South Sudan Lomude Stephen
When I think of the vulnerable people who need my support, I remind myself – if I don’t, who else will? If I don’t sacrifice, no one else will either. I have to motivate others.
A dedicated Health Field Monitor, Lomude is working in South Sudan to strengthen health systems and support vulnerable populations. His deep sense of responsibility and compassion for others motivates him through the challenges of humanitarian work.
A fight for education
Lomude hails from Central Equatoria State in South Sudan, where he grew up in a village called Wonduruba.
During his early primary school years, Lomude’s parents couldn’t afford to pay his school fees. The teachers offered an alternative: parents could work in their gardens as payment. His father took on the heavy burden of gardening for five teachers while still providing for his family.
“I remember him telling me: ‘My son, please study hard and don’t play with education. You see the suffering me and your mother go through just because we didn’t have the opportunity to go to school due to the civil war in our country’,” shares Lomude.
“I decided that I better go to the camp [IMVEPI Refugee Settlement in Arua District] in Uganda, where I could get free education to relieve my father. To get some money for my transport, I followed some of my relatives to one of the gold mining areas where I got one gram of gold that facilitated my journey to the camp.”
Lomude went on to complete his schooling, working on the side to pay his way.
“In November 2009, the Government of South Sudan announced a scholarship for South Sudanese students to study for free in government universities. I applied and was admitted to study a bachelor’s degree in Public and Environmental Health at Upper Nile University in 2011.”
Despite disruptions caused by the civil war, Lomude graduated in 2017 and is currently pursuing a master’s in Public Health at Amref International University in Nairobi, Kenya.
Improving health as a humanitarian
Lomude worked as a freelancer, a call centre advisor and security guard until he could use his degree to enter the humanitarian field in health- and development related roles. In April 2023, he joined CTG as a Health Consultant and now works as a Health Field Monitor.
“I was driven by the fact that the country has some of the worst health indicators and that most communities have poor access to health services,” shares Lomude. “I could contribute to building and strengthening the health system, as well as work with colleagues in providing and supporting life-saving programmes that aim to improve the overall health of the communities in the country.”
Lomude’s day-to-day role involves supervising project activities at health facilities and in communities, which includes training and coaching health workers, overseeing vaccination and referral plans, and ensuring the availability of medical supplies and equipment, amongst other tasks.
“Apart from my daily tasks, I always find it interesting to interact with different people from diverse backgrounds,” says Lomude. “It can be with the people we serve, stakeholders, or work colleagues. This provides an opportunity to learn from one another and, most importantly, enhances our communication and strengthens relationships.”
Staying motivated through rain, mud and swamps
Lomude’s work in community health comes with many challenges, but his dedication and resilience keep him going:
“One of the challenges I’ve faced is accessing health facilities during the rainy season, when I have to walk through muddy, waterlogged swamps for four to nine hours, just to monitor health service delivery and provide supportive supervision. I overcome this by building resilience and remaining committed to saving the communities.”
Working with people from different cultural backgrounds and understandings is also a challenge,” continues Lomude. “But I always stay sensitive, value their culture, socialise with them, stay friendly, and build relationships that bring me closer to them.”
To keep a healthy work-life balance, Lomude also socialises with friends. He enjoys travelling to other countries for adventures, connecting with new friends, and getting new ideas.
“I have a heart for humanity,” says Lomude. “Sometimes, when faced with challenges in the field, I ask myself why I want to continue enduring this hardship. But when I think of the vulnerable people who need my support, I remind myself – if I don’t, who else will? If I don’t sacrifice, no one else will either. I have to motivate others.”
Read more stories from the field here.
