Life at VSO: Joyce Laker, Global Practice Area Lead for Education

"I was born and raised in the conflict zone in northern Uganda. Living and working through the conflict cultivated a deep drive to serve the most vulnerable people. I survived rebel ambushes, witnessed the mass killings, women and children killed and maimed; I saw homes burnt and destroyed and the ensuing poverty and hardship in the displaced people’s camps.

Twenty-three years ago, I became a statistician and worked for the Electoral Commission, but it didn't fulfil me and I walked away, burdened with a passion for serving women and children in fragile contexts.

I moved quickly to change my career to development, development policies, and international and humanitarian law and, as a Fulbright scholar, I became an international negotiator. Working with rights-based development organisations like ACORD, CARE, and ActionAid, inspired me to work in development.

My decision to join VSO was solidified when I read VSO's strategy, ‘People First – A World Without Poverty’. The commitment to empowering people as agents of change resonated deeply with my inner passion. I saw VSO as an organisation that achieved extraordinary change.

What is your role at VSO?

As the Global Practice Area Lead for Education at VSO, I work to enhance the quality and impact of our education programme worldwide. The goal is to ensure that every child has the right and ability to access inclusive, equitable and high-quality education.

I saw VSO as an organisation that achieved extraordinary change."

We put children’s needs first, addressing barriers to lifelong learning, and tackling emerging learning crises faced by the most vulnerable children. We focus on making sure all children can enrol, participate, and progress in education equitably, specifically targeting girls' education – formal and informal, primary and secondary – as well as foundation learning through early childhood care and education.

What do you think makes VSO different?

I think what sets us apart is our Volunteering for Development approach. We focus on strengthening the systems that uplift people, by deploying skilled national and international volunteers that work hand-in-hand with local partners and communities.

In education, we empower the most vulnerable learners by tackling the structural and systemic barriers that stand in their way. The support is there for children, parents and communities themselves to create inclusive and resilient learning environments, and make sure service providers are accountable to them.

Involving learners, parents, communities, governments can help make sure change is long-lasting and far-reaching. In Malawi, the Unlocking Talent Project led to the government adopting BEFIT, improving reading and writing using technology for over 3.5 million children. In Rwanda, the government is implementing the Special Needs Coordinators and Resource Teachers programme, and in Nepal, our work with the Girls Inclusive Education Network has been nationally adopted for girls' access to equitable education.

We want to make sure no child is left behind, but there are still challenges; governments face difficulties with financing and policy implementation, while teachers are stretched to capacity – exacerbated by COVID-19 and increasing fragility in the countries we operate. That’s why building resilience into the systems is at the heart of achieving lasting change.

There will always be shocks and challenges, but a resilient child, resilient school, and resilient parents are more able to withstand them.

What does your average day look like?

I usually spend the whole day running between internal and external meetings, focusing on strategic and operational matters. I strive to balance work and personal life, which can be challenging sometimes in a complex working environment, working with people in different time zones. As a single mother of three boys based in Cambodia, my days are a beautiful blend of joy and sacrifice, often requiring me to work early mornings and late nights.

My morning routine begins at 05:00, where I start with prayer, take a refreshing swim, set my agenda for the day, and get my children ready for school. I try to envision a fruitful day ahead. Work officially begins at 10:00. From then until noon, I read and write a lot, correspond with the team in Asia, and respond to emails.

From 12:00-19:00 is undoubtedly the busiest period, as it feels like the whole world has just woken up. This time is filled with meetings addressing strategic, technical and operational needs. Occasionally, meetings will spill over into 19:00-21:00 if there are no alternative options – truthfully, on weekdays, I’ll rarely catch the sunset.

The highlight of my day is undoubtedly hearing the stories from our primary actors. People like Belinda from Malawi, who can now read and write, or the inspiring journey of Daw Lway Cherry, who was coached by VSO volunteers, and is now leading a Myanmar ethnic NGO that trains teachers.

The transformative experiences of individuals like Kenneth, who was trained by a VSO volunteer and now manages a VSO country office, bring me immense joy and fulfilment. These stories remind me of the impact we make and the lives we touch through our work.

What brings you joy outside of work?

Beyond VSO, my greatest joy lies in ministering for God and providing support to those in need – praying with the sick, offering counsel, and bringing hope to the hopeless. I find solace in prayer and helping others know and experience God.

Working with VSO has given me a deep passion for serving the most disadvantaged and vulnerable individuals. Before, I struggled to believe that there were people out there with so much passion for dedicating their time, resources and lives to make a difference in the lives of others.

My perception of volunteering has undergone a remarkable shift; I have come to understand the true value of responsible and impactful volunteering, realising its tremendous potential for development.

To go from being a statistician to a human rights advocate and education practitioner, and to see the value that volunteering brings to development, brings me so much satisfaction. My biggest joy is seeing children able to read and write. I hope and work for a world where all children have equal opportunities to learn and live to fulfil their dreams."

Learn more about our impact in education this year

Life at VSO

Read our Life at VSO series for more personal accounts of what it's like to work at VSO.

Life at VSO