Whether you’re building your international development career already or you hope to enter the sector in the future, a little guidance from those who have done it all before can be really valuable. But for many of us, accessing the collective knowledge of successful women in the field can seem like a pretty daunting prospect.
To help, we asked two incredible development leaders, Dr Roopa Dhatt – Executive Director and co-founder of Women in Global Health, and Camilla Knox-Peebles – Chief Executive of Amref Health Africa UK, to share their advice to young women pursuing a career in development. Here’s what they told us.
Roopa’s top tips:
- Have a strong support system.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
- Pick what matters most to you.
“To be able to do anything well, you need to be taking care of yourself.”
And Camilla’s advice to those early in their careers:
- Listen, be open to learning and seize opportunities.
- Practice self-awareness and self-reflection.
- Follow your intuition.
“I have so often found myself hesitating to ask a question, only to find out that so many other people had exactly the same question.”
Girls’ Globe attended the Women in Dev Conference in March 2020. You can watch highlights from the event or join the conversation online. And, if you’re a young woman in the international development sector (or hoping to be one day!), you can amplify your voice with Girls’ Globe.
