Living my dreams: working for WFP’s humanitarian air service in Libya
While growing up, air crafts and pilots always fascinated Ala Omar Duwaymi.
A UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) aircraft flies high in the blue sky of Tripoli and will soon descend into Mitiga Airport in Libya. In the meantime, Ala Omar Duwaymi works tirelessly under the scorching sun, making all the necessary arrangements to welcome passengers and receive cargo.
“When I was a young boy, I always dreamt of working in the aviation sector; be it as a pilot or on the runway,” says Ala. “Several years down the line my dream came true. Today I am fortunate to be working as an Aviation Assistant with UNHAS-Libya.”
In 2018, Ala was the first staff member to join UNHAS operations in Libya, which are run by the World Food Programme (WFP).
Born and raised in Libya, Ala comes with a solid background in security management. Before joining WFP he worked as a Security Manager for the International Republican Institute. Living and working in a country that is marred by conflict, Ala is glad that he can bring this expertise to his current workplace.
“I am happy that my security skills are useful for the UNHAS operations,” he adds. “I have learned how to remain cautious and vigilant at all times, especially at the airport.”
Since the onset of the conflict, there have been limited commercial flights connecting Libya to the rest of the world. In this North African country, UNHAS has played a critical role in facilitating cargo and passenger movement on behalf of the humanitarian community.
“For passengers from more than 60 humanitarian agencies and organizations, UNHAS is the only means of transportations into our country,” says Ala.
Since 2018, UNHAS has transported into Libya more than 4,700 humanitarian personnel and more than 6.2 metric tons of life-saving cargo.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to haunt the world, Libya has witnessed a sudden increase in cases resulting in the closure of its airspace, land, and water borders. Currently, no commercial flights are allowed into the country.
“At a critical time such as this, only UNHAS flights connect Libya and Tunisia, bringing life-saving consignments on behalf of the humanitarian community,” says Ala.
With generous funding from donors such as the Humanitarian Aid department of the European Commission, UNHAS has been operating in more than 22 hard-to-reach countries around the world. These are countries that are reeling under the impacts of conflict, natural calamities, and now the pandemic.
“I am proud to be working for UNHAS operations in Libya, and especially so during times like these as its aircrafts continue to bring life-saving medical equipment amidst the COVID-19 crisis, ” he says.
