A 28 year journey: Navigating Crises and Logistics – getting food where it’s needed most with Halima Idi

‘Pathway to WFP’ is the LinkedIn career series by the World Food Programme investigating the professional backgrounds and life choices that led our staff to the world’s largest humanitarian agency. Subscribe to the newsletter to receive new episodes directly in your inbox!

Meet Halima Idi, the Head of Logistics at WFP Niger, whose 28-year journey with the organization has been marked by unwavering commitment, adaptability, and deep expertise. Halima’s story is not just one of national professional growth but of perseverance in the face of challenges. From managing the school meals programmes to large-scale operations during the 2005 hunger crisis, Halima’s journey reflects the evolution of WFP’s mission in Niger.

What drives Halima is the knowledge that every delivery, every supply chain decision, and every truck that reaches its destination is part of a greater mission—saving lives. As she reflects on her 28 years at WFP, Halima continues to be inspired by the faces of those her work impacts, knowing that behind every bag of food is the hope for a better tomorrow.

Read more to learn how Halima has navigated the highs and lows of her career, and how her work continues to make a life-changing impact every day.

Can you introduce yourself and tell us how long you have been working with WFP?

My name is Halima Idi, and I’m the Head of Logistics for WFP in Niger. I’ve been with WFP for just over 28 years.

A lot has changed during that time. When I joined in 1997, there were fewer than ten of us. Today, the team has grown to more than 300 staff members.

When I first started, I was the only woman on the team. Now, there are so many of us—it’s more than just a change; it’s a complete transformation. And it’s not just about numbers. The way we work has evolved, and so has the way staff are valued and supported.

Tell us about your professional journey: how did you start your career? What is your academic and previous professional background.

I hold a DEA (Diplôme d'Études Approfondies) in Human Sciences from the University of Poitiers in France, and an Advanced Certificate in Public Procurement from the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS).

My career began in Nguigmi, in the Diffa region of southeastern Niger, where I supported women’s groups in launching income-generating activities. I later joined CARE International in Maradi, working on a savings and credit project that focused on empowering women through financial independence.

What brought you to WFP? Feel free to expand on how you joined the organization, and how your experience has been so far. Tell us more about your journey.

I joined WFP in early March 1997 through a standard recruitment process. I saw a job advertisement in the newspaper for a Programme Officer position focused on school meals. The role immediately resonated with me because I was deeply committed to supporting rural communities through humanitarian work. I saw school meals as a powerful way to promote social mobility by helping vulnerable children access education.

I worked in the school meals unit until 2001. That September, I was invited by management to transition into logistics. At the time, our operations were relatively straightforward. In addition to school meals, we supported nutrition programmes and a rural development initiative known as the Keita Project. Food deliveries were made monthly, except for schools, which followed a quarterly schedule. We tracked inventory using Excel spreadsheets, and transport tenders were issued for each delivery cycle.

Gradually, the landscape began to shift. We introduced COMPAS, WFP’s commodity tracking system, and in 2005, a major emergency changed the rhythm of our work. In addition to the country programme, we were now managing an Emergency Operation, followed by a Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation — all of which required a far more complex logistics setup.

What does a typical day look like for a logistics manager?

A logistics manager’s day begins with one key priority: making sure all scheduled trucks have arrived, food deliveries are complete, and—most importantly—no incidents have occurred. In our environment, road accidents are unfortunately common, so getting through the day without one is already a major success.

Ensuring that food reaches its destination safely is at the heart of what we do. My role also involves monitoring operations in field offices, overseeing payment processing, and ensuring that our systems are running smoothly. We work with an integrated system where everything—from warehouse operations to digital records—must be synchronized in real time.

These responsibilities, along with routine administrative tasks, make up the day-to-day work of a logistics manager.

What has been the most significant moment of your long career with WFP?

The most unforgettable moment in my career was the 2005 crisis. It was a devastating famine for Niger and a huge challenge for WFP. We had to mount an extraordinary response, working closely with the government to reach people in need.

