I hopped on my scheduled call with Mohammed Mireash today expecting to chat about the typical curiosities of mine: lessons learned in the IDHA, his career as program manager and program analyst in the intergovernmental sector, and what he does in his free time. I work in NYC so I rarely get to spend time with International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance (IDHA) alumni. While I did get the opportunity to learn about Mohammed’s milestones, I also learned Mohammed is a refugee from Sudan.
Two years ago the civil war’s danger in his home country of Sudan pushed Mohammed and his family far away from their home. Today, he sits with me virtually at his new home in Cairo, Egypt. Because of the war, Mohammed also had to leave his in-person job at International IDEA, an intergovernmental organization that supports democracy in Sudan, and search for similar work online. He now works for The Sudanese Center for Development and Democracy, also known as DARPE and serves as a board member for the Sudanese Network for Development and Democracy (SNDD).
LE: Hi Mohammed. So, are you enjoying some normalcy after returning from the IDHA?
MM: It is not that normal of a life. But it is okay because the IDHA was both intense and insightful.
LE: Where are you now?
MM: I am in Cairo, Egypt.
LE: Is that where you usually work?
MM: No. I recently moved to Cairo because of the war in Sudan.
LE: When did you move?
MM: I moved during the second week when the war began. War broke out in Sudan on April 14th, 2023. I arrived in Cairo on May 2nd.
LE: You must miss home a lot.
MM: A lot, yes.
LE: I am sorry to hear that.
MM: Both the stories and the photos we have received. Actually, we have no home. What is left of it are ruins.
LE: I just interviewed someone last month who works at the UNDP. He, too, participated in the IDHA many years ago. His name is Sadig, and he is also from Sudan.
MM: Sadig Elamin?
LE: Yes!
MM: I was introduced to him by Gonzalo!
LE: Wonderful! So are you in Egypt alone? Or are you living with your family?
MM: I live with my family; we all left Sudan together. Though it was in phases in the beginning. First, my wife and kids moved to a city near the border in Egypt. Then, after settling issues at home, I joined them, five or three days after. We later moved to Cairo.
LE: How long have you been in Cairo? About two years?
MM: Yes, almost two years.
LE: In our initial email, you stated that the IDHA was an enriching experience that you would always carry with you. Would you like to speak about that enriching experience and what you miss about the IDHA since you’ve finished?
MM: Yes, it was very enriching due to the program’s rigor. From 9 am to 5 pm with weekly tests and presentations. It was actually easy to assimilate into the program; it only took a week for us to do so. As someone who has worked in development within the humanitarian sector, I learn best through active participation. The more important aspects of the program for me were the theoretical backgrounds about humanitarianism and the evolution of humanitarian reforms globally. Additionally, many key speakers came from outside the university to speak on varying case studies on Gaza, Rohingya, Myanmar, and more from around the world.
These case studies and how they were presented added to my general knowledge of the humanitarian system. One of the reflections I had was about pushing humanitarian systems forward. What is supposed to materialize, as I also saw on LinkedIn, is a humanitarian reset. The humanitarian reset was something that I learned from this course.
The humanitarian reset was something that I learned from this course.
LE: What do you miss the most about the IDHA?
MM: First of all, I miss the company. My cohort was impressive. The people were diverse, coming from different backgrounds, nationalities, and religions, and all came with unique experiences. Speaking with the tutors outside of the classroom also proved to be enriching. These conversations actually provided me with new information that I had been missing.
LE: On your LinkedIn, you list yourself as lead on a WASH program (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene). I’m also aware that WASH is a program covered in the IDHA. Why do you think it is essential for everyone in the humanitarian sector to learn about WASH?
MM: It’s one of the basic human needs; everyone requires water to survive. For those who are entering, it is a challenging setting, on a displaced area; there’s always a problem. In places where I have worked, such as Kordofan, there was no surface water, and reaching groundwater was very difficult. Effort was required, creating hydraulic surveys to locate a spot that could provide water for survival.
I remember there being a local khazan (meaning “dam”), which was broken. We made an initiative to repair it. After this, the governor thanked us since he used to provide people with water through tanks. These people were far away, almost 50 kilometers away. It was a big job for them.
One of the issues that is important to acknowledge within WASH is infectious diseases. For people to remain in place, they need to address problems regarding hygiene and water availability. If they can’t solve it, they can’t stay in place because it is too difficult. This makes it one of the basic and core elements of the humanitarian system that should be addressed in every setting.
LE: Did you learn anything new about WASH while in the IDHA? Or was it more of a refresher on what you already knew?
