UNFPA: Heeding the Call - A Tunisian Midwife Becomes a Humanitarian Worker
CHOUCHA CAMP, Tunisia — As widespread unrest shook Libya in early March 2011, around 1,000 people per hour were crossing the border into Tunisia. Tents quickly sprung in the desert as refugee camps formed near small towns. While international organizations deployed staff and supplies to respond to the crisis, many Tunisians also rushed to the border to offer their skills to help refugees.
With over 30 years of experience as a midwife, 54-year-old, Bochra Ben Teib found herself, for the first time, drawn to humanitarian work when she discovered an alarming situation a few miles from her hometown in Ben Guerdane, in Southern Tunisia. “My husband and I came to bring blankets and food to the first refugees who had fled Libya,” she recalls. “I noticed that there were many pregnant women among all the people. I immediately wanted to help them.”
On August 19th, the United Nations is celebrating World Humanitarian Day in recognition of aid workers who help millions of people around the world. Bochra’s dedication -- representative of the spirit of humanitarian workers everywhere -- is inspiring.