Civil Service in the news

Preparing the ground for flight

Peter Robinson is a Managing Consultant at the Central Office of Information. He is currently out with a project in Tanzania, helping to build an airstrip for relief flights with the charity Mission Aviation Fellowship.

Could you explain a bit about the project and how you got involved?

My project is with Mission Aviation Fellowship, which operates a flying doctors scheme across the world. It’s a Christian charity that my church supports. The project is to work in Tanzania to build an airstrip for them to use for relief flights. We are working in the bush near the Kenyan border where there are some refugees from the civil unrest. We will be clearing scrub and levelling ground then building a fuel depot.

This really isn't anything like Terminal 5! Our passengers don't have any possessions to start with. Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world, although politically stable.

What's your role in the project, and why did you get involved in voluntary work like this?

My role will be project management although I will be digging, painting, building and fixing with the group of 10 volunteers. I have also helped with fundraising: so far the total is £2,000 which pays for me to go and for some of the hidden costs (like the long list of inoculations), although more is still required.

I am involved with this as I believe we should serve others less fortunate than ourselves. I wanted to undertake a fixed-period physical project that will show a benefit immediately. I think it is important to create a sustainable effect rather than merely relief work. The selfish element is that I have never travelled to Africa, so it’s a bonus to experience a different culture.

Have you done other volunteering work in the past?

This is unlike anything else I have ever done. For me there is an opportunity for self-development through the step into the unknown. We don't yet know where we will living, although it will include time sleeping out in the countryside.

What kind of a difference are you hoping to make with the project?

Simply put, our work will mean that people in parts of Tanzania (especially refugees from Kenya) will be able to access medical aid that would otherwise not be available to them. This should provide a facility that can be maintained and operated locally for as long as is needed.

Does your voluntary work affect your work, in terms of outlook, knowledge and skills?

I work in Strategic Consultancy at the Central Office of Information. Already I am feeling a benefit to my work in terms of thinking about sustainable results at the output of projects. I expect that I will realise all sorts of opportunities during the process.

The fundraising that I have done (by offering to undertake jobs that no one wants to do themselves) has put me in some unpleasant circumstances (use your imagination!) and taught me three lessons:

Be clear what you offer to do – and what you can't/won’t do. For example, I won't ever tackle plumbing again.
Be clear why you do things – it can capture people’s imagination
The value of something is what people are prepared to pay, not necessarily what it costs.