After graduating, he took on subsequent roles, including a sewage project for Dutch construction company Royal BAM Group for about three years, and project management for global engineering and consulting company Arcadis. During that time, he took a sabbatical to work with Médecins sans Frontières, and after leaving Arcadis, he joined the Red Cross.
Alex then decided to get involved in DSS water. "Working with DSS water was an opportunity to work in an area that really interests me," says Alex. "I was always thinking of how to work in a challenging field and support people in need."
His first assignment was in Turkey in 2017. "I was supporting refugees from Syria. Turkey was one of the closest places they could get to. When I joined, they didn't have a WASH setup. The idea was to offer WASH facilities (water points, latrine blocks and distribution of soap) within the camp, adequate space between tents, proper health, and proper shelter," he says.
Important mission activities
Alex highlights several important aspects while supporting humanitarian interventions. "It's important to get as much information as possible from your local colleagues on the ground. Also, to talk to as many partners as possible to get different views, and see what the real needs are," he says.
He continues: "What are the gaps? How can we provide support? How can we work together? What are the partners doing? Always making sure we support as many people as possible with the basics in WASH."