late Timothy Boakes … my last position before exiting the labyrinth to join the ranks of UNICEF retirees.




This, in a nutshell, is my story. It was a privilege to have served UNICEF for 25+ years, befriending many UNICEFers of my time (international and local). A good innings, appointed at level G-5 and retired as P-5.

Namaste!

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