19 People around the World Share How They Prepare for a Post-COVID-19 World
Since its founding in 2015, impactmania always turns to the people who drive cultural, social, and economic impact. We now need their inspiration more than ever. We asked 19 impact makers how they are preparing for the new realities of a post-COVID-19 world.
Beatrice Faumuinā ONZM OLY lives in Auckland, New Zealand. She is a four-time Olympian, the first New Zealander to win a world championship track and field title, is a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medal winner, and was inducted into the NZ Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.
A former New Zealand Diplomat in New York, Faumuinā is the Strategic Relationship Manager for the Pacific Business Trust, an economic development agency supporting the growth and development of Pacific businesses and entrepreneurs in New Zealand. She was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, is the recipient of the New Zealander World Class Awards, and a nominated United Nations Goodwill Ambassador.
May 16, 2020
Paksy Plackis-Cheng in Berlin, Germany emailed with Beatrice Faumuinā in Auckland, New Zealand.
What is your advice for preparing for post-COVID-19?
Ask for help, reach out, and maintain an agile mind. New Zealand is a nation of five million and our economy is strongly dependent on international trade and tourism. Suddenly, we’re having to adapt and think on our feet and while New Zealanders are a resilient race, now more than ever we’re having to engage with each other, seek partnering opportunities, and work out how we can not only survive the COVID-19 pandemic, but thrive in this environment too. Our Government is providing a lot of financial support for people and businesses, but the true test is yet to come. We know the economic impact of COVID-19 will be extensive, but we don’t quite know what that will look like in the weeks, months and years ahead.
How is this crisis changing you?
The need to protect one’s energy and time.
- To be thankful for all your blessings.
- Keeping connected with loved ones, as we were not able to physically see each other over coffee and/or meal – suddenly we were adapting to having family/friends Zoom calls
- Being productive – also means be pro-active about taking breaks to refuel. I have been working from home now for seven weeks and it is too easy to work, work, work and find yourself mentally and physically exhausted.
- Re-evaluate what is meaningful to you
What will our story be post-COVID-19?
I think New Zealand’s story will focus on our need, as a nation, to be ready to respond to a global crisis like this in the future.
COVID-19 really highlighted some of our strengths and weaknesses. Strong political leadership meant New Zealand has been able to preserve human life, and our country has been singled out as a global leader in our response to COVID-19. However, it also highlighted that some areas of our economy need to improve their digital capability.
It’s difficult to predict what the future will look like for New Zealand, I think New Zealand will still remain one of the most desirable tourism destinations on earth, but for the moment as a nation we are focussed on supporting and strengthening our economy with the view to rebuild and recover from this pandemic.
impactmania’s past interviews and programs have been featured in international media, a number of universities, the UN, US Consulates, and have been cited by Harvard Business School, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, and Duke University Press. impactmania’s Women of Impact program was awarded the U.S. Embassy Public Diplomacy grant (2019).