JPO Stories
Didier Trebucq is in Guyana
Didier Trebucq is a former French JPO working on Crisis prevention, humanitarian relief and recovery with UNDP in India (2002-2005). Now he works as Deputy Resident Representative in Guyana.
Vitals:
I'm French and grew up in southern France near the Spanish border. My wife is called Maria-Janneth and I have two boys. Elouan is three and Matteo is five and a half. At home, we speak French, Spanish (my wife is Colombian) and English. We manage somehow to integrate the three languages into our family life.
His story:
I began my career in the private sector in France. My life changed when I went backpacking in Asia between 1995 and 1997. It was the first time I learned about the complexities of the world. The things I saw and the people I met had a profound effect on me - they helped me develop a strong desire to change things for the better. I ended up leaving the business world and volunteering for Médecins Sans Frontières in Kyrgyzstan. It was my first field experience.
After that I went to Colombia as the French Red Cross' head of delegation. It was very intense to work there. I love Latin America, and that's also where I met my wife. We went to Ecuador afterwards and Matteo was born there in 2002. Our next stop was India. As junior professional officer, I worked on crisis prevention and recovery policy and programming for three years. Later as team leader, I became involved in post-Tsunami relief and recovery operations. The work was absolutely fascinating and gave me a chance to learn a lot about UNDP. In the meantime, I was selected for the LEAD programme. India is also special because Elouan was born there.
We've been in Georgetown for a few months now, and I'm looking forward to the work here.
Crowning glory:
I couldn't say that I've already had the career defining accomplishment. There's always room for improvement. But I am proud of the work we did after the Tsunami struck. We set up a brand new office and a new team and a new programme, everything from scratch, in southern India. We were able to deliver quickly, and I had the chance to work with a bunch of really professional people.
Personally, having my family, my wonderful wife and two boys, as we move around different parts of the world, has been my biggest achievement. I learned that striking the balance between work and life is also a challenge and an accomplishment.
Last book read:
I love movies, though in Georgetown, there aren't ample opportunities to go to the cinema. I read instead. One of my favourite authors is Amelie Nothomb, a Belgian writer. Her book "Ni d'Eve ni d'Adam" is very nice (sorry, it hasn't been translated into English yet). She's also well-known for her 1999 novel "Fear and Trembling." I like her books because she writes about cultural differences and life choices we make that eventually define who we are.
Behind the suit:
Snowboarding, skiing, diving and surfing. I learned to love these sports because we were living in southern France where we were very close to both the ocean and the mountains. We lived in India and now in Guyana, so I haven't had the chance to practice the winter sports in a while, but I recently got my diving licence and hope to practice in the Caribbean!
Fondest memory:
The birth of my first son in Quito, Ecuador. When I saw him for the first time, I realised that things were never going to be the same again, and that I was a father. He was born near the volcanoes and that's very unusual and special.
Indulgence:
There are a few - dark chocolate, travelling and meeting people. I enjoy them all, perhaps too much! I love the taste of any Swiss or Belgian dark chocolate. I love travelling because it means I'm going to discover new places and cultures. And to be able to meet with people who surprise me and teach me new things is marvellous.
Would most like to have dinner with:
That's easy. I would have dinner with my friends I can't see all the time because I'm away from them.
Inspiration:
My paternal grandfather. He was 95 when he died, and I was 33. He fascinated me with his love for life. He'd lived through two world wars, had been a prisoner of war and was the most simple and most humble person you would ever meet. We've had a very special tie. We had a lot of things in common, and his determination and sincerity always inspired me. My children don't get to see their grandparents often, so we try to visit them as much as we can. It's in those family relationships that we find our roots.
By the same token, I learned that remembering why I came here to UNDP has always grounded me and gave me a purpose. The reason you came to UNDP should be the driving force behind you, and that's the best way to grow with the organisation. Your motivation will keep you strong and enable you to create your own legacy.
Why it's all worth it:
I have been fascinated by UNDP from the day I joined it. I like the mandate and the broader perspective it has helped me gain. With UNDP, I know that I have a fighting chance to make a difference in the world.
"I learned that striking the balance between work and life is also a challenge and an accomplishment."
