On a Knife-Edge: An evening of storytelling at the Ciné Lumière, London
Telling stories is one of our most ancient and powerful forms of expression. It’s what helps us connect with one another and shines a light on our shared humanity, bringing us closer to people we may never meet or to places we may never go.
Drawing upon this fundamental human desire, MSF UK held an evening of storytelling on Monday 11th December 2024 at the Ciné Lumière in South Kensington, London.
Our storytellers were MSF staff from a range of professions and each shared a short story that had made a lasting impact on them whilst working with MSF.
Reflecting on the theme of ‘On a Knife-Edge’, they shared their experience of working with MSF in emergency situations where the outcome hangs in the balance, the smallest change can cause something to succeed or fail, and two very different results are possible.
It was an evening of gripping and moving stories told by the people at the heart of our projects.
Watch the event
Our speakers (in order of appearance)
Javid Abdelmoneim (event chair)
In June 2021 Javid completed his term as president of MSF UK, after six years on the board of trustees. He is an emergency medicine physician. Since 2009, Javid has worked as a doctor and medical team leader for MSF in many contexts including Iraq, Haiti, Sierra Leone for Ebola, Syria, Ukraine, Tigray, Chad and most recently in Sudan earlier this year. He is currently project manager with MSF for UK asylum operations here in England. He has also fronted many TV documentaries and been twice BAFTA, Emmy, RTS and Grierson nominated, but never won one! He tweets @DrJavidA
Fionnuala Ryan – speaking about Yemen
Fionnuala (Finn) Ryan is a UK paediatric trainee currently completing her sub-speciality training in Paediatric Infectious Diseases at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. She has a strong interest in global health and has worked for NGOs in Nicaragua and Panama. She has recently returned from working with MSF as a paediatrician in Yemen.
Wafaa Abdullah – speaking about Iraq
Wafaa has worked for MSF since 2019 in her home country of Iraq as a midwife. Her career has taken her from midwife supervisor to midwife activity manager, gaining vast experience in emergency intervention. She is currently midwife activity manager in the obstetric emergencies department at Hawija general hospital, training others in childbirth, emergency and complication care. Wafaa started her journey with MSF as national staff and is presently in the process of applying to become international staff with MSF.
Diana Pereira de Sousa - speaking about Afghanistan
Diana began her nursing career in community health care in Brazil and Guinea Bissau. She dedicated six years to specializing in general and trauma intensive care in Cambridge. In April of last year, she concluded her first assignment with MSF, spending nine months at the Kunduz Trauma Centre in Afghanistan. Diana has recently embarked on a new professional chapter at King's College Hospital, where she is undergoing training to become an Advanced Critical Care Practitioner.
