Stories From Patients & Staff

Water and sanitation specialist, Syed Imran Ali, was working in a refugee camp in South Sudan when his team were faced with a mystery. What they discovered changed how they thought about safe water supply, and is now helping to save lives in humanitarian crises around the world.

Francesca Arcidiacono has returned to Sudan as deputy head of mission. In 2023, she worked as the Head of Mission in Sudan and was a firsthand witness to the beginning of the current war. Today, she's reflecting on her decision to return to Sudan and what this means to her personally.

Set up two years ago, MSF’s South Sudan Emergency Response Unit (SSERU) was designed as a first responder to crises across South Sudan and to reinforce MSF’s preparedness for dealing with emergencies. This article describes the SSERU’s first major emergency response which took place in Paloich in July and August 2023. 

In the challenging terrains of South Sudan, Mary James navigates more than just roads. She navigates a path of inspiration, breaking gender barriers as the first female driver in Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in this region.

Eunice Soro, a mental health counsellor working for Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), at Yei in Central Equatoria state in South Sudan, shares her experiences implementing mental health activities in the community, and maintaining self-care while helping others. 

Peter Clausen completed an electrical apprenticeship after school, he then went on to study journalism and work for the ABC in North Queensland, before completing a Masters in Disaster Management. He is an experienced MSF project coordinator and progressed to head of mission over his eight assignments. He first worked in Yemen in 2013, followed by projects in Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Iran, Tanzania, and most recently Ukraine in 2022 and again in 2023. 

Jessie Watson, a finance and HR manager from New Zealand, has worked on four assignments with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), in South Sudan, Bangladesh, Yemen, and Ukraine. When not on assignment she lives in Dipton, Southland, working remotely. She spoke to us about her time on assignment with MSF. 

When it comes to treating HIV, access to medicines is crucial, but only one part of the picture, writes Dr Isaac Batali...

Ngueny works for MSF in Jonglei State, not far from where his family are from. He shares his journey to becoming MSF’s first mental health supervisor at Lankien Hospital, and why he’s passionate about bridging the mental health gap.