Meet Our Admin Assistant Shang: "I’m always excited to go to work"

Shang is an Admin Assistant at the Lotus Flower, who has personally experienced the horrifying effects of conflict. As a very young girl in 1991, she was displaced to Turkey with her family, and recalls: “My father was a doctor back then, working in displacement and curing wounded people there.”

A decade later, the family faced further displacement, and by 2003 were living in Amedi in Kurdistan. “People were fleeing again, schools stopped providing lessons and were emptied because those who fled to rural areas moved into schools due to fear of bombardment and chemical weapons,” she says.

“I remember my father teaching us how to use face masks we made with coal in case of chemical attacks in our town. He also taught us how to run to the nearest shelters quickly in case of emergency. We knew this knowledge could save our lives one day.”

Many years later, Shang studied English Literature at Duhok university, and then successfully applied to become a team leader in our Earth Sisters project. Explaining her role within the six-month project, she adds: “We provided climate-related training for women and girl IDPs, refugees, and host communities in Duhok. The special part of this project was that the participants were from a very diverse group, and those women and girls then became leaders themselves, each in her respective community.”

She was pleased to see the Earth Sisters make considerable progress as a result of the training. “I helped many women and girls enhance their skills, learn more about climate change and gender-based violence. Additionally, some of them were able to find new job opportunities.”

After Earth Sisters concluded, Shang began working as Admin Assistant with us, a role she has had since January this year. “I work with different sectors and departments within the Lotus Flower, including HR, Logistics, and Finance, doing a lot of documentation and archiving.”

She has found the role to be personally rewarding, saying: “I especially value the opportunities for self-improvement here, and when I wake up in the morning, I’m always excited to go to work.”

Shang has developed a good working relationship with senior staff members, saying: “The management team is very understanding, creating a comfortable environment. I have also acquired new technical skills and expanded my knowledge during my work. I used to approach new job opportunities with caution, but now I embrace them as chances for personal growth. Now I am confident in my ability to adapt to various roles and responsibilities, and feel prepared to tackle any challenge.”

We’re so glad to hear it!