Why Should I Become A Cooperator?

An international aid worker is a professional who works in a developing country, both in the field of development and humanitarian aid, at the service of an entity that promotes international cooperation, which may well be of a public nature (governments, administrations , universities …) or private (companies and NGDOs).

The purpose of International Cooperation will be to promote global economic and social progress, through the role of the aid worker. Thus, the aid worker becomes the key piece of aid, the architect of delivery.

But where do I start?

To start working as a donor, both in humanitarian and development contexts, it is essential to carry out a preliminary task of searching for information  and the consequent personal analysis and reflection.

In the first place, it is necessary to delve into what international cooperation really means and thus get a good idea of ​​the environments where the projects are implemented, what types of professional and personal profiles are required in each of them and what the project consists of. day-to-day work of the aid worker.

The blog “Mom, I want to be a cooperant” can help us take our first steps in this task.

Why do I want to go?

And here comes the ” crux” of the matter . It is at this moment when we must carry out an honest and coherent self-reflection task with ourselves.

The work to be carried out will vary depending on the professional profile in which we are pigeonholed, starting from technical or management work, to the sometimes idyllic field work. The environment where we are going to carry out our work will also influence, as well as the type of project and the volume of work of the organization.

Finally, it is important that the future aid worker asks himself if he wants this to be his profession in the long term or if he only wants to have a specific experience. Since there is a wide range of volunteer opportunities, both nationally and internationally that could also give birth through valuable experiences of personal growth.

What can I contribute with “my backpack” as a volunteer?

There are as many possible contributions to the world of cooperation, as there are cooperators in the world. However, there are numerous myths that are sustained around this area, such as the statement that the aid worker decides to set out for a country in conflict or developing with the sole motivation of helping others. The answer is yes, but no.

Certainly this is one of the compelling reasons, but it is not necessary to cross oceans to do so. You can cooperate in your Community, in your neighborhood and within your own home. Therefore, what most moves us to embark on the world of cooperation is having the guarantee that we will return with a backpack loaded with new experiences, which we can then share, in order to create a new critical awareness among those around us.

We would no longer be speaking of a purely altruistic vision, but of a symbiosis or, as its own word indicates, of a cooperation between two parties that are heading towards a common destiny. Only by leaving aside the paternalistic discourse of the countries of the North , you will be able to soak up what this opportunity offers you in your own personal and professional growth at a cultural, ideological and linguistic level.

And when will what come back?

Social awareness on our return is a key element in promoting a change of consciousness and inculcating critical thinking about the reality of developing countries, as well as the causes and problems linked to uneven development between North and South America. South, which affects all countries.

Band-Aids do not cure poverty, it analyzes the multiple causes of poverty and inequality. Among them, the harmful actions of some international companies in controlling key sectors such as energy and water, or the role of institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, which with their decisions harm the poorest countries.

With increasing urgency, we need a new model that is not based on economic development but on the well-being and happiness of all people. Since we live in an extremely unjust capitalist and patriarchal system, which thrives on the oppression of women and the impoverishment of the countries of the South. We can’t keep putting plasters …

If you have been wanting more, SETECI del Ecuador illustrates us, through a very interactive video, about the evolutionary history of International Cooperation and highlights its particular reality, in which Ecuador no longer needs more help, but COOPERATION. Here the key is the exchange of knowledge and know-how between the sister countries of Latin America, thus strengthening regional integration.

Take example.