Bhawana Upadhyay is standing knee-deep in IT equipment in a wooden hut on the outskirts of Stuttgart waiting to roleplay her socks off as part of OpEx Bravo, an intensive disaster simulation exercise organized by the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC), led by WFP.
While she is embracing the change of scenery, in her normal life she is National ICT Officer at WFP Nepal and has been instrumental in the emergency response in her country since the earthquake struck on 25 April.
Bhawana's role has changed dramatically in the aftermath of the Big One. Before, her team were focused on preparedness in the event of such an emergency; since April they have been deep in response mode working closely with service providers, vendors, telecommunications companies and the thousands of humanitarians that poured into the country to help.
"My role has been totally evolving since the earthquake. Right now I have to manage more people and liaise with staff from other units in other countries so I need to make sure that IT is up to the level needed," Bhawana explains.
"I have learned how certain things are a priority in the response phase, and [how to] visualize what may happen. I have a crucial role to play in an emergency and my experience is that the staff also play an important role in the first phase and in ensuring continuity. I have been very positively trying to motivate my team to help the country and help the people."
Whether visiting the Ministry of Information & Communications in their labyrinthine offices in Kathmandu, throwing one of her regular soirees for WFP staff to unwind from the pressures of the emergency or attending local ETC Working Group meetings on quiet Friday mornings, Bhawana is always smiling and ready to help.
Having worked for WFP IT since 2000, Bhawana knows only too well the importance of being able to communicate quickly and effectively. "Communication is the backbone of an emergency and IT is a major component of that. During the early days of the emergency, the first [priority] for staff in the field is to communicate with their families and colleagues before WFP can go ahead and deliver food to the beneficiaries.
"One day without communications and IT services, and people get stuck."
In June, at the request of the Ministry of Information & Communications, Bhawana – thanks to her expertise and little black book of Kathmandu's IT elite – was instrumental in delivering an ICT Emergency Response workshop. "The workshop we held this year was the first of its kind in that the government requested it. We had never been asked before and it showed real trust in what we do," says Bhawana with pride.
Though the earthquake is now resigned to memory, the impact is still felt. However, the emergency response phase is over and now all are looking ahead to transition. Bhawana explains how WFP's Fast Information Technology and Telecommunications Emergency and Support (FITTEST) Team – on the ground since the second day of the emergency – is gradually handing services over to local staff and beginning to demobilize its critical satellite kits. FITTEST has also focused on building local capacity for the last few months.
"The FITTEST name is really fantastic. It fits exactly the purpose of the operation and is something that we boast about in WFP: We have FITTEST and therefore we have [a team] in Dubai who can make things happen quickly and will be readily available within 24 hours."
“This is an advantage for people in the whole country or anyone who needs their services. For me, I really love to talk about FITTEST to everyone and tell them it's our strength. [At] times when we have no idea what to do, we always say, ‘Let’s contact FITTEST’," Bhawana says firmly.
While the work she is doing is no doubt a source of professional pride and personal satisfaction, the challenges and frantic pace of working during an emergency, particularly in the early days, take their toll.
"It is a challenge to balance my personal life and the demand of the operation. So I was talking to [my children] and explaining to them my role and that millions of beneficiaries were waiting for food. Discussions in the family helped them understand why Mama isn't home most of the time."
"I am very grateful to the surge team that came to help us cope. Without them it would have been much more difficult. FITTEST arrived in the first two days after the earthquake and I was impressed. They are very action-oriented and capable of getting things done as soon as possible. It has been a really great experience!"
