“You expect children to cry if they're suffering, but they don't even have the energy to cry. And the other thing is, I found that the mothers or the fathers are also silent. You know, luckily, many children survive when they get treatment, they are able to keep living.”

Reena Ghelani knows all too well the jarring silence of a crowded malnutrition ward. Now UN Famine Prevention and Response Coordinator, she spends every day working on the frontlines of the global fight against hunger. A deadly cocktail of conflict, climate change, and economic shocks have driven record numbers of people around the world to the brink of starvation. Reena reflects on the horrific impacts of hunger, on the lengths parents will go to feed a child and shares her advice for women pursuing a career as a humanitarian.

Reena Ghelani :: interviewed by Melissa Fleming

“How can I not have sleepless nights when you have to choose between whether you fund the services for gender-based violence, or whether you fund the services for food, because for some children, it's only that one meal in school that they have all day.”

Growing up in Liberia, Sara Beysolow Nyanti is no stranger to the lasting pain of a country ravaged by recurring violence. As Former Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, she often encountered the anguish of those bearing the psychological scars of war.

“This woman [told me] we have nightmares … And she talked about losing her four children and she said it without crying. My heart was crying while she was speaking … I couldn't bear it.”

Sara Beysolow Nyanti :: interviewed by Melissa Fleming

“It's not just food and assistance, you need to give these children a life, a life of full opportunities…”

When thousands fled the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov, fearing the loss of millions of lives, stayed on. Every day since, the former UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in the country has fought to ease the acute suffering of its people.

“I believe we are the last, best hope that humanity has. And we have to stand for it. For [many] we represent this larger world of justice, the moral compass. We must keep that.”

Ramiz Alakbarov :: interviewed by Melissa Fleming

“Energy is magic. As simple as that. As we speak, Africa is a dark continent … 600 million people without electricity. But Africa is all energy sources. So, this is a paradox that needs to be broken.”

Cristina Duarte always brings great passion to any task she takes on. Now Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa, she works tirelessly to help the continent imagine a better tomorrow, one which not only meets its people’s needs, but also fulfills their dreams. Born to an activist father who was integral to independence movements across Lusophone Africa, Cristina grew up instilled with Pan-African values. The former finance minister Cristina Duarte reflects on her role in reforming Cabo Verde’s economy, on bringing power to remote villages, and how one chance encounter changed her mind about marriage.

Cristina Duarte :: interviewed by Melissa Fleming

"You hear some strong policymakers telling us our children are our future. They are not your future. You are the past; they are the present and they are their own future.”

A pediatrician by training, Dr. Najat Maalla M'jid has always been dedicated to rescuing children from suffering. Now United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, she works tirelessly to protect young people around the world. Najat reflects on the importance of rapid intervention in cases of violence against children and the extraordinary resilience of youth.

“What I learned in my life, it's the eyes. […] When you are speaking with children, when you have light in their eyes, it's still possible. When the light switches off, it’s too late.”

:: Najat Maalla M'jid interviewed by Melissa Fleming

“You see, we're not doing this work to make ourselves feel better. That sort of conventional notion of what a do-gooder is. We're doing this work because we are totally convinced that it's not necessary in today's wealthy world for so many people to be experiencing discomfort, for so many people to be experiencing hardship, for so many people to have their lives and their livelihoods imperiled.”

Dr. David Nabarro has dedicated his life to global health. After a long career that’s taken him from the horrors of war torn Iraq, to the devastating aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami, he is still spurred to action by the tremendous inequalities in global access to medical care.

“The thing that keeps me awake most at night is the rampant inequities in our world…We see an awful lot of needless suffering.”

:: David Nabarro interviewed by Melissa Fleming

“We brought the medical supplies [...] shelter kits [...] food [...] hygiene kits [...] We talk to the military before we go. But it was important to show that the UN is not just about meetings and votes in the General Assembly, that it is actual people doing some really hard stuff in a really difficult situation.”

Denise Brown knows what it takes to work under the shadow of war. As UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, she and her team must brave considerable risks as they strive to meet the colossal humanitarian needs of the Ukrainian people in the midst of a brutal war.

“The missiles slow us down, but they don’t stop us. That's testament to the courage, determination, and experience of the people we have there.”

:: Denise Brown interviewed by Melissa Fleming

"There are certain images that will stay with me for a very long time. Because those are the images that cannot be forgotten overnight."

Sajjad Malik witnessed terrible suffering during the Syrian crisis. As UNHCR’s former representative in the country, he oversaw one of the UN Refugee Agency’s toughest and most dangerous operations.

Since the war in Syria started in 2011 more than 5.7 million people have fled the country. Another 6.9 million are internally displaced.

In this special bitesize episode, Sajjad Malik reflected on the catastrophic conditions he witnessed there and the lasting impact of those memories.

"You have to maintain your mental strength and courage. It’s fine to say it and reflect and cry if need be."

:: Sajjad Malik interviewed by Melissa Fleming

“I realized I'm a black person and that people see the color of my skin first, before they see who I am and what I'm capable of doing…that was the rude awakening.”

With her writing, Amanda Khozi Mukwashi wants to change the conversation on race, gender, and identity. Now United Nations Resident Coordinator in Lesotho, she has written a book exploring the struggle for equity and the historical baggage of slavery and colonization.

“Let's talk about it a little more freely, not for it to hold our hands and tie them, but for it to liberate us to think differently.”

Moving back to the UK after leaving a high-level development post in Zambia, Amanda Khozi Mukwashi got tired of being asked where she was really from. In this episode, she reflects on the discrimination she has faced, on the rich family history she inherited from her grandmother, and on discovering her own multifaceted identity.

“If we keep to our two corners as if this is a boxing match, black and white, the victim and the victimized, it's such an unhealthy and unhelpful polarization of who we are as human beings.”

:: Amanda Khozi Mukwashi interviewed by Melissa Fleming

"There are so many good people at the UN, all trying to make the world a bit better. It sounds idealistic, but we are idealistic. It is an idealistic organization."

Ulrika Richardson has dedicated her life to the UN. As Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, her belief in the organization’s idealistic values drives her to brave dangers in her mission to alleviate the suffering she has witnessed. “When you see people suffer, those images stay with you … that keeps you awake, and it *should* keep you awake.”

Life in Haiti remains precarious. Armed gangs, cholera, and fuel and food shortages mean violence, hunger, disease, deprivation are everyday hurdles for millions of Haitians. Ulrika reflects on the scale of suffering, on preserving the dignity of those in need, and on the importance of saying goodbye.

“I always think back on countries where I've worked with a smile. Instead of your heart shrinking after every piece that you've left behind, you just feel it expanding.”

:: Ulrika Richardson interviewed by Melissa Fleming