A Journey of Compassion: From Private Sector to Humanitarian Leadership in Conflict Zones

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"More than 10 years ago, after working for 15 years in the private sector, I decided I wanted to pursue my dream of working in the humanitarian sector. After one year of volunteering in Africa, I sent my application to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and was soon recruited to go on a mission in central Asia. The work was exciting, but team life was extremely difficult and challenging for my faith. During another mission with MSF in Iraq, I got to know Medair, which was working in the same location. I was intrigued and searched the web to know more. I immediately recognised myself in Medair's values, especially regarding the Christian faith. I decided to send my application and was recruited for the ROC. At the end of the ROC, I had an interview for the Madagascar Country Programme and a few weeks later I left for my first mission as Programme Support Manager, that was the same support role I had held in MSF. After this first mission I thought it was time to expand my skills in the programme area, so I went again on a mission with Medair; this time as Non-Food Item Programme Manager for the DRC South program. Meanwhile, Ebola was raging in the northeast of the country and Medair had put together a great response. Shortly before my mission ended, I was asked if I was interested in taking on the role of Project Coordinator for the Ebola response. I accepted and I spent another year in DRC until the end of the epidemic. At the end of the mission, I took a sabbatical break in which I wrote a book; the ideas of which had matured during my mission in DRC. I also volunteered again. When war broke out in Ukraine I was in Africa, staring stunned at the TV, and I decided it was time to return to Medair and contribute to helping the people of Ukraine. So, I sent in my application and was recruited as Deputy Country Director for Ukraine. The work was intense and exhausting, but the team was fantastic, and we gave each other strength. When the Country Director was nearing the end of her mission, I realised that with my experience I could take this role and continue to lead the team. I made myself available and was selected as Country Director, a role I held for a year and still hold today.

What I find extraordinary about this job is the team life. We share the same house, work side by side – local and international staff – achieve great goals in serving people affected by war, see incredible places, meet extraordinary people. It is an enriching and exciting life. However, there is so much work to be done, sometimes frustrating; hundreds of emails and messages to answer every day, reports and budgets to produce, piles of documents to be signed, endless hours in front of the computer, and nights and days on the train. The train I am on currently is taking me to the east of Ukraine, to the border with Russia, where incessant bombing is battering the civilian population and Medair has been providing life support for two years now. Our team in the east spends the night in the basement of a house, and the day in an underground office to protect ourselves from the bombing or in the field to implement the programme as soon as security permits.  

I arrive in the evening exhausted and sit down to eat with the team, as long as an air raid alarm doesn't spoil dinner. One time we had to take the chicken down to the basement and finish dinner in a moisty and dusty cellar. Another time we had to “smuggle” mattresses downstairs to sleep on the floor in the conference room of the hotel, because it was the only underground space available to escape possible explosions. What an extraordinary and courageous team!

The next morning, we all get together, read the Bible and pray together to start a new day. We never know what awaits us. The only thing we are certain of is that we will have many challenges. But with hard work, perseverance, team spirit and God's grace we will be able to overcome, for the sake of those who are suffering and to whom we can bring a share of hope by making them understand that they are not alone."

Through dedication, faith, and an unwavering commitment to helping those in need, his journey in the humanitarian sector highlights the profound impact one can make, inspiring hope and resilience amidst the most challenging circumstances.