South Sudan Sebit William Mathew Akec

In my lifetime, I have had many roles in humanitarian aid, from conducting explosive ordnance risk education (EORE) to host communities, Internally Displaced Persons and refugee settlements, to route clearance assessment and risk reduction in the field of mine action. The most challenging part of my job has been route clearance as it involves a lot of  movement from one place to another, as a result, I would spend a lot of time away from my family and I would miss them a lot.

Even though my job can be challenging, I feel that I have done a lot for the betterment of my country and I’m proud that I am known in parts of South Sudan because of the role I play in mine action advocacy. The work I have done has contributed towards mine eradication and toward the goal of no victims of landmines. I’m proud to see my country a step closer to getting rid of explosive remnants of war and mines. I am happy and extremely proud that I can continue being a part of this journey. I believe that eventually South Sudan will be free from explosive remnants of war.

We work with the most vulnerable people in insecure and challenging environments — our work creates hope for those communities. 

I worked in the field of mine action for 10 years before working in different roles such as Radio Operator, Logistics Assistant, Liaison Officer, Community Liaison Team Leader, and finally in my latest role with CTG field support as an Assistant Traffic Monitor. My daily tasks include liaison with truck drivers and registration of food delivery trucks. Sometimes I have to drive long distances where there is no cell phone coverage, which makes it even harder especially during the rainy season — it can take all day to reach a location.

We work with the most vulnerable people in insecure and challenging environments — our work creates hope for those communities. There are many different cultures and traditions where we work, which I respect and enjoy.