Jennifer?Lukania began her career as a UN Volunteer with the UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad and the UN Mission in South Sudan.
After serving as Head of Information Management in Cameroon, she joined the Regional Office for Southern and Eastern Africa of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) as a national Information Management Officer in 2021.
How did you balance career and family?
It hasn¡¯t been easy, especially when my children were young, and I was working in peacekeeping missions. The key is realizing that you cannot be everything to everyone.
You give them your full attention when you are with them, and you try to be as present as you can be when you are away.
I truly dislike the stereotype that a woman, a wife, a mother¡¯s place is at home, raising the children and taking care of the house. This is what is expected of you, especially in Africa, where you have a responsibility to look after ¨C and take care of ¨C your entire family.
I wanted to be a mother and have a career, so moving to the Regional Office for Southern and Eastern Africa gave me the ability to be there for my family while continuing to work in the humanitarian field.
I am immensely proud of what I have achieved so far, both as a mother and a woman with a career. I always tell my girls: ¡°Dream big, and you will accomplish big things¡±.
Information management?is traditionally male-dominated. How did you navigate this field as a woman??
My first steps into the UN world were indeed intimidating because, as a woman, you are constantly under scrutiny. If you fail, they will say it was to be expected. If you miss your family, it is because your place is at home.
So, in a way, you feel like you always must prove someone wrong.
This is why I decided to let my work speak for itself. I take everything I do with the utmost responsibility, and that drive to succeed always helps dissipate any doubts on my abilities.?
This is especially true when you work in a field that traditionally is regarded as ¡°for men¡±. The best you can do is to believe in yourself.
I also feel a strong sense of responsibility to help, and that is what keeps me motivated. The joy of seeing a project benefiting people and improving their lives is what drives me. This, combined with wanting to set an example for my children, keeps me going even during rough times. ?
