Paul Molinaro has been the Regional Chief of Supply and Logistics at UNICEF Middle East and North Africa for the past three years. He has previously worked with UNICEF country offices, Supply Division and other UN agencies.
Digital Champions are powerful thinkers, creators, and innovators who are transforming their environment and communities for the better. As individuals or teams, they are addressing difficult questions such as gender, rights, participation and civic engagement, discrimination and poverty.
To commemorate the 10th year anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), we are shining a spotlight on young people with disabilities who are using the Internet and digital technologies in really inspiring ways!
Lavanya Sathasivam, Malaysia
“...please think about disabled children because we are also here. We are in this world. We are playing our role and if we are given opportunities, we have much to contribute to society.”
Read Lavanya’s full profile here.
Rikki Poynter, USA
“Listen to those of us that have lived this life. We are telling you the things that we need and the solution would come a lot easier and faster if our stories were heard. Give deaf folks, blind folks, folks in wheelchairs, etc. a chance. We’re smart as hell and can help you out in many ways.”
Read Rikki’s full profile here.
Michael Curran and James Teh, Australia
“Provide people with the tools to contribute. Everyone has something to offer the world, though they may need a little help at first. But like they say: “It is better to teach a man to fish than it is to feed them to him”.
Read their full profile here.
Lumos, UK-based, with teams in Europe, US, and Haiti
“The voices of children and young people with disabilities–particularly those in orphanages and institutions–have gone unheard for too long. Digital technology offers great opportunities to capture and amplify their voices, helping them to say the things they want to say in the ways they want to say them, and we should help them seize those opportunities.”
Read their full profile here.
Alfonsia Almandoz, Uruguay
“Digital technology allows people with disabilities to find their voice, with their own timing, their preferred medium, and fine tune their message to a specific audience. What is more empowering than sharing your experience and message with the world?”
Read Alfonsia’s full profile here.
Do you know a Digital Champion?
To create an even more diverse pool of stories, we would love to hear from you – whether you are a young person yourself or whether you are familiar with young people whose work aligns with this year’s Digital Champions project focus. In particular, we are seeking to highlight exceptional cases of young people with disabilities around the world who have empowered themselves and others through the use of digital technology.
If you have any further ideas for this project, please do not hesitate to email Sandra Cortesi at digitallyconnected at cyber.harvard.edu.
If you would like to suggest further Digital Champions, please visit.
All illustrations are by Elsa Brown.
Clara Barona de Ayerbe, Chief of Communication for Development, UNICEF Angola
After 25 years with UNICEF in Colombia, Bolivia and Angola, Clara has just retired. Before returning to her native Colombia, she spent the last eight years of her career at the UNICEF office in Luanda.
Tell us a bit about your background.
I am Colombian, born in Cali, a city located southwest of the country where I lived until I was 8. My family then relocated to the capital Bogotá. I grew-up there, graduated from high school and studied Social Communication Sciences with a focus in film and communication for development in the Universidad de Bogotá, Jorge Tadeo Lozano. Afterwards I did my post-graduate studies in Organizational Communication Management in the Universidad de la Sabana, also in Bogotá.
What do you do?
In my 25 years at UNICEF, I have worked in all areas of communications, external and internal, communication for development (C4D) and communication for fund-raising.
What’s your working day like?
A day full of many activities and commitments, team meetings, counterpart meetings, field visits, revision of documents and materials. At the end of the day, I mostly focus on revision, planning, responding to emails and adjusting my agenda for the following days.
How would you describe your job to a 5-year-old?
If I am in Angola I will ask: Do you remember the messages and songs about polio, the Estrellita Kuia (Little Star Kuia)? Well, that is me behind those messages. I love helping children and that is why I do this!
What did you want to be when you were a child?
I wanted to be a doctor or a nurse to help children!
How and when did you join UNICEF?
A friend from University who worked for UNICEF encouraged me to apply to a Communication post at UNICEF Colombia. I started working on the 1st of July 1991 as Assistant Officer in Communication and Information.
What are the most satisfying parts of your job?
Being in contact with people, with women and their children, presenting them the messages and explaining to them how to enhance their children’s health, nutrition and development. Listening to them to understand their views and knowledge.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
Constantly developing new communication strategies for UNICEF programs, with a creative and scientific approach: Communication for Development implies the use of investigation as the fundamental tool to gather evidence that will allow the construction of creative messages, thanks to all the information gathered in each of the audiences that are evaluated and later monitored for changes and results.
