By working with WFP, I support the most vulnerable people to cope with the negative impacts of climate change, and at the same time increase awareness of this issue at a decision-making level. Working directly with WFP´s field-based projects allows me to get a unique perspective on an issue as globally relevant as climate change and how it is debated internationally and experienced locally.
What is the impact of the work you are currently doing?
The work of WFP Guatemala directly impacts the food security and nutrition of the people we assist. While we cannot change the increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related shocks exacerbated by climate variability and change, we can reduce people’s vulnerability to these shocks by supporting them to adapt. We primarily support smallholder and subsistence farmers to diversify their livelihoods and practice climate-smart agriculture. In 2018, for example, the projects I worked on supported over 7,000 farmers to diversify their livelihoods and enhance their resilience to climate-related shocks.
How did King’s help you get to where you are today?
It was at KCL where I was first introduced to the world of international affairs and started to aim for a career in international organizations. What I think was quite unique about the IR course at KCL was the combination of theory and practice. In addition to the theory of international relations and power structures, the War Studies department offered many opportunities to speak to and learn from people who have been directly involved in policy-making processes at different levels. I believe that this combination has helped me to get a good understanding of the field of IR and at the same time prepare me for some of the aspects of every-day life in international affairs. For example, in my third year I went on a one-week trip to the Brazilian Amazon, organized by the King’s Brazil Institute to give students an insight into civil-military relations in riverine areas. This was a great opportunity to see first-hand how basic social services are secured and managed in some of the most remote areas in the world.