MM: It was a good refresher and reminded me of the standards and the key elements we held in our hearts and in our work, but hadn’t emphasized them enough. The tutor provided us with materials and presentations about water supply, and he taught them in a useful manner. I think of how technicians continuously learn how to manage cars. This aspect is important because, one, it has been missing, and two, it aids those who are looking for management positions. Such knowledge is important.
This (WASH) aspect is important because, one, it has been missing, and two, it aids those who are looking for management positions.
LE: Now you serve as a program manager at International IDEA.
MM: I worked for International IDEA, the International Institute for Democracy and Assistance, up until September 2024. That is when they closed the Sudanese program, which resulted in me losing my job. There is a mandate issue; the context of Sudan no longer belongs to the mandate of the International IDEA due to the war. It’s no longer in a transitional context where IDEA should support electoral assistance and democracy.
LE: What are you doing now?
MM: I am currently working remotely with an NGO in Sudan. We’re in the process of building local dialogue forums. These are for host communities and IDPs (internally displaced persons) to maintain a peaceful coexistence. With limited resources and hidden from the media, it’s a beneficial initiative and important for the people right now.
The number of displaced people in Sudan has reached about 14 million. 11 million are internationally displaced, and 3 million are refugees. Thus, with such statistics, a manner to reconnect and develop relationships within those displaced is needed.
LE: What is the name of the organization?
MM: It is called the Sudanese Network for Development and Democracy. We are planning for something with the traditional leaders. We sent them for a tour for study in Nigeria to study the Nigerian experience. It was supported by the Humanitarian Dialogue Center. Now we are planning for a workshop for the traditional leaders in Cairo and another in Nyala, where the RSF controls the area, and another in Abeshe, Chad. The goal is to bring them under one platform to discuss their roles and how they can contribute to a peaceful coexistence. This war has divided the Sudanese community to an unprecedented level.
LE: It’s incredible that you can still make such an impact even remotely.
MM: It’s very difficult.
LE: It’s great to hear though that you can still work from far away and go to workshops and trainings such as the IDHA.
MM: Allow me to comment on this. After moving to Cairo as a refugee, staying here, you know when you leave your country, it’s a very difficult experience. You are not only losing your home, your way of doing things, and your sense of life. One of the reasons that helped me get out of survival mode is attending the IDHA. It is one of the best decisions I have made since leaving Sudan.
LE: Are you still in survival mode?
MM: Not anymore, not after the IDHA, actually. After the IDHA, I began to understand my role, not as a professional, but also as a human. We need to contribute to one another in the context of Sudan.
LE: It sounds like you are turning that survival mode into your work, learning, and writing. Martine told me you wrote an excellent essay on Sudan during the IDHA. Could you share that with me?
MM: Of course. I wrote about Al Waleed Abdeen, a man who was in Khartoum because his mother and father were retired diplomats and older. His brothers are overseas, one in China and another in Canada. He was obligated to stay with his mother and father. Later, his mother passed away, and only a few days after his mother passed, he was captured by the RSF. By the time he was rescued by the Southern Sudan Armed Forces, he was in a very desperate position.
LE: Where was he kept?
MM: He was in a school guarded by the RSF. It was like a detention center in a combat area. Then, when the army took control over that place, they were starved and dehydrated to death.
Almost immediately after being evacuated to the nearest hospital, the prisoners passed away. Nothing has destroyed me emotionally since the passing of my father and what I experienced. So, I decided to write about the protection of civilians, only focusing more on the story of Al Waleed.
LE: Well, I hope to read both your essay and story.
MM: Of course! I will share it with you.
LE: As you know, we offer an undergraduate and graduate degree here in humanitarian studies. What advice do you have for those who want to work in an international or national intergovernmental organization, seeing as that’s where your experience comes from?
MM: Start with your CV and format it smartly. Then find good people to reference. They need to be prepared for the rigour, because humanitarian work is not an easy task to take on. I remember when I was in Somalia, I was at the Mogadishu International Airport. By the early evening, we were expecting a round of mortars coming from al-Shabaab to attack us. So you can see it is not easy. They need to be prepared for rough, conditioned areas and be able to be away from friends and family for extended periods.
They also need to be able to adapt to harsh environments. It’s difficult to find nice restaurants or nice living conditions. The most important piece of advice that I would like to give is that they need to be human when they’re there. Gonzalo also gave me this advice on the first day of the course. Human nature is about being human. I remember one of the quotes from one of the philosophers saying that “to be human is to be responsible for others”.
The most important piece of advice that I would like to give is that they need to be human when they’re there.
LE: I really like that. You have to be adaptable and expect the unexpected. And speaking with you now, it’s important to work with people who have gone through the crises and the wars themselves, like yourself. Expect to work alongside refugees, not just give them supplies.