What’s your best UNICEF experience/memory?
20 years ago, I worked in the design and implementation of the Communication and Social Mobilization Strategy called Mandato de los Niños por la Paz (The Children’s Mandate for Peace), where almost 4 million children from the regions most-affected by armed conflict were mobilized by UNICEF and Colombia’s Registry Office. In this occasion, children and adolescents raised their voices to speak about the priority of peace, respect for their lives and the necessity to achieve a negotiated peace. These voices are still heard and that must be taken into account in the ongoing peace talks with the guerrilla.
What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve ever taken in your life?
From 1997 to 2000, I participated in several humanitarian missions in armed conflict areas of Colombia to rescue children and adolescents from guerrillas that had forcefully retained them in very tense moments between these groups and paramilitary forces.
What are your passions? How do you spend your free time?
Definitively my passion is communication, media, movies, TV, radio and now social networks!
In my free time, I love watching movies, historical series and sharing a nice meal or lunch with friends and family.
What advice would you give others who are seeking a similar job as yours?
Believe in UNICEF’s mission, research and never stop learning. Communication is an area that requires perseverance, discipline, investigation and also lots of creativity!
Who do you look towards for inspiration?
Human rights defenders such as Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Mandela.
Pneumonia is a very common illness that causes infection in the lungs. At best, it causes mild symptoms such as a cough or fever; at worst it can cause death. Unfortunately, pneumonia is one of those illnesses that seems to get swept under the rug - but no more! In recognition of World Pneumonia Day on 12 November, UNICEF wants to get the word out so we can all help save and protect children around the world.
1. Everyone can get pneumonia
One common myth is that pneumonia mostly affects older people. However, everyone is at risk. This includes children, especially those who live in areas with high levels of air pollution. In fact, half of all pneumonia deaths in children are linked to air pollution!
2. Pneumonia is the leading infectious killer of children under five.
Even though pneumonia is preventable and treatable, 922,000 children died from it last year. That’s 2,500 children per day and 1 every 35 seconds! Pneumonia in the most deadly infectious disease in children, causing more deaths than malaria, tuberculosis, measles and AIDS combined!
3. A lot less children are dying from pneumonia!
Between 2000 and 2015 the amount of deaths in children from pneumonia decreased by 47%! That is awesome, but there is still more work to be done. This is the slowest rate of decline among (the main) childhood diseases.
4. The majority of childhood pneumonia cases occur in 10 countries.
60% of deaths occur in Chad, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and Indonesia. Pneumonia is more common in rural areas, poor areas and areas with poor air quality and unclean water.
5. There are a lot of ways to fight pneumonia.
These include vaccines, breastfeeding, access to safe drinking water, improving overall sanitation, good nutritional habits for children and improving air quality, especially inside the home. It all starts with raising awareness and sharing solutions.
You can do something today: help us get the word out! One death from pneumonia is one too many. If you want to get involved and help save the lives of thousands of children visit everybreathcounts.info
Not refugee children. Not migrant children. They’re #childrenfirst. Let’s Imagine a world where ALL children have the same rights and opportunities.
Not refugee children. Not migrant children. They’re #childrenfirst. Our message to world leaders at the refugee and migrant summit at the United Nations General Assembly today.
Amélia Russo de Sá, Deputy Representative, UNICEF Angola.
After 6 years as Deputy Representative in Angola, Amélia is leaving the UNICEF office in Luanda to start her new post as Senior Advisor for Communication for Development (C4D) in Child Protection in the East and South Africa Regional Office in Nairobi, Kenya.
Tell us a bit about your background.
I was born in the north of Mozambique, in a province close to Malawi. My parents were Portuguese functionaries and I lived in several of the provinces of the country during my childhood and adolescence because of my parents’ work. In 1973 I started Arts university in Maputo and completed 3 years. When independence from Portugal came, I decided to remain in Mozambique and participate in the construction of the new nation. I started working in the Ministry of Education, as a teacher. Later, I integrated a division that was responsible for the preparation of the first school-books after the independence. At the age of 22, I was the responsible for the national training of Portuguese teachers for the first two years of secondary school. It had been enriching, very interesting and very challenging for a young person. In 1985, I got a scholarship to go to France and finished there a Master degree in socio-linguistics. When I came back to Mozambique, I was appointed the dean of the Faculty of Arts of the High Institute for Teachers‘ training. In 1991, I joined UNICEF.
