Éloïse Flavigny (BSB'22) : Country Finance Officer at Acted Soudan

"Commitment means really giving 100%. Not just fulfilling the accepted mission, but seeking and finding meaning in one's action. I put a lot of myself into it and want to make sure I stay true to my values."

Acted is a last-mile humanitarian association. It provides essential relief to the most vulnerable populations in areas devastated by war or climatic disaster in over 40 countries around the world. Éloïse joined the association straight from school. "To ensure that food, water and blankets reach the beneficiaries, we need volunteers in the field. But you also need seconded managers. We have to manage a lot of cash locally. We also have to report to our backers on the sums committed. That's what I do today. 

Éloïse Flavigny started out at Acted headquarters. After a year and a half, she asked to leave on a mission. "I wanted to be useful in a different way. To really leave my comfort zone and my life in Paris. Leaving meant giving up my social life and facing inhospitable terrain. But it also meant seeing my commitment through to the end, and being in direct contact with the reality of the actions".

A first mission took Éloïse to Moldavia. This was followed by a full year in the Democratic Republic of Congo, six months in Kinshasa and six months in Bukavu. The third mission takes place in Sudan. "It's important to understand that our operations in each of these theaters require an efficient, highly professional organization. An organization in which financial expertise is invaluable. We purchase, transport and distribute goods, manage refugee camps, build infrastructures and support local associations. The needs are immense and no waste would be acceptable. I give a very concrete and useful meaning to my training and I also gain incredible exchanges with local players".