WCO conducted a one day team building workshop on 22nd Nov, 2018 at Desalegn Hotel in Addis Ababa. The objective of this workshop was to enhance team spirit, staff motivation and morale, improve the ability to solve problem of the country office through individual contribution, and overall improves the organizational productivity towards contributing to the new ways of working in WHO.
 

Dr Paul Mainuka, WHO Ethiopia Representative a.i. opened the session by a remark. He highlighted the need to enhance the team spirit of the Country Office staff and share ideas on how to cope with the challenges that the country office may face. Dr Paul also mentioned that such gatherings help to motivate staff to support the global initiatives for the new ways of working in WHO.

The day’s activities focused on team building and self-leadership facilitated by LITHWS, training and consultant firm specialized in conducting similar activities in several organizations. The activities were more of participatory involving each staff member who was present. A presentation made by Mr. Henry Mbaziira, PMO, focusing on the new WHO ways of working in WHO. Mr. Henry in his presentation stated that the case for change in WHO has the intention to ensure 1 billion more people with health coverage, 1 billion more people made safer and 1 billion lives improved. He recapped the quote made by Dr. Tedros Adhanom, WHO Director General while addressing the executive board in January 2018 “Our goal is clear - to make WHO a modern organization that works seamlessly to make a measurable difference in people’s health at country level.”

The team building meeting session was started by a security briefing from WCO security officer, Mr. Farouk Jiwa. Mr Farouk who presented the key areas regarding staff safety and security emphasized the need to focus on prevention of risk before any crisis or emergency happened. Brief presentations were also made on policies on protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) that aims to end sexual exploitation and sexual abuse by humanitarian workers and ePMDS tool and system which is used to enhance staff performance by Dr. Fikir Melles and Mr. Alieu Wadda respectively.
 

Parallel sessions between the technical teams and the administration wing (drivers) were made concurrently to orient drivers on emergency first aid techniques.
 

Finally, the closing ceremony was held at Habesha 2000 cultural restaurant having a dinner with all WCO staff. During the closing session, the chair person from WESA pledged to organize similar staff retreat with the wider group including the field staff before the end of the year 2018.
 

For Further information:
Dr Paul Mainuka, WHO Representative a.i.; mainukap [at] who.int
Dr Fikir Meless, fikirm [at] who.int
Mr Wadda Alieu, wadda [at] who.int
Mr Henery Mbaziira, mbaziirah [at] who.int