What do you do?
I’ve been Deputy Representative in three countries in different regions of Africa in the last 13 years. My background and my experiences in UNICEF as National Professional helped me to act as Deputy for a long period. I find this position is one of the most difficult to perform and, at the same time, the most interesting and enriching at country office level. At least it is my preferred one, as it offers you a global and in-depth knowledge of Programmes, a good knowledge of Operation issues and Human Resources management, which provides a very good background in supporting the Representative, in leading with section chiefs, in bringing new perspectives… and a platform to interact with colleagues and promoting new talents.
How would you describe your job to a 5-year-old?
My work is to help a group of people that knows things about education of children, child’s health and child protection to get better organized and to do something good for the children, in particular the poorest, together with the Governments and other adults.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
I wanted to be a teacher, which in fact I was. I wanted also to be a lawyer when I was adolescent, which I never was (however, I have 3 people in my family working in Law.) And I also wanted to be a dancer, which I never succeed to be (but I love dance and I believe I do it well!).
How/when did you join UNICEF?
I joined UNICEF 25 years ago, in 1991, as a National Officer in Mozambique for a project on Health Education. Because of my background, I also worked on Education Section, and later as Child Protection and Communication for Development. I knew I wanted to be International staff and I applied for several positions, and for some time when I was going to give up, I was accepted for a post in Niger, followed by Chad, Tunisia and Angola. And now, I’m moving to the East and South Africa Regional Office for another assignment.
What are the most satisfying parts of your job?
To build a team, with all the challenges this involves. It is very satisfying to get to a point that you feel the team is with you, that the same vision is shared, and all work together despite the differences. Also, it’s very satisfying when we reach the results we planned for.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
For a Deputy Representative it is really crucial to have a good working relationship with the Head of the Office, and share the same strategic vision. When this is not there, it’s very challenging and makes working life difficult and tense. Other challenging aspect of my job is to be able to find a good balance between the need to go for results and performance indicators; and the need to work with good processes. I mean, you can reach some results, but if the process is poor, for me it’s not good. You can also have a very good process and not reach those results, which is not the ideal… Reaching the balance is challenging.
What’s your best UNICEF experience/memory?
There are so many, it’s difficult to select one. There is one that will remain with me forever as something extraordinary. It happened in a village in the center of Mozambique. I was working in the Child Protection and Communication section and, together with a Health colleague, we were there for a mission. One day we were approached by a group of people that were seeking our help. A newborn’s mother had died during delivery and the family wasn’t allowing anyone to feed the baby as this was against tradition. Therefore, the baby was going to die. The baby’s father was not even consulted and he couldn’t say anything against this imposition. We decided to act immediately. We met with a teacher, who was also a priest and was very respected in the village. He came with us to see the family and we had a long discussion of 5 or 6 hours. With the help of this teacher, we were able to reach a consensus and an agreement on asking one woman of the same family to breastfeed the baby. The baby was saved. It was a unique experience for me and my colleague. We learned so much about social norms, about power in family, about community power. We went back to our office in the south full of joy and very proud of the achievement in name of UNICEF, and I remained forever touched by this fantastic story.
What are your passions? How do you spend your free time?
I love reading, dancing, theater… and in general everything related to art. After my retirement, I’ll try to learn some aquarelle painting. I love travelling, talking with people, and exchanging ideas with people.
What advice would you give others who are seeking a similar job as yours?
Be a team player, be creative, and be honest with other people and yourself! You have to like people and to interact with them. You have to be open to different opinions, but you have to be brave to know when you have to say “OK, I listened to you but this is my final decision”, because you have the final responsibility… Finding that balance is very important.
My colleagues don’t know that…
I played theater for many years.
A child being vaccinated against polio at the Muna Garage camp for internally displaced persons outside Maiduguri northeast Nigeria. UNICEF and partners have started an emergency polio immunization campaign in Borno State, as a result of two wild poliovirus cases recently found among children in the conflict affected area. #Nigeria – and the continent – had its last confirmed polio case two years ago and was within a year of being certified polio-free. #endpolio © UNICEF Nigeria/Andrew Esiebo
A story to inspire you on International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples.
Do you want to make a difference for children? We have a challenge for you! As the world turns to #Rio2016, we want you to get active for children! Complete 5km by foot or wheelchair to unlock funds for UNICEF. It's simple, join #TeamUNICEF here: https://www.teamunicef.org/
Pictured, 15-year-old Walas was one of the Olympic Torch bearers with UNICEF Brasil last month in Rio de Janeiro.
