The Road Less Travelled
Author:
Annabelle Petit
If you've just received your FAE results, chances are you've also had advice on the best spots to visit in Australia, the best company to work for in Bermuda, and salary scales in the industry. But what about using your hard-earned ACA qualification in an exotic location to help make poverty history? Impossible? Not at all. Welcome to the world of NGO internal auditors.
It takes a lot of hard work, a lot of commitment, and good time management skills to qualify as a Chartered Accountant. It is stressful and the stakes are high, especially when you consider your firm can let you go if you fail an exam.
You learn very quickly that there are only two seasons in a year: busy season, and studying season. During the busy season, you have to juggle between doing a lot of overtime, attending lectures, doing assignments, and preparing for mock examinations. During the studying season, you barely go outside, even though this is usually the sunniest time of the year. Your head is buried in books and you forbid yourself anything that could potentially damage your much-needed brain cells.
When you join a firm as a trainee accountant, one of the first emails you receive contains an excel spreadsheet which counts down to the last day of your contract.
To sum up, training to become a Chartered Accountant is tough. But the satisfaction of passing the final exams and being able to reach the ‘100% completed’ on your count down sheet makes it all worthwhile.
After sitting the FAE, you can finally relax. Most of my friends had already started thinking about where our ACA qualification might take us.
Some of us decided on secondment to New York and Chicago for a couple of months, others decided to go to Bermuda for 2 years. Still others opted to go travelling around the world for a year, maybe more. Some jumped at the opportunity to set up their own business. I, for my part, decided to offer my services to a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO).
EXTRAORDINARY LOCATIONS
Working for an NGO gives you the opportunity to work in the most extraordinary locations, experience different climates, and encounter different cultures, from Hindu India, to the Masai of Kenya. Some locations are more popular than others, like Tanzania , popular for its wild animals, and Cambodia for its temples.
I was offered work in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), helping Concern with their internal audit programme.
DIFFERENT TYPE OF SECONDMENT
There are many roles open to qualified Chartered Accountants who choose to work for an NGO. You can use your competencies to improve procedures, or simply help strengthen controls. Some find themselves involved in logistics, other negotiate with Government at the highest levels.
It is important to remember that NGOs are located wherever there is a need for their work and support. You could end up in places ruled by dictatorship, or communist governments. But the staff of NGOs are experienced enough to deal with the toughest situations.
I was given the opportunity to meet some of these people. Nameless in the eyes of the media, they work like little ants to ensure that the money you give goes a long way. I met the ‘management team’ in Kinshasa that oversees operations in the country. They have years of experience in the NGO world, and have worked in many dangerous spots like Chechnya and Burundi. I visited the various programmes that Concern runs in the province of Masisi. I was warned that the level of poverty I was about to experience would probably shock me. However, despite the obvious distress, all I could see were determined people. Congolese men and women, having lived through decades of colonialism and dictatorship, have long stopped crying about their situation. They have organised themselves into various associations, from setting up co-ops to developing HIV testing centres.
Concern has helped them in many ways by providing seeds, tools and training to harvest the lands; livestock such as chickens and goats; and furniture for the HIV centres.
The people I met all spoke a bit of French and I jumped at the opportunity to chat. I could see in their eyes they had many stories to tell. Their strength and will to survive humbled me. I was invited for dinner by people who struggle every day to feed their families. Kids looked at me with the biggest, most curious eyes. After that, making a presentation in front of clients seems like a piece of cake. I would definitely recommend working for an NGO. Although my couple of weeks in the Democratic Republic of Congo was supposed to be one of the items I could cross off my to-do list, it turned out to be such a life changing experience that it will probably be the first trip of many.
I met wonderful people and learned so much about NGOs, their various approaches and the reasons that drive people to work for such organisations.
NGOs need doctors and nutritionists, but they also need accountants. It is a highly regulated sector and they need skilled people to ensure that funds are appropriately used.
If you choose to take up the challenge, not only will you get to use your qualification, but you will make your skills available to an organisation that makes a difference, and works towards making poverty history.
I had many mind blowing encounters during my visit in DRC. I have a lot more to tell but my stories are nothing compared to what Congolese people have to say: Africa is not just the starving kids on the NGO TV ad. Africa is full of life, hope and strength and is ready to rise. They are very grateful for the help they are getting from the NGOs and various governmental agencies, but they need more. They need us to believe in them. It is very well that Live8 took place, and one Congolese did tell me that Geldof is the king of Africa. But Africa does not need our tears when we watch Red Nose Day. They need us to take action, and now is the time.
Every time I wear my wristband, my heart flies back to the mountains of Masisi. Get yourself a wristband, and help make poverty history.
Annabel Petit is Assistant Manager in the Risk Management Services Group with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Email: annabelle.petit@ie.pwc.com
For information on volunteering with Concern, visit www.concern.net
Recent Comments:
At
6/20/2009 5:29:57 PM
colm
said:
Great artical, you are a true inspiration for all accountants