Becoming a UN aid worker is a very competitive field. Many qualified people want to have this career, so the more knowledge you have, the better. Start with a bachelor’s degree in an area relevant to aid work, such as nursing, social sciences, or languages. You may be able to get a job with just a bachelor’s degree, but getting a master’s degree in a relevant field can make you even more desirable. Pursue a field related to the area where you want your aid work to be, such as climate change, human rights, or health services. The chances of getting a job as an aid worker without any volunteering experience are very slim. Most people volunteer for years before they get their first job. This requires that you work for free, but the more experience you have, the more likely you will land a job.  You can try volunteering domestically during your undergrad and graduate programs, and spend holidays and summers volunteering internationally. Don't worry about volunteering with the UN at first. Getting experience is the most important thing at this point. Sometimes, getting a job as an aid worker is about who you know. Many administrators want reliable and trustworthy people who can handle the stressful and dangerous conditions. Using volunteering experience and domestic work to build contacts and make good impressions can help you find a job in the future.  Attend lectures and conferences on foreign aid work. Use these opportunities to meet as many people involved in the field as you can. Introduce yourself as an aspiring aid worker. Ask mutual friends in the community for introductions or recommendations to others they know. Though your goal may be to work overseas, most aid workers have to work or volunteer in a domestic office before going overseas. This experience can really help you prepare for your future job. Not only do you get related experience for your CV, but you also meet people who can become future contacts. Sometimes you may be placed in an office outside of your country but not on the frontline. For example, you may end up in a UN office in New York, London, or Paris. If you are in school or working but still want volunteer experience, try online volunteering for relief organizations. Most organizations, including the UN, offer opportunities to volunteer and offer your skills online.  Examples of online volunteering include writing and editing, art and design, translation, research, technology, project development, outreach, and teaching and training. These are good ways to get experience in your skill area while volunteering at the relief agency.

Summary: Graduate with bachelors and masters degrees in a related field. Volunteer with an aid organization either at home or abroad. Network to meet as many people as possible. Work in a domestic office. Consider online volunteering.


Bacteria are known to produce common compounds associated with foot odor. Scrub your feet in the shower and dry them afterwards. You can also apply an antibacterial foot spray or foot powder to reduce scent producing bacteria.  Don't forget the areas in between your toes! These areas are more likely to hold moisture and heat and, as a result, have a higher chance of containing bacteria. Applying hand sanitizers to your feet is another option to help kill bacteria. A small amount (1 oz) of bleach per gallon of water is thought to help kill bacteria on your feet after a 5 to 10-minute soak. Some other common home remedies include:  Vinegar water. For every quart of water add 1/2 cup vinegar. Soak for 15 minutes and rinse with water afterwards. Salt water. Add half a cup of salt for every quart of water, and soak your feet for 15 minutes. Don't rinse with water and just dry your feet after the soak. Aluminum acetate soak. Combine 1 packet Domeboro powder or 2 tablespoons of Burow's solution with a pint of water and soak your feet for 10 to 20 minutes. Rinse with water afterwards. Cotton and wool socks drastically reduce the moisture absorbed by your shoes. Additionally, they are significantly easier than shoes to clean and change after each use. Washing socks between each wear is important, as it keeps smelly bacteria from growing.  When you wash your socks, turn them inside out to ensure that all of the dead skin gets washed out. If you must re-wear a pair of socks prior to washing, put some baking soda in them overnight to reduce moisture and bacteria that cause bad odors. The extra time sitting on the shelf will allow your shoes to dry out and stop bacteria from growing. You can aid this process by removing the insoles, or drying your shoes with a specialized shoe dryer. Athletic style shoes that are meant to handle water and moisture are usually fine to wash in the washing machine. If you get your shoes particularly sweaty or wet from athletic activity or outdoor adventures, washing your shoes is definitely a good option. Don't wash nice shoes, like dress shoes or loafers, as they are likely to degrade and fall apart. Cooler feet means less sweat, which translates to less smell. Not only will the increased airflow reduce moisture around your feet, but it will also lower the temperature, leading to less favorable breeding grounds for bacteria. Many deodorants are available for both your feet and shoes. Some common examples work by trapping odor-causing molecules and absorbing moisture from the feet, socks, and shoes.  Baby powder is also commonly used as a foot and shoe deodorant and moisture remover. Don't let your feet dry and crack. While getting rid of foot odor is important, you may need to occasionally apply moisturizing lotion to prevent your skin from cracking. If you use underarm antiperspirant or deodorant, grab a spare stick and apply to your feet before you go to sleep. Similar to applying on your underarms, this should reduce the moisture produced by your feet and help cover up some of the odor. Make sure your feet are dry before applying deodorant or antiperspirant. Astringents are compounds that absorb moisture from the cells. Some good examples are mineral salts like potassium alum, witch hazel, or talcum powder. These compounds can be slightly irritating but are well-known household remedies for body odor and sweat. There are plenty of tools, like pumice stones and foot files, that can be used to regularly remove dead skin. Though there is not a scientific consensus, it is generally believed that some common odor-causing bacteria feed on dead skin.

Summary: Clean your feet. Soak and scrub your feet with a home remedy. Wear clean, absorbent socks. Avoid wearing the same pair of shoes on consecutive days. Wash your shoes. Wear open-toed shoes or sandals. Use a foot deodorant. Apply a traditional deodorant or antiperspirant. Use an astringent. Remove the dead skin from your feet.


If you lose too much weight at once, you might have more excess skin than you would if you lost weight slowly. Aim to lose no more than 1–2 pounds (0.45–0.91 kg) per week. To lose 1 pound a week, you must burn 3,500 calories a week. You can reach this goal by cutting out 500 calories from your diet every day. This is a healthy range of body fat. Keeping a little bit of fat on the body will help plump up any skin left over from weight loss. Visit a doctor or personal trainer to  learn your body fat percentage. Building muscle will also improve your chances of losing more weight. To build muscle most efficiently, you can either do fewer reps with heavier weights or more reps with lighter weights.  Good weight lifting moves include deadlifts, bench presses, and bicep curls.  Body weight exercises can also be useful. You can do crunches, leg lifts, and flutter kicks.
Summary: Lose weight slowly. Keep your total body fat between 14-22%. Build muscle to fill out skin.