Liam Totten's Journey at UNDP Ukriane

Navigating the Borderlands: 

Liam Totten’s Journey Navigating the Borderlands

Ukraine has a long and storied history dating back 1400 years; Ukraine loosely translates to Borderlands and has acted as the border between the east and west for many centuries. Ukraine has been occupied as a strategic territory by the Mongols, Lithuanians, Poles, Austrians, Tatars and most recently the Russians. Ukraine officially gained independence from the USSR only 26 years ago in 1991 and as portrayed in western media is still embattled in the identity crisis as being a “borderland”.

Upon accepting my Junior Professional Consultant position with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) country office in Kyiv (Kyiv not the Russian spelling Kiev), I really did not know what to expect. As the tires touched down at Kyiv Boryspil International Airport, flashes of scenes from the 2014 Euromaidan Ukrainian revolution swirled in my mind along with the images of the abandoned Chernobyl site displaying an Eastern European dystopia. These anxious thoughts were quickly eased as I was immediately greeted by a friendly driver who was enthralled to have me in Ukraine. As he raced down the highway keeping one eye on the road and the other eye studying me in the rear-view mirror, the driver proudly pointed out stunning golden domed cathedrals and the giant Motherland statue, holding her sword and shield up victoriously over the city. Before I knew it, I was settled into my apartment and was eager to begin my six-month journey in the borderland.

Three months have passed, and I now find myself at the climax of my journey. I can truly say Kyiv is a jewel of a city with so much culture, food and architecture to offer. The many cultures that have passed through Ukraine’s borders have left their imprint however, Ukrainians have a very proud, slightly rebellious and progressive self-identity, especially among the younger generation. This can be seen in the countless speak-easy bars, hipster-eques cafes and street art that decorates the city. This new-born identity has blended in seamlessly with the storied past of the city, springing life back into the old imposing soviet style houses and extenuating the beauty of St. Sophia and St. Andrews Cathedral. Kyiv must be one of the most unique cities in the world and has been a pleasure to explore. Making my experience even better is the borscht, potato pancakes and Vareniki (Dumplings) that you can find at every corner.

In addition to exploring the city, the work has been deeply engaging and an intense learning experience. I am a health governance consultant with UNDP Ukraine’s Health Re-form Portfolio. Since 2015, the UNDP has been helping procure medicines for the Ukrainian government. I am supporting the program's team and have assisted on projects including HIV and TB prevention and Sustainable Healthcare in Procurement. My day to day often consists of drafting concept notes and writing and editing case studies. Recently I submitted a concept note to develop a Health Procurement training program highlighting the UNDP’s best practices. The objective is to maintain the sustainable procurement supply chain management when the procurement system is transitioned back to the Ukrainian government.

Capacity building of health and medical stakeholders in Ukraine is a large portion of the program’s mandate. I had the opportunity to present on behalf of the UNDP at the fifth national women’s forum on HIV and AIDs. To spark the development of innovative health-rights' solutions, I gave a presentation on design-thinking methodology. The participants then practiced using design-thinking in groups, using case studies that exemplified major issues faced by HIV positive women in Ukraine. I was extremely nervous as many of the participants have been victims of war, discrimination and sexual violence. Being a Canadian that has never experienced any of these issues, I felt that I had no merit giving the presentation. I later joined a group to work on the cases and was greeted with so much gratitude and appreciation for taking part in the forum that it is has been the best highlight of my journey so far. 

Winter is slowly creeping up on the city and as excited as I am to see the city glow in Christmas lights, I am not prepared to start wearing my parka into the office. There are still three months left and I can not wait to live out the next chapter of my journey in the borderlands.