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Who We Are, What We Do, Why We Do It

People I know have often wondered why I am working in remote, dangerous places rather than being at home in a "safe" environment like Sweden where I come from.

First of all I dont think Sweden is that safe even if it on the surface might look like it. Looking at the type of crimes there when I grew up comparing to today there is a hugh difference.

Being on the travelling foot a lot has somehow up-rooted me and I feel the need to travel every so often irrespective of where I am. When I joined the Humanitarian world I was not necessarily the most likely person to join. I was lucky and saw an opportunity to travel and work at the same time. Being the technical guru I am, helped me continue in the organisation until I learned a lot of other aspects of the operation so I left the techincal field. Over the years though the idea of why I worked also changed dramatically. I guess that happens when being so extremely involved with work as you might become when working in the humanitarian field. You work long hours, long weeks and somehow never really disconnect. Even if you might be a small piece of the puzzle in some cases you can see the real impact. Not necessarily long term change impact but often day to day managing to keep a few more people alive so they too can have a chance at a future. I dont watch news too often when on leave as if there is any new war, earthquake or other disaster striking it immediatly relates to more work for me and others.

There is one short Video I have seen several times which really touch me each time I see it, as it really reflect my ideas as to why I continue work. Even if I would have a slow starting morning one day it seems to cure any potential doubts about why I am doing this work. Some people might never understand it, even among my friends, but then I never understood how someone can go to work and earn a meager salary while the boss is becoming a millionaire. We all have different drives in life.



Currently I work in South Sudan in a very small remote place. I live in a small prefabricated house. There is enough space for a bed, a small fridge, 2 chairs and a small table. I also have a small sink and a table top cooker so I can cook my own food if I want to. I even have my own shower and toilette inside so the 6 x 4 meters is well utilised. Luckily it has an AC or I would have to move out to one of the tents as it is impossible to live in this prefab without AC.
Despite all our efforts to seal the prefab I still have coakroaches, ants and every now and then some lokusts crawling around inside. Somehow the mosquitoes dont like the AC so I manange to keep those outside.

Two days ago I got some kind of food poisoning again while eating at the local chicken place. Last time that happened in Africa I got Amoeba Dysentry. Still wondering what the outcome of this times ordeal will come up with. I have eaten at the same place before and did not have a problem. Mind you there is only 3 places in this whole town that I would even consider eating at.

Despite all the hardships, being away from the family 6 weeks at a time there is still no other work I would rather do.