“Achieving long-term impact is the best motivator”

Hassan Bugnard’s start as Swisscontact Lebanon Country Director and Project Manager for a labour market integration project could not have been more precarious: first, Lebanon declared bankruptcy, and then the COVID-19 lockdown was imposed on both Switzerland and Lebanon. The move to his new home in Lebanon began only digitally. In an interview, Hassan Bugnard explains how he and his team nevertheless were able to adapt project activities to the new situation within a short timeframe.

Hassan Bugnard, you were about to leave Switzerland for Lebanon when the lockdown was imposed and flights were stopped. How did you experience this moment?

On March 15, I returned the keys to our apartment and made my way to the airport when I learned that my flight had been cancelled. Two days later, the hotel where I had taken up temporarily also closed. As a family we then found a small furnished hut in a mountain village where we could stay until our departure. The fact that we are used to being on the road as a family helped us to get through the situation smoothly.

Despite the difficult situation, you still took over as Project Manager of the Swisscontact Youth Employment Project and Swisscontact Lebanon Country Director. How were you able to establish an overview over the project, activities, and local situation remotely?

In early March, I underwent a multiday orientation at Swisscontact Headoffice in Zurich. This introductory phase was very important for me. I obtained a better understanding of the organisation and its processes, as well as important contacts with colleagues in Zurich and worldwide. I sensed that Swisscontact places high importance on this introductory phase and devotes a lot of time to welcome new team members. I don’t take this level of commitment for granted and I really appreciate it.

The project team already in place in Lebanon welcomed me with open arms, briefed me thoroughly on the current situation, and involved me in current decisions from the very start. We very quickly established uncomplicated and direct communication, and all this over virtual platforms. Often, we would have team discussions lasting more than six hours. At the same time, within a short time frame we were able to store all documents in the cloud, so I had remote access to them. I believe we should be proud of the fact that despite the unusual circumstances we grew together as a team quite quickly.

You have been in Beirut now since May 31. How was your start in your new home country?

We took the first possible flight to Beirut. Right now, the whole family has to spend two weeks at a hotel in quarantine. I run around with my son every day around the hotel corridors.

What does Swisscontact hope to achieve with this project?

The “Youth Employment Project” started up in June 2019. Young men and women from disadvantaged population groups learn fundamental skills in a coaching cycle that help them navigate the labour market. For this, we trained 14 coaches from 3 partner organisations. The first coaching cycle started in January with 210 participants.

What effect is the project having on the current situation in Lebanon?

At the same time I took office, Lebanon declared state bankruptcy. This changed some of the framework conditions for our target group. We now have to adapt our project activities accordingly. We need to take a systemic view of the labour market while seizing any available opportunities. We are now conducting a study that in the context of the coaching cycle will help us provide better assistance to youth to find employment in light of the changed framework conditions. Finally, it is not just about providing one-off assistance to participants to develop their skills. At the end of the day they need to find a job.

As if that weren’t enough, the strict lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic prevented people from meeting in person, and naturally this also limited our project activities. This doesn’t mean that we put everything on pause. Quite the contrary: we just calmly adapted the project in small but quick steps to the new situation, thanks to the pragmatism of our team and partner organisations. For example, in short order we developed a digital platform to move forward with training our coaches.

In January, the first coaching cycle began in Lebanon. These pictures were taken before the lockdown.

What does Swisscontact hope to achieve with this project?

The “Youth Employment Project” started up in June 2019. Young men and women from disadvantaged population groups learn fundamental skills in a coaching cycle that help them navigate the labour market. For this, we trained 14 coaches from 3 partner organisations. The first coaching cycle started in January with 210 participants.

What effect is the project having on the current situation in Lebanon?

At the same time I took office, Lebanon declared state bankruptcy. This changed some of the framework conditions for our target group. We now have to adapt our project activities accordingly. We need to take a systemic view of the labour market while seizing any available opportunities. We are now conducting a study that in the context of the coaching cycle will help us provide better assistance to youth to find employment in light of the changed framework conditions. Finally, it is not just about providing one-off assistance to participants to develop their skills. At the end of the day they need to find a job.

As if that weren’t enough, the strict lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic prevented people from meeting in person, and naturally this also limited our project activities. This doesn’t mean that we put everything on pause. Quite the contrary: we just calmly adapted the project in small but quick steps to the new situation, thanks to the pragmatism of our team and partner organisations. For example, in short order we developed a digital platform to move forward with training our coaches.

What are you most happy about in your new home country?

I can barely wait to finally spend my first day at the office with my colleagues. It will be great to meet all the people in person that I’ve gotten to know so well digitally over the past few weeks. It’s definitely unusual also for the fact that we’ll all be wearing protective masks.

And then: up until now, I’ve only seen Lebanon from my hotel window. I’m excited to finally be able to go outside and explore the city, and – as long as the lockdown continues to be eased – get to know the country and meet all the project's stakeholders. It’s also important for me to be able to visit one of our coaching programmes soon. This will help me obtain a better idea of the objectives that we need to adjust. I know this from my earlier job in education development in Burkina Faso: visiting classrooms for me was always special, because I was able to experience the atmosphere in the classroom and observe the interaction between schoolchildren and teachers. And finally, I’m eager to see the results. It’s quite interesting for me to get to know a new project and its activities, but the best motivator is still achieving long-term, real impact.

Hassan Bugnard has been heading Swisscontact Lebanon’s “Youth Employment Project” since March 2020. He is also Country Director. Prior to joining Swisscontact, the Swiss national worked in Burkina Faso to create professional opportunities for street kids. Before that, he was the director and a trainer at an orientation school in the Canton of Fribourg. Hassan Bugnard is married with two children.

The “Youth Employment Project” is financed by the SDC and private donations.