Aneek in Serbia: I have a better sense of what humanitarian work looks like on the ground

My name is Aneek, I’m from India, and I have an academic background in World Politics and International Relations — I’m currently finishing my Master’s at the University of Pavia in Italy. Most of my studies have been theoretical: policy, diplomacy, security, all discussed from behind a desk. I wanted an experience that put me in direct contact with the people those policies are meant to serve, which is what drew me to the European Solidarity Corps and to ADRA Serbia. 

ADRA Serbia’s work here focuses on supporting some of the country’s most vulnerable communities, including the Roma community and people experiencing homelessness. My role has been mainly logistical — helping plan and organize the delivery of humanitarian aid, making sure the right supplies reach the right people at the right time. It’s not glamorous work, but it’s the kind of work that makes everything else possible. 

If there’s one thing this experience has taught me, it’s the value of staying open and flexible. Aid work rarely goes exactly to plan — schedules shift, needs change, and the ability to adapt without losing sight of the goal has been one of the most useful skills I’ve picked up here, one I know I’ll carry back into my academic and professional work.

Living in Serbia has meant discovering the simple joys too — pljeskavica from a street stand has become something close to a religious experience for me, and it’s one of the things I’ll genuinely miss most. 

As I head back to Italy to finish my thesis, I take with me a better sense of what humanitarian work actually looks like on the ground, beyond the frameworks and case studies. I hope what I leave behind is a small part in aid that reached the people who needed it. 

If I had one piece of advice for future volunteers, it would be: come with an open mind and stay flexible — the experience will ask more of you than you expect, and give back just as much. 

The Humanitarian Volunteering for Solidarity Activities project (No. 101140258) runs from February 1, 2024, to January 31, 2027, and is co-financed by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed in this text are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the grant provider (the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency). Neither the European Union nor the grant provider are responsible for them.