I’m Iyed Hamadi, a humanitarian professional from North Africa with a passion for impactful change. Currently, I work as a Grants Coordinator with the Global Surge Team of the International Rescue Committee, a roving role that lets me dive into emergency contexts worldwide, from one country to the next. In this role, I develop proposals for humanitarian and development projects, overseeing grants through their lifecycle. I've had the privilege of managing projects up to $15 million, each contributing to meaningful change on the ground.
I'm also pursuing a master’s degree in Sustainable Development at the University of Sussex, where I’m diving deeper into ways we can reframe global development for a fairer, more inclusive future. Beyond my work with IRC, I'm a certified Civil Society Toolbox trainer and have supported dozens of NGOs in Tunisia from the ground up. My background in public policy from the National Democratic Institute and political science from the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, along with on-the-ground experience in countries like Libya, Chad, the Central African Republic, Tunisia, and Honduras, have shaped my understanding of the complexities in humanitarian and development work.
My academic journey started with a bachelor’s in Finance and Economics from the American University in Cairo, including exchange programs in the United States, South Africa, China, and Nepal through a MEPI scholarship. I’m fluent in English, French, and Arabic, with an intermediate grasp of Spanish.
Outside of work, I find balance in music and the outdoors. I’m an opera and classical music singer, I play the violin, and I love a good chess match. Climbing mountains has become a metaphor for my approach to life—challenging but deeply rewarding. For me, making the world better relies on breaking down systems of discrimination and exploitation to create space for voices that are too often unheard.