What is it exactly that you do?

What do I do for the UNDP? Difficult to say exactly. What I do on a day to day basis differs greatly. There was and continues to be a lot to learn just to complete simple tasks. Still, I am developing fluency in the processes UNDP uses and have made some good contacts in the various Government Ministries with whom I deal.

In the UN House, the building in which I work, the main UN agencies (UNICEF, UNDP, UNAIDS, FAO, WFP, WHO, Habitat as well as the Bank) are housed. UNDP and UNICEF are two of the bigger agencies. They each have their own floor. UNDP employees about 50 people and about ten of us are internationals. UNDP consists of four units: Governance, Energy and Environment, Strategy & Policy and Poverty Reduction & HIV/AIDS. Currently I am working for both the Governance and the Energy and Environment Unit.

UNDP works on the basis of projects. Projects might be assistance to the electoral process, or increasing rural-electrification or combating youth unemployment and youth poverty. Project documents are key to UNDP’s work though UNDP would not create a project unilaterally. Projects are between UNDP and the Government of Lesotho and usually a few other UN Agencies.

They outline a “problem” and various ways to attempt to mitigate or thwart said problem. One project I am working on is “Support to the Establishment of a Human Rights Commission.” This project, over the course of its life, will bring in legal consultants to help the GOL draft a Bill creating the Commission and outlining its powers. It also sets aside money for renting office space, buying computers and a vehicle for the Commission and provides funds for a communications team to educate the population about the Commission. The project will also allow Commissioners and NHRC staff to take a study tour to Kenya to learn and observe how the Kenyan HRC works and have Human Rights experts brought in to work with the new Commissioners.

Basically, we at UNDP are project managers. Much of the brain/creative work is done by consultants. Even project documents are usually written by consultants. Our job is to administer or manage the project. This entails overseeing HR processes, ensuring that purchases are made expediently and on time, ensuring that those working on the various projects are paid, providing low end technical and policy support to Government, and generally helping the Government, who are typically the main executors of UNDP’s projects, meet work-plan and budget requirements.

Another project that I am helping out on is a Renewable Energy Project. This project will establish electricity in target areas in two districts. It will be hugely beneficial to schools and health clinics in the districts as well as serve as a pilot to see if solar power is feasible in Lesotho and determine what technology is appropriate. Typically each project has staff that are hired for the length of the project, usually 1 to 2 years. For this project we will be hiring a Project Coordinator, a Training and Communications Specialist and a Program Administrator. The Project Coordinator will be the focal point and general manager of the project. He or she will oversee the building of the solar panels and the electrical wiring of communities by various companies. He will also work with banks and UNDP to access funds allotted to the project. The PA will assist him and the Communications Specialist will work with the community to educate them about maintenance of the solar technology and how to take advantage of the electricity available in the community. In the next little while we will oversee the purchase of computers and office space for the Project and supply them with a vehicle.

This is a very typical project. As you can see UNDP is very process oriented and project oriented except for the Strategy and Policy Unit, which feeds info to the Human Development Report.