Interview: Finance Department

Interviews are not easy! 
Filmed interviews are even harder! You have to prepare the questions, set up the camera, figure out how to work the mic, adjust lighting, and deal with background noise.


Yesterday I had my first interview with Mary Vonckx, the Grant Officer in the Finance Department.  I was really stressed in the hours leading up to the interview, but I think it went alright in the end.  The interview lasted forty-five minutes in all; I should probably trim down my question list for my next interview this afternoon!  Mary was great though!  She is so knowledgeable about the company, far beyond her basic job description.  We talked about what the finance department does, the funding structure of MSF USA, MSF USA's role in the global MSF movement, and what happens in surplus and deficit years.  Through this interview I learned that the finance department does a lot more that simply handle the money.  They have to figure out how to get the money to the field projects, which is not easy.  Sometimes the area in which a MSF project is being conducted is too dangerous or remote to wire money for supplies that men have to get in four-wheelers and drive to the project and deliver the money face-to-face.  This can put the lives of the carriers in serious danger.  This was my first interview of six.  I hope the rest of them go this smoothly!