Photo of the Week: Six-month-old Falmata in Nigeria – being screened in the UNICEF-supported Dalori camp for internally displaced people – is malnourished. As humanitarian aid becomes accessible in more areas in the conflict-affected north-eastern region, the extent of the nutrition crisis affecting children is becoming even more apparent. Of the 244,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition in Borno State, Nigeria, this year, almost 1 in 5 will die if not reached with treatment. © UNICEF/UN025802/Esiebo
Jamilya Jusaeva, Operations Manager, UNICEF Kyrgyzstan
Tell us a bit about your background.
I am of Kyrgyz nationality, I was born in the green city of Frunze, which was renamed Bishkek after the collapse of the Soviet Union and Kyrgyzstan’s declaration of independence in 1991. I have two diplomas in the area of Linguistics and the Management of the Organization. I grew up in the Soviet era, and being an active member of the Soviet Young Pioneer Organization, I strongly believed in the unbreakable rules of equity, goodness, peace and equality that were the strong tools of the Soviet propaganda. I cried when Indira Gandhi was shot dead, and I strongly believed and I still do in the victory of good over evil.
What do you do?
In my current capacity of UNICEF Operations Manager in Kyrgyzstan, I am responsible for the management of the Bishkek Country Office and Osh Zone Office operations in the areas of HR management, risk management, finance/accounting, general administration, supply and ICT. Also, I have extensive experience in emergency duty stations, including my own country, due to the crisis that happened in 2010. I have experience in establishing new offices from the scratch. In 2012, I completed the First Line Responders (FLR) Training, resulting in the selection of the first emergency response team in the CEE/CIS region.
What’s your working day like?
My working day varies from day to day, as it’s comprised of different activities due to the wide scope of roles and responsibilities assigned to my job functions.
How would you describe your job to a 5-year-old?
My job is vital, useful, interesting, challenging, inspiring, result-oriented, progressive and extremely worthwhile in changing the lives of all children around the world.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
When I was a child, I wanted to become a teacher in a primary school.
How/when did you join UNICEF?
I joined UNICEF Kyrgyzstan in September 2008 after my international work experience with UNDP in Kabul, Afghanistan and Juba, South Sudan.
What are the most satisfying parts of your job?
The most satisfying part of my job is to see and measure the concrete results achieved in support of children. “Operations to support Programme in the most effective and efficient way!” is my daily motto, which I always promote within the Operations section, which I am leading.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
The most challenging aspect of my job is performing multiple and complex tasks at different levels. I could start the day drafting documents, continue with conducting training to our partner organizations, and end the day with reviewing the Supply Plan or chairing the Interview Panel.
What’s your best UNICEF experience/memory?
My best UNICEF experience and memory is related to the emergency that resulted from inter-ethnic clashes in the south of Kyrgyzstan back in 2010. I will never forget how UNICEF was one of the first UN agencies to respond to the emergency crisis. I will always remember the commitment, dedication and hard work the staff. That was real teamwork!
What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve ever taken in your life?
It’s probably related to my great willingness to work at the emergency duty stations, travelling to the field to be useful in the most-needed area. I am very grateful that I had such an opportunity and experience in my life.
What are your passions? How do you spend your free time?
My passion is art. I enjoy spending my time in clay classes.
What advice would you give others who are seeking a similar job as yours?
Nothing is impossible! If you are passionate about helping others, being useful, taking risks and achieving greater results for children, this job is for you!
Who do you look towards for inspiration?
The process of observing how my grandson’s growing-up is a constant inspiration for me.
My colleagues don’t know that…..
I am a chess player.
Meet “The President”. This baby’s real name is Abel, but he’s been in the malnutrition ward at a health centre in Angola longer than any of the other children, so the nurses gave him that nickname. He’s had a difficult journey to recovery - wracked first with fever and then pneumonia - but given there are no complications, The President will soon return home. He’s just one of nearly 96,000 children with severe acute malnutrition in Angola’s most affected provinces.
“My favourite subject is math. I want to become an engineer when I grow up.” Rahmat, 11, from Bamyan, Afghanistan. Thanks to Unicef Afghanistan for sharing.
Hungry baby! A child waits for nutritious porridge made in Ethiopia. His mother and other women are learning how to make the porridge from local products during a session with a health worker at a UNICEF Ethiopia-supported health centre.
