Staff story: "My five daughters were born in an MSF hospital"

However, his story with Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) started much closer to home in Afghanistan. From welcoming children to learning to cook, here Arif shares how MSF has become part of his family.

When I took my first job abroad with MSF, I knew there would be lots of things to learn. 

In any new assignment, there are local medical needs, ways of working and different systems. But there was also something else: I decided to learn how to cook.

I am originally from Khost, in the southeastern part of Afghanistan. I was born in 1988, into a big extended family of 27 people. Throughout almost all of my life, fighting has been ongoing in my country.

When I was in my early 20s, I got a job in the supply team at the maternity hospital in Khost, which is one of MSF’s busiest worldwide. 

The needs are huge: in the first six months of this year alone around 10,000 women gave birth there.

I quickly learned that the supply team plays a key role in a medical humanitarian organisation like MSF. 

It’s about making sure that all the goods, medical equipment, logistic materials, everything, arrive on time. So, if a surgeon needs a scalpel, or a premature baby needs oxygen, there’s no delay.  

That’s how we support medical activities and help save lives.

Five daughters

I’m a father of five daughters, the oldest is nearly 12 and the youngest is nearly two. Four of them go to school and the youngest is not yet school-age. 

All of my children were born in the MSF hospital in Khost, so before I even joined the team, MSF was already part of my family.

Like other Afghans, we’ve endured difficult situations because of the consecutive wars. Compared to other provinces, life in Khost is better in terms of security and the economy, however many people have left to work abroad and send money to support their families.

As a father, it’s my responsibility to support my girls to study, have a good life and be an example of good, educated girls in the community.

So, I too left Afghanistan to support my family. 

But, working with MSF means I also have the opportunity to help others facing difficult circumstances, extend my professional experience and learn more about different cultures and communities.

Wherever the need is greatest

After working in the maternity hospital in Khost, I was promoted to warehouse advisor at the MSF headquarters in Kabul. 

Then, a short trip to support the MSF team in Nigeria inspired me to apply in 2019 for my first full assignment abroad: warehouse manager in Sierra Leone.

Next, I worked in the MSF Regional Supply Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, helping to send supplies and equipment to teams working in 14 countries, from established hospitals to acute emergencies. 

Right now, I’m back in Sierra Leone, where I am now responsible for the whole supply chain, warehouse, procurement, customs and transport for MSF’s work in the country. 

MSF has worked here in Sierra Leone for 35 years. We’re currently focusing on getting medical care to mothers and children, and treating tuberculosis.

Home comforts

Working abroad, I miss my family, friends, and Afghanistan in general. I follow the situation there closely.

I also miss the cooking.

Most of the men in Afghanistan don’t know how to cook. So, going abroad for the first time, I struggled with food. 

But, since I’m now away regularly, I’ve been trying my best to learn from YouTube and my MSF colleagues. Being away from our beloved families is not easy. We try to support each other, and one way is to cook something and share it with the team. 

When I go home, I occasionally do the cooking as well. My wife is always surprised when she sees me in the kitchen! I also love getting outside, and even a game of badminton helps us come together and manage stress.

No normal

I now have almost ten years of experience working in supply chain management in different positions and different countries with MSF. 

One thing I’ve learned: there is no ‘normal’. 

Sometimes a sudden emergency means an influx of people needing care and lots of urgent requests for supplies. 

Sometimes we have challenges with importing potentially life-saving equipment, or prices fluctuate, or we have to ensure items purchased from local markets meet MSF standards.

In Sierra Leone, this year we have worked on 95 international freight shipments via air, sea and land. All bringing with them the materials our medical teams need to care for our patients.

It gives me extra energy and motivation to be part of an organisation standing by people at times when they need it most.