“You need to believe in what you are doing and always search for things that would inspire you even more”

Barno Mukhamadieva, Chief of Education, UNICEF Angola

Tell us a bit about your background.
I was born in Tajikistan, a small, beautiful mountainous country in Central Asia. I grew up in an industrial town - Tursunzade, which at the time had around 63 nationalities. I studied International Relations and International Studies in universities in Tajikistan and the United Kingdom.

What do you do?
I am an education specialist, worked on issues related to girls’ education, education in emergencies and access to education for out-of-school children. Recently I joined UNICEF Angola, and lead the education programme here.

What’s your working day like?
At the moment, my work schedule is very hectic ☺ ☺ ☺ we are developing a new country programme document which will have a new innovative approach, so I am learning a lot and having many interesting meetings, participating in different exercises, and supporting the government partners’ participation in this process.

How would you describe your job to a 5-year-old?  
I would say that education is very important to have a happy and healthy childhood, safe development as a teenager; and better quality of life in adulthood, that’s why I believe that he/she must go to school and take the most out of it.  

What did you want to be when you were a child?
I wanted to be a doctor or a teacher, I could never make up my mind which one I liked more, however my current job as an education programme manager is closer to a teacher’s profession.

How/when did you join UNICEF?
I joined UNICEF Tajikistan back in 2003 as a field monitor for WASH in school programmes, and after a few weeks I realized that this work is really interesting and I wanted to continue in the same area.

What are the most satisfying parts of your job?
To see that our efforts result in better development of children.  

What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
Sometimes getting frustrated that the progress is slow.

What’s your best UNICEF experience/memory?
When a group of parents and teachers from one remote school in Tajikistan acknowledged that because of a UNICEF girls education programme, the school started to have girls in grade 10 and 11, the last two grades of secondary education, for the first time in the last 10 years.

What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve ever taken in your life?
So far, I haven’t had such experience.  

What are your passions? How do you spend your free time?
I love reading, travelling with my husband and kids and spending time with my family and friends.  

What advice would you give others who are seeking a similar job as yours?
You need to believe in what you are doing and always search for things that would inspire you even more.

Who do you look towards for inspiration?
Women who are the influencers at the global level.

My colleagues don’t know that…
I’m a good singer ☺ ☺ ☺  

Did you know Barno applied to UNICEF through the NETI programme? Interested in becoming a NETI yourself? Click here for programme details and upcoming vacancies in 2018! http://www.unicef.org/neti2018