Finding Meaning in Numbers: A Gen Z's Career Path in WV Global Center
There are staffs who join in a humanitarian organization but having a work rhythm that feels like an office worker. Every day, from eight to four, working from behind the desk and staring at numbers. Unlike humanitarian workers who are associated with being at the grassroots level, assisting children and communities, there are also humanitarian workers who work from afar and serve as a support team. The routine work that is not as dynamic as humanitarian workers in the field often raises the question: Does the work of this support team also have an impact on children and communities?
Elsa, a Finance Analyst for World Vision Global Center, found a good answer to that question. Her teammate once said, "The numbers or the cells or the columns in the spreadsheets that we see every day is the life that we impacted every day,”. This line continues to nurture Elsa's spirit to work at Wahana Visi Indonesia, even as a supporting role that rarely be with the children and communities. "Because it is the impact given to the children that makes me continue to work at WVI," she said.
A Career Driven by Meaning
"Four years ago, when I was just about to begin my working experience, what I was looking for was a job that could make me get a big income quickly. I was still self-centered, I applied for jobs at the largest companies in Indonesia, especially since I was also an accounting graduate so that was what I am familiar with," Elsa said. Non-profit organizations or Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) that work for humanity were not at Elsa’s top of mind even though she had actually known WVI since 2018. At that time, Elsa was still a student at Pelita Harapan University who was looking for a partner to share donations to survivors of the earthquake and liquefaction in Palu, Central Sulawesi.
The woman born in 1998 became more interested in humanitarian organizations after attending the Donors Appreciation Night event held by WVI. At the event, Elsa began to wonder why so many people were raising funds for the well being of children in Indonesia? Also, why do so many people work in organizations like this? Such a big effort to fight for the lives of Indonesian children, what is exactly their doing?
"At that event, I saw how WVI could touch many lives and many people were blessed because of this work. That moment was a turning point for me, I wanted to join this organization," she said. The right opportunity came in 2020, when she was selected as Finance and Accounting Officer at Wahana Visi Indonesia’s national office.
Four years have passed and now Elsa has made up her mind to continue working in the humanitarian world because this career path has a meaningful purpose. "I feel like I've entered the right world, I can't go to corporate anymore. My POV has changed. Because of this job I can have an impact on the most vulnerable children and I become a person whose heart is softened," she said.
WVI as a Family to Grow
For Elsa, working at WVI is like having a new family. A strong family culture is even applied to her current team at the global level. "My team now consists of about 100 people and from different countries. But they don't make me feel alone. Leaders in other teams also like to ask me if I'm okay, comfortable or not," said this Gen Z woman. Even though she is the only Indonesian on the team, Elsa immediately felt accepted and appreciated.
"Wahana Visi Indonesia, and up to World Vision Global, is very family-like but not toxic," she said. It doesn't mean that because they feel like family, there are many exceptions that are deliberately made to make work easier. Elsa feels that this family value actually triggers solid cooperation and maintains professionalism. Each staff and leader actually has a high sense of responsibility to complete the work as well as possible while transferring knowledge to each other.
Slow but sure, this family becomes a place for Elsa to learn to grow. Elsa is able to reflect on whether she has grown, is still growing, or has stopped growing. For her, career and the continuity of personal growth is highly important. "If we continue to grow, it means we can continue to contribute. But if we have stopped growing, it means we are no longer useful. If I feel like I can't grow anymore, I have to find new things, and WVI still give me something new, something to learn. It kept me growing from my previous positions to another," she concluded.
Wahana Visi Indonesia is part of the World Vision partnership, so it provides opportunities for staff to develop at various levels, from grassroots, national, regional (Asia Pacific, Africa, East Asia, and others), to global. "It's a great place to work because there are many things to learn here. When can you work while also you can serve others, you can feel immeasurable satisfaction. Now that I'm on the global team, I can also explore more opportunities and there are so many things to learn here. Simply put, when else can I connect with people in Honduras or Burkina Faso?" she said with a laugh.
While enjoying her daily work now, Elsa is also still looking forward to the opportunity to become a field staff at WVI or at the World Vision Global Center. The issue of poverty in Indonesia and the world is very interesting to Elsa. She feels that WVI has a unique approach to reducing poverty with a sustainable way and she wants to contribute to this. "WVI has done a lot so far, but there are still many more children who need our presence. So for me now, I'm up for anything as long as it gives more impact, more transformation," she concluded.
Author: Mariana Kurniawati (Communication Executive)
