During World Humanitarian Day and National Be Kind to Humankind Week, Consider a Humanitarian Job

World Humanitarian Day happens on August 19 and celebrates the hard work of professionals and volunteers who help others by easing their suffering and delivering hope. Humanitarians often fundraise and provide disaster relief, medical aid, and more.

National Be Kind to Humankind Week is another worldwide celebration, and it takes place from August 25 to August 31. You can celebrate both occasions by being kind to others and helping them when they need it. Many people who take part in these events continue helping those in need with one of these fulfilling humanitarian jobs.

Canvasser

A canvasser fundraises for nonprofit organizations or charities. They can also help with activities such as registering voters. Their duties include:

Collecting donations
Delivering or posting flyers or other advertising materials about causes
Visiting people's homes
Calling potential supporters
Asking people to complete surveys
Recording research
Reading statements or scripts prepared by organization leaders
Answering questions

These professionals sometimes also sell products for businesses. Canvassers earn an average of $22.55 per hour.

Grant administrator

A grant administrator, also called a grant manager or award manager, identifies potential sources of funding for an organization and contacts people and businesses to secure large donations. They also help allocate the funds they receive to worthy causes. The duties of a grant administrator include:

Creating grant programs and setting their budgets
Documenting how they use donated funds and give grants
Deciding which people or organizations are eligible for grants
Working with their employer's fundraising or business development teams to set fundraising goals for internal projects
Working with grant writers to decide which grants the organization is eligible for, draft grant proposals, and get funding from other humanitarian organizations
Evaluating grant applications
Hiring and training employees for the fundraising department and the grant team
Communicating with finance and accounting departments about incoming and outgoing payments

Most grant administrators have a bachelor's degree in communications, finance, business management, or fundraising. Experience in grant writing is usually required, and many grant administrators have a master's degree. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job openings in this area will increase by 8% in the next decade. Grant administrators make an average of $53.50 per hour.

"During World Humanitarian Day and National Be Kind to Humankind Week, do your best to be kind to others and help those who need it."

Nutritionist

A nutritionist helps people maintain healthy eating habits and lifestyles. Public health nutritionists educate people through workshops, classes, or counseling. They often work with government or community organizations in impoverished countries or areas of the United States, and they teach people how to buy nutritious food even when they have tight budgets. These humanitarian professionals usually need a high school diploma or GED and a certification or license. Nutritionists make an average of $31.55 per hour.

Translator

Translators often work for humanitarian organizations, and they help others who work in humanitarian aid jobs communicate with the people they want to help. They make it possible for groups who speak different languages to communicate with each other. Some translators work for embassies or other government organizations and help leaders talk with each other. Translators usually have a bachelor's degree, but people without degrees can also find work as translators as long as they speak at least two languages fluently. On average, translators make $28.10 per hour.

Procurement specialist

A procurement specialist identifies the materials required to support a humanitarian organization's work without exceeding its budget. These professionals often:

Schedule deliveries
Manage invoices
Update the organization's list of available suppliers
Make purchasing decisions about raw materials, real estate, office supplies, and more
Develop strategies to get lower prices and save money
Establish and maintain relationships with vendors
Negotiate contracts with vendors
Maintain accurate records
Monitor inventory levels

Procurement specialists help organizations save money and contribute more to those in need. They often work with other employees in finance, accounting, and management. Most procurement specialists have a bachelor's degree in a subject such as economics, finance, business administration, engineering, or supply chain management, and some have master's degrees. Procurement specialists make an average of $47.35 per hour.

Social worker

Social workers assist families and individuals with financial issues, injuries, addiction, disabilities, and illnesses. They help people apply for financial aid, find hospitals and doctors willing to work with them, and leave unstable or abusive environments. They can also assist with finding childcare, food banks, counseling, addiction treatment, and other services.

These professionals often work for clinics, schools, children and family service agencies, prisons, shelters, hospitals, and community development organizations. Social workers usually have a bachelor's degree in social work, sociology, or psychology and often complete an internship after graduation. On average, social workers earn $29.95 per hour.

Epidemiologist

An epidemiologist studies the causes and locations of disease outbreaks and gives advice to public health officials about what they can do to minimize the spread of an illness. Along with infectious diseases, they can research substance abuse; chronic illnesses, such as obesity, cancer, or heart disease; mental health; and other issues.

For example, to reduce the spread of malaria, an epidemiologist might tell government workers to repair potholes filled with standing water, as the mosquitoes that spread malaria breed in these areas. They could also recommend giving out free vaccinations and insect repellent and asking people to eliminate standing water on private property. Then, an epidemiologist could study the results of the public health initiative and let officials know whether it was successful and what changes should be made.

Epidemiologists can study new diseases and recommend ways to fight existing ones. Some of these doctors work in laboratories, while others travel to remote locations and track the spread of diseases in person. They often study risk factors in individuals, how the prevalence of a disease varies regionally, and the short- and long-term effects of drugs or other treatments. Epidemiologists earn an average of $41.70 per hour.

Nurse

Nurses often work for humanitarian organizations in addition to hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes. They sometimes travel to remote areas to help people in need, and they can work with patients of all ages. Nurses perform diagnostic tests, operate medical devices, administer medications and other treatments, update medical records, and educate people about managing illnesses and improving their health and well-being. Registered nurses need at least an associate degree, and many employers prefer a bachelor's degree. A registered nurse makes an average of $39.80 per hour.

Doctor

A doctor or physician provides emergency care, diagnoses illnesses, creates treatment plans, and helps communities get vaccines. These professionals often work with charities and government organizations to help people with limited resources receive the medical care they need. Doctors earn an average of $149.35 per hour.

During World Humanitarian Day and National Be Kind to Humankind Week, do your best to be kind to others and help those who need it. You can donate to a charity or nonprofit, or you can help by uploading your resume to CareerBuilder and checking out the many humanitarian aid jobs available. Being a humanitarian can be an excellent way for people in many fields to increase their incomes and advance their careers. You can analyze research, work with people, educate others, travel to distant countries, and more.