Let's Explore Empowerment with Nathalie Meier
Can a person thrive in a refugee camp — or do they merely survive?
Humanitarian Power Play
Empowerment, whether of individuals or communities, is a term commonly heard in the humanitarian sector. If a humanitarian organisation has succeeded in giving authority or power to an individual or community, it has met the gold standard in the sector.
Humanitarian NGOs should be among the organisations we can rely upon most confidently to empower the people they exist to serve. But as Nathalie Meier explains, sometimes the very definition of empowerment that we chose to adopt can make it hard for
NGOs to work effectively.
Biography
From an early age, Nathalie Meier has manifested a profound sense of justice. Likely instilled by her outspoken mother, Nathalie has always felt compelled to fight for fairness and equality, both for people and the environment. The guidance of her spirited mother has shaped her into the women she is today and motivated her to pursue a career in the impact and humanitarian sector. Nathalie currently works as a Marketing and Communications Manager for Dutch NGO Movement On The Ground, an organisation with a mission to transform refugee camps into safe, healing and enabling environments. For Nathalie, the most striking part of her role is the opportunity to contribute to the changing perception in the public eye of what is means to be a refugee.
Marginalia
In his book Empowerment, Participation and Social Work, Robert Adams provides the perfect solution for people or organisations looking to enable the empowerment of individuals, groups or communities.
