Prior to joining the trust, Janette worked and lived in Afghanistan for 10 years. She worked as a deputy project manager for Team4 RMC, an Aghan company offering security training for commercial, property management, police, and retail operations. Her job entailed managing the logistics of private and military cargo movements in Afghanistan. She worked in partnership with NATO and the Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF).

The photo above is from a meeting with NATO and Afghan generals that was organised by Janette to discuss the deteriorating security situation due to attacks on convoys by the Taliban, particularly on NATO convoys.

She said, “Just after this meeting was held, I received a call that an APPF compound not far from Kabul was coming under attack from the Taliban and that the Afghan Army were fighting off the attack but urgently needed air support. I contacted NATO forces and arranged for air support to protect the Afghan forces and over 70 Humvee vehicles to be delivered to Western forces…it was a long but successful night!

She added, “As a woman, I always felt respected despite being in a country where women’s rights are non-existent. Whenever I look at this photo, I’m reminded of how empowering this role was for me. In a conflict situation, some of the strongest people I’ve met have been women. War does not recognise gender, we all become equal with valuable roles to play. I’m proud of the work I did in Afghanistan and I’m often told by fellow ex-colleagues there that I was part of living history. That’s very humbling.”

Now Janette has swapped life in Afghanistan for life at 111. When asked why she joined NWAS she said, “The reason I joined was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I had completed CPR training in Texas, USA, and was on my way to Spain to teach CPR to thousands of expats living in southern Spain. As I was driving to Portsmouth to catch a ferry to Santander, the ferry company called me to inform me that due to the COVID pandemic, Spain had closed its borders to non-residents and non-Spanish nationals. Our company suspended operations so I had to apply for new positions. This was when I saw an advert for health advisors for NWAS and decided to apply.

“Although I’d worked in the medical field for several years in Afghanistan, I was non-clinical, so did not think I would be successful in my application. However, I went through the whole recruitment process and began my training in May 2020 at Middlebrook. I’m coming up for two years of service and I’m very happy with what I’ve achieved so far working for the trust. It’s a wonderful organisation to work for and I’m proud to be a part of the NWAS family.”