Faces of WHO – Enyinnaya Nwaka

Enyinnaya Nwaka – Finance, WHO Regional Office, Denmark

29 April 2021

Enyinnaya NWAKA, or Enyi, works in the finance team at the WHO Regional Office for Europe in Copenhagen. His first encounter with WHO occurred in a remote village in Nigeria, and it strongly influenced his life and career. At the Regional Office, Enyi provides financial advice on procedures and accounting; trains new administrative staff at various country offices; and is the VAT focal point for invoices. But his life is about more than just numbers: in his spare time he heads for the running track, plays soccer, and reads voraciously.

What made you want to work for WHO?

I finished high school in my home country of Nigeria. One day, I happened to meet the group called the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, spearheaded by WHO, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Rotary International and UNICEF. I was just a kid with a bike but I joined them as a volunteer. I took them to the interior part of the villages in Nigeria, where they administered polio vaccines. I remember meeting a grandmother who was so moved by the humanitarian gesture of coming to vaccinate her grandchildren that she cried and prayed for us. She told us that if her only son had had the same opportunity to be vaccinated like her grandchildren did, he would not have been disabled. I will never forget that moment. I was fifteen or sixteen at the time and that experience really made an impression on me. That’s when I decided I wanted to work for an organization that can help bring this kind of impact and change to people’s lives.

And you’ve ended up in Denmark. How did that happen?

I got my master’s and professional qualifications (ACCA) in the United Kingdom but moved to Denmark in 2016, where I landed a job with a Danish company as a business development officer. I enjoyed it very much but WHO was always my target organization – I knew that I wanted to work with WHO. Back in the United Kingdom, I had applied several times. Then, after I arrived in Denmark, I was all of a sudden invited to an interview. I felt like there was nothing that could stop me from getting this job. I prepared, I did well, and I passed. I was so excited! I don’t think I have ever been as happy as I was when I got this job.

Do you still feel the same passion for your work?

Oh yes! I’m still very passionate about working for WHO. I once got into an argument with one of my colleagues at university during a conversation about where we wanted to work after graduating. He believed that, as accountants, we could work anywhere, at any company. He didn’t think there was any difference. “What about the tobacco industry?”, I asked. For me, no matter how rich you get, at some point you have to look at yourself in the mirror knowing you contributed to making a product that kills many people. How could I work for such a company? Very early on, I decided that I wanted to work for the United Nations, WHO or UNICEF with people who contribute to uplifting humanity. Today, I can say I am still very proud to work for WHO, facilitating the jobs of our field workers. Even though I’m not with them in person, my heart certainly is.

How do you stay healthy?

I think it’s important to keep mentally fit and healthy. I run every day, I pay attention to what I eat, and I read a lot. During the pandemic, I made a point of establishing a routine as if I was working in the office instead of working from home. I did my exercise, took a shower and dressed up as if I was going to the office. I also read voraciously.

What inspires you? Workwise or otherwise?

When I think about where I came from and where I am now, I feel both happy and proud of what I have achieved. I remember my parents, my mother in particular, and the hopes they had for me. And I think about how proud my mother is now because of what I do and where I work. This motivates and inspires me. When I think about WHO’s vision – the right to health for everyone irrespective of social or financial status – it really aligns with my own ideas and convictions in life. When I am working, I remind myself that the little things I do as part of my job contribute to making the world better and people healthier – like the grandchildren in the village I mentioned. That inspires me.

You mentioned you read a lot. What’s your favourite book?

There are many but let me mention a book written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie called Americanah. It’s about an immigrant just like me who comes to America. The experience of the protagonist is intriguing and the book holds your interest until the last page.

Who would you invite for dinner, present or historic, and why?

I would invite Barack Obama. I find him very inspiring. I think I have listened to almost every speech he has given and read all of his books. I have followed his growth and his work. He is quite a remarkable and inspiring person, and his story demonstrates that you can achieve anything you want irrespective of your background. He acknowledges people, talks freely and connects with people, young and old. If I had the opportunity to have a discussion with him over dinner, I would be very glad.

Financial Control and Procurement (FCP)

• Number of staff: 14
• Operating within the Division of Business Operations, the Financial Control and Procurement (FCP) unit at the Regional Office in Copenhagen deals with all financial, accounting, procurement and staff health insurance matters for the WHO European Region.
• In line with the General Programme of Work (GPW 13) defining WHO’s strategy and mission, FCP ensures sound financial practices and oversight through an effective internal control framework and a responsive supply chain consistent with the principle of value-for-money.
• The unit helps ensure that WHO’s financial statements are in line with the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).