Lily Ryan-Collins

Lily works for Belgian Red Cross (Sri Lanka Delegation) where she supervises the construction of new houses for those who lost their homes in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

Job title

Construction Delegate
Belgian Red Cross Sri Lanka Delegation

What does your job involve?

Supervising the construction of houses for families that lost their homes when the Indian Ocean tsunami of 26th December 2004 hit Sri Lanka. The Red Cross uses a participative model, so the families and communities are at the centre of everything we do. We consult them on all the decisions, including the design of the house and the layout of the site. The construction of the houses is carried out by the families themselves – we provide grants in seven instalments and they manage the construction. We have several supervisors on site to provide technical support. I work with four Sri Lankan Engineers, dealing with construction management issues and working to ensure that high quality is maintained across all the sites, but I also have a lot of direct contact with the beneficiary families. Over the course of five years the Belgian Red Cross built more than 500 houses.

Did you ever imagine you’d be doing this job early on in your school years?

No! I thought I would be working in an office designing buildings and bridges.

Did you always want to be in the profession you are in?

I've wanted to be an Engineer since my teens. I've wanted to work in international development ever since I took a gap year when I was 18 and taught English in a Tibetan Refugee Centre in India.

What subjects did you study at school?

I studied for A-Levels in Maths, Physics and English Literature, and an A/S-Level in Further Maths.

Do you have any specific role models/ mentors that influenced you into what you are doing now?

I can’t think of anyone, sorry!

What difficulties have you encountered along the way that you had to overcome?

Work in international development is competitive. I worked as a volunteer on housing reconstruction projects in El Salvador for a year from 2006-2007 and that experience enabled me to apply successfully for a job with the Red Cross. It’s not necessary to do a whole year of voluntary work to get this kind of job though – I stayed out in El Salvador for so long because I was enjoying it. It is difficult to find a way to get that first bit of experience. Leaving behind your family and home to work abroad can be frightening, but I have found people open, warm and welcoming wherever I've been. I have had some amazing experiences and met some amazing people while working abroad, and it has broadened my horizons. Plus the work is incredibly satisfying.

Do you find it difficult being mainly in a ‘male dominated’ job environment?

Generally it has not been a problem at all. In my work abroad I have found that my colleagues, whether male or female, have taken me for who I am and respected my knowledge and experience. I always take care to ask the advice and opinions of the people I manage, and I value their input very highly – I think that helps to create a good working environment.

Who do you admire?

I admire the families that we work with to construct these houses. They have lost almost everything, often including family members and close friends, but they are able to keep smiling, carry on, and manage the construction of their new homes. Giving the families responsibility for managing the construction gives them a sense of pride and confidence in their own abilities, which we believe contributes to helping them to recover from the disaster.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of following your footsteps in your career choice?

If you would like to work in international development, it is important to gain some work experience first, as humanitarian organisations very rarely take on fresh graduates. Two years would be a minimum I would say (I worked in the private sector for 3 ½ years). Getting your first experience working in the field is difficult – be open to taking on voluntary work. There are sources of funding available - I received funding from the Institution of Civil Engineers and the company I was working with at the time for my year in El Salvador for example – and the cost of living in many countries is so low that you can get by on very little and still have a nice lifestyle! Organisations such as VSO and UN-Volunteers can also provide valuable volunteering opportunities, and will pay your expenses. Don’t be disheartened by the competitiveness of the sector. Once you have had one contract it will be much easier to get other work. That first contract will depend on contacts and luck, as well as your qualifications.

The humanitarian field needs good engineers - good luck!