MM: While in Libya, my Libyan colleagues were rude. It was tough for me to deal with them. Then one day, one of the ladies, who’s Libyan, told me: “Mohammed, don’t piss off because we’ve been traumatized by conflict. You need to consider this as well.” It was another learning experience. You’ll also learn how to deal with people with different experiences.
LE: Did you meet anyone else who is or was a refugee in the IDHA? As a part of a cohort?
MM: No, I didn’t, unfortunately. Some people were migrant refugees who came from Zimbabwe to South Africa. But they don’t meet the international definition for a refugee, so they could be classified as economic immigrants.
LE: I see. So you were the only one?
MM: I was the only one.
LE: What do you like to do in your free time when you’re not working?
MM: In my free time, I like reading books. I also enjoy walking; I do a lot of walking.
LE: What’s the landscape like in Egypt where you are?
MM: The landscape is good and the weather is pleasant. The people here are not xenophobic. They are a very welcoming nation. We are allowed to own our houses and to obtain car licenses.
They don’t have a camp policy for the Sudanese refugees here. In terms of the economy, the country is booming right now. They have a lot of infrastructure development. They are building new cities, new roads, and highways. There is inflation too because of these reforms that people are complaining about. But overall, the state of the country is very good. It is open because they have these historical sites, and they are used to welcoming visitors from different parts of the world as tourists, so they are used to tourists.
LE: So you mentioned you like reading. What are you reading right now?
MM: Right now, I’m reading a lot of stuff about AI, and I’m also reading a lot of things about program management, the manuals, and everything. I like novels as well. Right now, I have one in front of me, and it is actually one of the Spanish writers. The title is Eleven Minutes.
LE: Do you speak any other languages?
MM: I speak Arabic, English, and local languages from Sudan. About four languages. This is from the region where I come from, the Darfur region.
LE: Is there anything that you like in Egypt? The food?
MM: I’m quite nostalgic about my life in Sudan. I miss the food, the people, everything. We sent somebody to fortify the doors, etc. Then a few days later, after arriving from Cairo, I learned that my house had been looted.
LE: How heartbreaking. I’m so sorry. We take a lot for granted, don’t we?
MM: You realize sometimes you take everything for granted, and you never know when life will change in one way or another.
LE: For someone who doesn’t know much about Cairo, Egypt. What do you eat there?
MM: We eat Sudanese food here in Cairo. There is actually a huge Sudanese community here. Even when we arrived, we found a specific type of bread that we consume in Sudan. There are a lot of Sudanese bakeries open. We have even influenced the way Egyptians consume their food. If you go to the bakery now, you’ll find many Egyptians are queuing to get Sudanese bread.
SUDANESE CIVILIANS ARE DYING IN A WAR THEY NEVER CHOSE
BY: MOHAMMED MIREASH
In Sudan, you do not need to be on the battlegrounds to die.
Since the 15th of April 2023, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have drawn the country into a devastating conflict. The war has turned cities into active combat zones and families into refugees and IDPs. It’s not just the bullets and bombs that kill people; it’s starvation, displacement, diseases, and the collapse of everything that holds a nation together.
As of today, more than 30 million people need humanitarian assistance, 14 million are forcibly displaced, and at least 20,000 people have died. The two belligerents, SAF and RSF, show no political will to end the suffering; instead, they have repeatedly violated international humanitarian law, targeting civilians, private and public utilities, and obstructing humanitarian aid.
This is not a political crisis, it’s a moral one; the ordinary Sudanese people are being punished for a war they never asked for.
Finish reading Mohammed’s advocacy paper here on Adobe Acrobat.
Follow Mohammed on LinkedIn. Learn more about the IDHA.
Interview recorded and edited by Lily Egan, Communications Officer, Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs (IIHA) at Fordham University.
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The Institute acts as a bridge between the University and humanitarian practice, hosts lectures and symposia on a regular basis, and is the US partner for NOHA, a consortium of 12 European universities offering humanitarian education. The IIHA at 2546 Belmont Ave, Bronx, New York at Fordham University also provides space for undergrad and graduate students to bond during meetings, guest speaker events, and gallery exhibitions. In addition to our Humanitarian Studies, International Diploma, Diplomatic Training, and short Humanitarian Training courses, the IIHA publishes on a wide range of humanitarian topics, such as A Skein of Thought. Our staff and faculty come to us with years of U.N. experience and in-the-field humanitarian aid work. Follow: IG l FB l LinkedIn l XSubscribe:Humanitarian Fault Lines Podcast Media Inquiries: Lily Egan.
