Past Humanitarian Logistics Seminars
The challenges & benefits of the humanitarian supply chain visa vi the private sector Supply Chain.
Presenter: Anthony Nsangu Simbeye, Supply chain specialist, World Vision Zambia
Abstract
This is a basic presentation from the eyes of a practitioner who has been privileged to sit on both sides of the fence. It looks at some of the challenges and benefits of what supply chains in both kinds of set up have to offer. It also highlights some of differences in the drivers of demand and supply of the in both organisations. The presentation will also highlight the challenges in the environment (political social, economical & Technological) where these supply chains operate. The presentation will look at some of the challenges in collaborating with partners and the issue of ethics during disasters.
Bio-sketch of the presenter
Anthony Nsangu Simbeye graduated from the Copperbelt University in the mining city of Kitwe in Zambia in December 2000 with a BSc in Computer Science. After graduation, he started his career with Unilever Zambia, a subsidiary of the Anglo – Dutch FMCG Giant Unilever International as a management trainee in IT department in October 2001. As part of his training he was moved to the logistics department in December 2001.
It was here that Anthony discovered his strong passion for logistics and through the organisation’s restructuring he was appointed as logistics officer managing procurement of finished goods and cross border logistics. After serving at different capacities within the supply chain organization of Unilever Zambia, Anthony was promoted to the position of Supply Chain Manager in 2004.
Whilst working for Unilever Anthony acquired his foundation Diploma from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply in 2005. Anthony continued in his role as Supply Chain Manager until March 2007. In March 2007 Anthony joined in World Vision Zambia (A Christian organization focused on vulnerable children in the society) as Supply Chain Specialist. In his new role his responsibilities encompasses creating vision and mission for the World Vision Zambia’s supply chain organization, negotiate larger contracts, build capacity of the procurement organization, set up Supply Chain structure in World Vision Zambia and drive implementation and finally management of the Gifts in Kind warehouse and distribution.
Steve Hansch’s talk
Presenter: Steve Hansch, Senior Associate for the Institute for the Study of International Migration
Bio-sketch of the presenter
Mr. Hansch has worked principally with non-governmental organizations during his career. Mr. Hansch has conducted field work implementing and developing disaster response programs in Ethiopia, Sudan, Kosovo, Rwanda, Azerbaijan and Somalia, working with NGOs like the International Rescue Committee, CARE, Relief International, and Partners for Development. In the early 1990s he served as Program Director of the NGO consortium, Food Aid Management, dedicated to sharing information about improving the effectiveness, efficiency and accountability of international relief. From 1993-1998 he served as Senior Program officer at the Refugee Policy Group where he led evaluations of NGO field programs and organized a number of lessons-learned workshops among emergency NGOs.
He also has had steady involvement in teaching about disaster prevention and humanitarian relief since designing a course on the subject -- to fill a perceived gap -- at Stanford University in 1976. Since then he has lectured and taught courses on humanitarian aid, with a primary focus on NGO capacity building, at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University Business School, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Columbia University, the University of Wisconsin Madison (the Disaster Management Program) and American University. He also serves as a SPHERE trainer for NGOs and has taught in the NGO-oriented specialized trainings offered on emergency relief by the International Committee of the Red Cross, USAID’s Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (through World Education and Columbia University) and others.
Humanitarian Relief Chain Management
Presenter: Benita M. Beamon, University of Washington, Industrial Engineering
Box 352650
Seattle, WA 98195-2650
Abstract
The unpredictability of global emergencies (e.g., volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods) and the stakes of adequate and timely delivery dominate the uniqueness and challenge of managing material flow in the humanitarian relief chain, which holds as its ultimate objective to deliver the appropriate level of resources to locations worldwide in order to minimize human suffering and loss of life. While international large-scale responses to global emergencies are not new, research to understand and improve the relief supply process has received little attention in the literature. This presentation introduces the domain of relief chain management, describes recent and ongoing research projects in this area, and provides directions for future work.
Bio-sketch of the presenter
Benita M. Beamon is an Assistant Professor of Industrial Engineering at the University of Washington. She holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering and Systems Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, with an emphasis in production, distribution, and material handling systems. Her primary research interests lie in the development of analytical tools (using simulation, statistics, and optimization) to support high-performance production, supply, and humanitarian relief chain systems. More specifically, Dr. Beamon’s research work focuses on establishing linkages between performance and design, in order to improve supply and relief chain evaluation, comparison, and improvement methodologies. She currently serves as an Associate Editor for the International Journal of Modeling and Simulation.
