From ad sales to aid work: How Andy Robinson found his life’s calling in humanitarianism
When Andy Robinson left university, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. Like many young graduates, he followed a conventional path, landing a job in advertising sales at a regional newspaper in Auckland. It was a role that helped him build confidence and sharpen his people skills—but deep down, Andy knew his true purpose lay elsewhere.
“I wanted to help people,” he says simply.
That quiet conviction would eventually lead him far from office cubicles and client pitches, and into the world’s most fragile and forgotten corners. Now the Acting Head of Fragile and Developing Contexts, International Partnerships for World Vision New Zealand, Andy works on the frontlines of humanitarian aid, helping to bring hope and practical support to some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
A Life-Changing Journey Begins
In 2000, at just 22 years old, Andy made a bold move: he took the savings he’d set aside from his job and used them to self-fund a volunteer trip to Ethiopia. It was a decision that would alter the course of his life.
“I was a naïve 22-year-old,” he recalls. “I had no real experience of poverty. But once I arrived, it was eye-opening.”
The sight of children living on the streets amidst piles of rubbish was heartbreaking—but it was also galvanising. During his six months there, Andy worked with 25–30 street children, ensuring they had access to food, safety, and education. It was tough, emotionally demanding work—but for Andy, it was also deeply fulfilling.
“Seeing life thriving from the investment that you put in is a great feeling,” he says.
That early experience lit a fire in him—a calling to serve the world’s most vulnerable children that has guided every step since.
Finding his calling
Andy’s path into humanitarian work wasn’t a straight line, but each step carried him closer to his calling. After returning from Ethiopia, he took on fundraising and event roles with Tearfund , using his skills to mobilise support for those in need.
One of the most profound experiences of his early career came during a trip to Calcutta, India, where he witnessed Mother Teresa’s legacy firsthand. Assigned to laundry duty at a hospice for the dying and destitute, Andy spent his days washing clothes and bedding—a task many might avoid, but one he found incredibly rewarding.
“It was dirty work,” he says, “but it helped give people some dignity in their final days.”
Adventures in Afghanistan
Next came Afghanistan—a place Andy describes as “a great adventure.” For two years, he worked as an aid worker with a Swiss humanitarian organisation, traversing rugged terrain on horseback to bring safe water to remote villages.
“We were like cowboys from a Western,” he laughs. “But what we were doing—installing water systems—was changing the lives of hundreds of children.”
It was in Afghanistan that Andy really found his footing in fieldwork. The hands-on experience cemented his commitment to long-term humanitarian efforts.
“It gave me a handle on how to do practical field work,” he says. “And I knew that this is what I should pursue.”
Responding to Crisis in Lebanon
From Afghanistan, Andy moved straight into the heart of another crisis—Lebanon, at the height of the Syrian refugee emergency. As families fled war-torn Syria, Lebanon saw its population swell dramatically, with refugees making up one in every three people in the country.
Amidst this upheaval, once again Andy’s focus was on restoring dignity and providing hope in the darkest of times, working tireless to ensure families had access to necessities - blankets, mattresses and fuel, to help them get through the bitterly cold winter months.
A full-circle moment with World Vision
Today, Andy has come full circle. For the past three and a half years, he has worked at World Vision, overseeing emergency responses in the very places he once served in the field—Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Syria.
“When I saw the job description, it was like a calling,” he says. “This is where I needed to be.”
In his role, Andy helps to guide World Vision’s efforts to meet both immediate needs and implement sustainable long-term solutions. That means not only delivering food and nutritional support but also helping communities build futures that can thrive for generations.
“When working in fragile places—where governments are unable or unwilling to meet the needs of the most vulnerable—we assess what’s most needed,” he explains. “Yes, we meet immediate needs like food and shelter, but we also look at long-term development. How can we leave something behind that lasts?” Why Humanitarian Work Matters
Andy’s journey is a testament to the power of humanitarian work—not just in the lives of those served, but also in those who serve. From washing sheets in Calcutta to installing water systems in Afghanistan, Andy has built a career not on prestige or profit, but on purpose.
“Helping people is the most rewarding thing you can do,” he says. “It’s not lucrative—but it matters.”
