Hero Humanitarian Workers You Should Know About Now

Sudan has spent a good part of the 21st century in war and conflict. This strife has made it difficult for much of Sudan’s population to find access to quality health care — especially in remote areas like the Nuba Mountains, where humanitarian aid is restricted. Dr. Tom Catena is currently the only doctor permanently stationed in that region as part of the Sudan Relief Fund. Catena estimates that he performs over 1,000 operations annually.

Umra Omar is the founder and director of Safari Doctors, a group that provides medical care to people along Kenya’s coast. This project fills a void left after a previous medical aid project in the area was scrapped because of security concerns over terrorist group Al-Shabaab. Across eight villages, Omar and Safari Doctors help treat hundreds of patients every month. The team has been lauded by the United Nations, CNN, and others.

Dr. Jane Aronson, a pediatric physician, was named one of 2019’s Top Global Humanitarian Leaders for her work as CEO of Worldwide Orphans, an organization that provides education, medicine, and emotional support for orphaned and abandoned children across the globe. The organization has reached children in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.

Things looked bleak for Toronto resident Janet Fanaki’s husband Adam in 2016. Adam was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a very aggressive form of brain cancer. Adam embarked on a long treatment and recovery process, and Janet, a public relations executive used the experience to create a website called Resilient People, where people share inspiring stories of those who have bounced back from cancer and who refused to let the disease define their lives.