At the time, we were still a small team—but logistics reinforcements soon arrived, and the scale of the response completely transformed how we operated. We had to keep food deliveries moving constantly. Instead of storing food in warehouses, we transferred supplies directly from one truck to another to speed things up.

I remember how we installed floodlights at the airport warehouse and another site on the right bank of the Niger River so we could work around the clock. Trucks kept moving day and night, and worked tirelessly to load and dispatch food. It was a massive operation that left a deep and lasting impression on all of us.

Another major challenge was the closure of key borders. We had to quickly establish a new supply corridor—a route we weren’t familiar with. This new path passed through Lomé, Burkina Faso, and into Niger, and it required close coordination between WFP offices in Togo, Benin, Niger, and Burkina Faso.

Working with customs authorities to adjust documentation and redirect trucks along this unfamiliar route was complex and time-consuming. We waited anxiously until the first trucks finally made it to Niger. It was a tough experience, but also one of the most meaningful in my career.

What is the most rewarding part of working at WFP?

The most rewarding part of working at WFP is the deep sense of fulfillment that comes from knowing our work truly makes a difference.

There’s nothing more powerful than seeing a child receive and consume a nutritious supplement—because behind that simple act lies a complex chain of logistics. When our efforts help save a child’s life and bring back their smile, it gives meaning to everything we do. It’s a reminder of why our work matters.

From a logistics perspective, success is about seamless coordination: trucks arriving on time, deliveries happening as planned, and warehouses stocked with exactly what’s needed to save lives. Ensuring our transporters are paid on time is also essential. They are critical partners in our mission, and without their dedication and reliability, none of this would be possible. Supporting and valuing them is key to the effectiveness of our entire operation.

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in your job and how did you overcome them?

One of the most challenging situations we face is when a charter flight arrives in Cotonou or Lomé, and the appointed freight forwarder fails to provide trucks to unload the cargo. What follows is often a full-blown logistical nightmare—felt all the way to headquarters in Rome. Tensions rise quickly: port authorities grow impatient, the ship’s captain becomes frustrated, and the freight forwarder is usually caught in disputes with the transport union. These are the kinds of episodes you never forget.

In some cases, the only solution is to rent a warehouse at the port to offload the cargo and release the vessel—because delays can carry serious financial consequences.

Even when we’re not physically on-site, we feel the same pressure as our colleagues managing the corridor. Similar challenges also happen with inland transport—when a transporter fails to show up for an emergency delivery or even a routine school feeding dispatch. The system is extremely sensitive, and logisticians are always alert to disruptions, because even a small breakdown can halt WFP operations.

That’s why having a backup plan is essential. Whether it’s deploying WFP’s own trucks or calling in a secondary transporter, we always need to be ready to respond quickly and keep the supply chain moving.

What brings a logistics manager like you joy?

Joy comes from moments like seeing a child eating a WFP product treating or preventing malnutrition and knowing that logistics made that possible. If our work helped save that child’s life and bring back their smile, then we, too, have a reason to smile.

From a logistics point of view, success means everything is running smoothly—trucks moving without delays, deliveries happening on time, and food baskets in our warehouses containing exactly what’s needed to save lives.

There’s also real satisfaction in paying our transporters on time. They are key partners in our mission. Without their dedication and reliability, none of what we do would be possible. Supporting them is a vital part of our success.

Can you share tips on how to pursue a similar career?

There’s no secret formula. It all starts with hard work, dedication to the organization, and a genuine commitment to its mission. That’s what keeps you going and helps you grow.

Do you have anything to add?

Working in logistics—a field often seen as male-dominated—has never really been a challenge for me. At the beginning, some men might have been surprised and thought, “Oh, it’s a woman.” But once you start talking, explaining, and showing that you know your job, those distinctions fade.

In the end, it’s about competence and teamwork—not gender. When people see you can contribute and get the job done, that’s what matters. We work together, as a team, to make things happen.

Thank you Halima!

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