Alex Fakira

Position:
- Humanitarian Engineer
Areas:
- Humanitarian (Primary)
- Electrical
Education:
- marine electrical engineering
Location:
- NSW
Personal website: http://www.redr.org.au

Alex Fakira is a humanitarian engineer. His career in marine electrical engineering in the merchant navy has served as the foundation for assignments in the name of RedR Australia in Afghanistan, Iraq and Timor Leste.

In 2003 he was deployed to Iraq to join the World Food Programme in the north of the troubled country, but was diverted to set up power supply for a temporary tent compound for UN staff, after the official UN headquarters in Baghdad had been damaged.

Portable generator installation and maintenance were challenged by shortage of spare parts, unskilled local labour needing training, and logistical problems in an environment of insecurity and extreme heat.

Little wonder the RedR Australia field roles are described as “not for the faint-hearted”.

Alex has completed two assignments in Afghanistan, one as an electrical engineering consultant to UNICEF, inspecting their regional offices, assessing electrical power supply and installation. He trained locals to address the exposed bare cables, lack of earthing on equipment, and storage of flammable material in generator rooms.

His second assignment, as a project manager with CHF International, included the construction of schools and clinics from ground up in remote locations of Afghanistan, liaison with government officials and local authorities, negotiating contracts with construction companies and supervising construction sites.

Alex has been busy demonstrating humanitarian engineering in hotspots of greatest need.