Gail's journey with MSF: commitment to humanitarian excellence

My Time With MSF: An Insight by Gail

Her decision to join MSF was daunting, but she dove into the assignments with optimism and absolute confidence and participated in two assignments in Palestine and Jerusalem after her first assignment in Afghanistan. Her focus was to empower local colleagues with a zeal to continue expanding their horizons, even if it was in a conflict context.

Gail Page, MSF HR manager on assignment in Palestine © Gail Page/MSF

Collaborating with local colleagues

A cornerstone of Gail’s work has been her collaboration with locally hired staff, who are central to MSF’s success. "I primarily worked with the national staff in each of my assignments, deliberately because I enjoyed understanding how their lives were impacted and how we could possibly make things a little bit easier for them." 

During her first assignment in Afghanistan, she supported women on her team who faced significant restrictions in their professional lives. “Support was provided through training on the job so that they were ready for their next career opportunity, through to support in interactions with male colleagues and issues with public transportation to and from work. It was important to listen and understand the restrictions on their family life and social life, and to understand the importance of being able to come to work each day to support their family,” she said.

In Palestine, Gail’s responsibilities included managing payroll systems, coordinating training programs, and ensuring administrative continuity in a high-turnover environment. While supporting the modular field hospital being established in Gaza, she focused on helping new recruits adapt to MSF’s systems. "Helping them understand what was happening in the payroll system and what some of the policy rules were about was really quite enjoyable. I felt like I was actually contributing to making their life a little bit easier," she said.

Facing new challenges on assignment

Her most recent assignment in Jerusalem brought new challenges, including working in a region marked by conflict and tension. Gail observed, "When I was in Nablus, there were Israeli military vehicles coming into the checkpoint or had been through the checkpoint." Despite these obstacles, she found the dedication of MSF’s teams and their deep connections to local communities inspiring.

As part of her work supporting the team in Gaza, her duties extended to helping the national team to onboard new team members. "We were inducting people while the hospital was being built for them. It was very challenging for the local team, yet fulfilling, to see it all happening," she said.

For Gail, the most important aspect of her work was ensuring that the voices of the national staff were heard and recognised. "They are the backbone of operations. It is important to understand their challenges, to provide them with the things necessary for success," she said.

Words of advice

For those considering a role with MSF, Gail offers encouragement: "If you’re ready to contribute in an environment that’s often unpredictable or uncertain, and you don’t mind what kind of accommodation you’re living in, then you absolutely should apply. It’s an incredibly rewarding experience."

Although she is currently focusing on family and volunteering in Australia, Gail says she's still open to future assignments. Gail also had this to say when asked about the crisis in Gaza. “We have to keep the message going that this is not the end. The ceasefire in Gaza is certainly not the end, and we can only hope it will last. It's a massive humanitarian disaster."

Gail Page has been instrumental in supporting MSF's lifesaving missions through her work behind the scenes. Her story is a testament to the importance of unsung roles that enable frontline teams to deliver care where it is needed most.