UNICEF Director at GPS

In May 2009, Kaycee Ensign and Annie Paden, GPS sophomores, won UNICEF’s Gold President’s Volunteer Service Award, a national honor recognizing individuals throughout the U.S. who are engaged in volunteer service. They received their award at a UNICEF regional luncheon in Atlanta where they met Barron Segar, a member of the Atlanta chapter of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

On Friday, Jan. 22, Segar, the Senior Director with responsibilities for five regional offices, had lunch with GPS students and spoke to the student body at an afternoon assembly. The first in the GPS spring series of Global Speakers as part of the IMPACT program, Segar was introduced by Ensign and Paden. Segar described the fund’s support of child survival, protection, and development worldwide through advocacy, education, and fundraising.

His presentation at GPS, just over a week since the earthquake in Haiti, gave him an opportunity to provide information about UNICEF’s work in the island country and describe the effect of their leadership since the earthquake struck. The non-government organization is working with other NGO’s to prevent overlap of services and take a leading role in the rebuilding of Haiti. For example, in order to evenly distribute supplies, UNICEF has been working with the U.S. military in Haiti.

"The earthquake had a larger effect on the people than the tsunami that hit Indonesia in 2004,” he said in trying to describe the scope of the devastation. With offices already in Haiti before the quake occurred (since 1947), UNICEF is channeling 100% of disaster relief donations directly to the country’s field office. UNICEF’s funding comes from governments, as well as private and corporate donations.

Dr. Jeanne Scanland, a GPS alumna and board member of UNICEF, concluded the program by offering to be the GPS liaison with UNICEF.

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