I once spent three days stuck in a dusty transit hub outside Goma, watching a communications officer try to explain to a donor via satellite …
Planning Three Weeks of Reporting
Strengthening a System Versus Running a Programme
I once sat in a humid conference room in Goma, listening to a consultant in a crisp linen suit explain a five-year strategic roadmap for …
What Is Inside a Peace Agreement
I’ve sat in enough humid conference rooms in Goma and Juba to know that most diplomats treat a peace treaty like a sacred text rather …
A Risk Assessment Before a Trip
Most people think learning how to assess risk before travelling means downloading a dozen shiny security apps or reading a twenty-page briefing from an embassy …
Managing Revenue From a Mine
I spent nine years watching NGOs argue over “capacity building” and “governance frameworks” while the actual supply lines sat rotting in the sun. Most people …
Controlling Cholera in a Camp
I remember sitting in a humid office in Goma, staring at a glossy, multi-page report about “integrated community health interventions.” It was filled with beautiful …
Removing Details That Would Identify Someone
I once sat in a humid office in Goma, staring at a field report that was so thick with specific names, village coordinates, and exact …
Protecting Someone Who Spoke to You
I spent a decade watching people lose their heads over high-end encryption software and encrypted messaging apps while ignoring the most basic security failures. You …
Running a Campaign With a Cold Chain
I still remember the smell of diesel and damp earth in South Sudan, sitting in the cab of a Land Cruiser that had seen better …
Measuring an Arm to Diagnose Hunger
I remember sitting in a humid warehouse outside Goma, staring at a stack of glossy brochures that detailed the complex biochemical markers of protein deficiency. …