In a world so often marked by instability, inequality, and crisis, people like Andy Robinson remind us of something vitally important: that compassion, when paired with action, can change lives—and in doing so, change the world.
“I wanted to help people,” he says simply.
That quiet conviction would eventually lead him far from office cubicles and client pitches, and into the world’s most fragile and forgotten corners. Now the Acting Head of Fragile and Developing Contexts, International Partnerships for World Vision New Zealand, Andy works on the frontlines of humanitarian aid, helping to bring hope and practical support to some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
A Life-Changing Journey Begins
In 2000, at just 22 years old, Andy made a bold move: he took the savings he’d set aside from his job and used them to self-fund a volunteer trip to Ethiopia. It was a decision that would alter the course of his life.
“I was a naïve 22-year-old,” he recalls. “I had no real experience of poverty. But once I arrived, it was eye-opening.”
The sight of children living on the streets amidst piles of rubbish was heartbreaking—but it was also galvanising. During his six months there, Andy worked with 25–30 street children, ensuring they had access to food, safety, and education. It was tough, emotionally demanding work—but for Andy, it was also deeply fulfilling.
“Seeing life thriving from the investment that you put in is a great feeling,” he says.
That early experience lit a fire in him—a calling to serve the world’s most vulnerable children that has guided every step since.
Finding his calling
Andy’s path into humanitarian work wasn’t a straight line, but each step carried him closer to his calling. After returning from Ethiopia, he took on fundraising and event roles with Tearfund , using his skills to mobilise support for those in need.
One of the most profound experiences of his early career came during a trip to Calcutta, India, where he witnessed Mother Teresa’s legacy firsthand. Assigned to laundry duty at a hospice for the dying and destitute, Andy spent his days washing clothes and bedding—a task many might avoid, but one he found incredibly rewarding.
“It was dirty work,” he says, “but it helped give people some dignity in their final days.”
Adventures in Afghanistan
Next came Afghanistan—a place Andy describes as “a great adventure.” For two years, he worked as an aid worker with a Swiss humanitarian organisation, traversing rugged terrain on horseback to bring safe water to remote villages.
“We were like cowboys from a Western,” he laughs. “But what we were doing—installing water systems—was changing the lives of hundreds of children.”
It was in Afghanistan that Andy really found his footing in fieldwork. The hands-on experience cemented his commitment to long-term humanitarian efforts.
“It gave me a handle on how to do practical field work,” he says. “And I knew that this is what I should pursue.”
Responding to Crisis in Lebanon
From Afghanistan, Andy moved straight into the heart of another crisis—Lebanon, at the height of the Syrian refugee emergency. As families fled war-torn Syria, Lebanon saw its population swell dramatically, with refugees making up one in every three people in the country.
Amidst this upheaval, once again Andy’s focus was on restoring dignity and providing hope in the darkest of times, working tireless to ensure families had access to necessities - blankets, mattresses and fuel, to help them get through the bitterly cold winter months.
A full-circle moment with World Vision
Today, Andy has come full circle. For the past three and a half years, he has worked at World Vision, overseeing emergency responses in the very places he once served in the field—Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Syria.
“When I saw the job description, it was like a calling,” he says. “This is where I needed to be.”
In his role, Andy helps to guide World Vision’s efforts to meet both immediate needs and implement sustainable long-term solutions. That means not only delivering food and nutritional support but also helping communities build futures that can thrive for generations.
“When working in fragile places—where governments are unable or unwilling to meet the needs of the most vulnerable—we assess what’s most needed,” he explains. “Yes, we meet immediate needs like food and shelter, but we also look at long-term development. How can we leave something behind that lasts?” Why Humanitarian Work Matters
Andy’s journey is a testament to the power of humanitarian work—not just in the lives of those served, but also in those who serve. From washing sheets in Calcutta to installing water systems in Afghanistan, Andy has built a career not on prestige or profit, but on purpose.
“Helping people is the most rewarding thing you can do,” he says. “It’s not lucrative—but it matters.”
In a world so often marked by instability, inequality, and crisis, people like Andy Robinson remind us of something vitally important: that compassion, when paired with action, can change lives—and in doing so, change the world.