Afghanistan Sayeed Nasim Radmanish

Sayeed Nasim Radmanish was born and raised in the city of Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, where he completed his early education. Later, he received an academic scholarship to pursue his bachelor’s degree in Pune, India.  

Over the past 14 years, he has been dedicated to serving communities across Afghanistan. “Much of my work has focused on empowering women and improving the lives of girls and women living in vulnerable circumstances,” explains Sayeed. “Through advocacy, public awareness campaigns, capacity building, and media initiatives, I have worked to reduce and prevent gender-based violence in northern and northeastern Afghanistan. As a technical proposal writer, I have also been responsible for designing and developing impactful projects aimed at advancing these goals.” 

Throughout his career, Sayeed has participated in numerous capacity-building trainings, both within the country and internationally, including in the United States. 

Aid in action

Currently, Sayeed is working as a project clerk in emergency aid, assisting people who are affected by natural disasters in five northern provinces of Afghanistan. Sayeed and his team assess natural disaster incidents so they can assist affected families with non-food items while they recover. 

“It is disappointing seeing people affected by floods and other types of natural disasters, but I feel truly proud to be there helping those in dire need of assistance,” says Sayeed. “I endeavour to reach the farthest and most marginalised areas to find the most affected people to help them.” 

Delivering aid can be fraught with challenges. One recent incident involved delivering emergency supplies to a remote area nearly 20 hours away. “The truck transporting the non-food items became stuck in deep mud due to flooding and was stranded from 5 am to 2 am the next day,” explains Sayeed. “The flood had destroyed the main road and surrounding areas, and there was no way to get it out. The driver walked around 5 hours to the district to find help and we eventually got the truck out, but we did not sleep the whole night. Eventually, we distributed the aid to the affected families who had been waiting.” 

Another challenge came while assessing the needs of a village. Their vehicle got stuck in deep sand under the scorching sun, 40 km from the nearest district. With little water and almost no traffic in the area, Sayeed and his team struggled for two hours to free the car. As darkness approached, a passing vehicle appeared unexpectedly and helped pull them out. 

 “Encountering the challenges and then helping the affected people – I believe it is all worth it in the end,” says Sayeed.  

After the flood

During early 2024 monsoon season, while delivering aid in the wake of a disastrous flood, Sayeed had a bittersweet experience.  

“Last year I was part of an emergency response attending a house that had been washed out by a sudden flood. Five members of a family died, and the father survived. When we arrived the father was in shock at what had happened, but he also had a smile on his face because he was so grateful that we had come to help them from hundreds of miles away. As an emergency helper I was extremely sad about his loss, but at the same time, I was happy knowing that the work I do was the reason for his sorrowful smile. That was one of the experiences that I will never forget. 

“I thanked God that I have been made a reason for someone’s smile through my work. This was one of my most sad and happy experiences that I will never forget.” 

A heart for humanitarianism

Sayeed knows that each bit of aid he helps deliver changes lives. “When I help and support even one family living in a marginalised and underprivileged area, who are in dire need of assistance, and I bring a smile to their faces – that moment motivates and encourages me to stay in this field. I strive to help as many people as possible,” he shares.

Sayeed’s advice for those considering a humanitarian career is straightforward but powerful: “Put effort into helping people who need you. Yes, the humanitarian and emergency aid sectors are hard, but the happiness it gives cannot even be expressed through words.”  

Read more stories from the field here.