I was ecstatic when I received the offer of the JCR Refugee Scholarship in 1989 to study for a MSc in Agricultural Economics. However, my journey had started earlier in 1979/80 when I became a refugee. I had been displaced with my parents and siblings by Uganda’s civil war to north-eastern Zaire (DR Congo). The lack of opportunities in this remote location forced three school friends and me to walk to southern Sudan in early 1981. Two years later, I secured a scholarship from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to study at the University of Liberia. It was a great opportunity and I worked hard and graduated with a Bachelor of Science (summa cum laude) in agriculture. This increased my determination to pursue further studies that resulted in my admission to Oxford.
Balliol has had a pivotal role in my life. College provided stability and a home away from home during the extended period away from my family. This was enhanced by the warm welcome and incredible support from the Master, staff, and from the JCR Presidents. Holywell Manor provided a great living and social environment to interact with colleagues from diverse backgrounds, cultures and nationalities, enriching my experience and transforming my outlook. Significantly, the scholarship enabled me to obtain valuable qualifications, technical skills and critical thinking and to build networks that would enhance my career. My experience at Balliol and Oxford was an opportunity of a lifetime and I remain very grateful to the College and the wonderful community for the generous support and kindness.
After Balliol I pursued a fulfilling career in international development and humanitarian work. I have held roles with the UK Department for International Development, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and Save the Children (UK), where I led post-war emergency response and recovery. I joined the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in 2005 and served until retirement in mid-2022.
My work with WFP entailed leading food security and market assessments to determine the humanitarian needs of populations affected by natural disasters and conflicts. In this capacity covered some thirty countries across Africa and Asia and produced tens of reports that influenced humanitarian assistance in the countries. In Ethiopia, I managed over 200 staff to deliver humanitarian assistance (food, nutrition, school feeding and livelihoods) to more than two million persons affected by conflict, droughts and floods My responsibilities in Sudan were similar and entailed leading over 150 staff to provide assistance to over one and half million persons displaced by previous wars, and to victims of natural disasters, economic shocks and the Covid-19 pandemic.
My years with WFP generated mixed emotions. On the one hand, my work, often in difficult locations, took me away from my young family for extended periods. On the other, it was very fulfilling to contribute solutions to the immense sufferings I witnessed. It also made me re-live past experiences and to serve humanity, including in countries I once lived in as a refugee.
In 2020, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to WFP for its “efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict”. These words aptly capture the true essence of my work. It was a great privilege and honour to have contributed to this achievement and to be a proud recipient of the commemorative medal.
My initial contribution to the Sanctuary Fund reflects some empathy associated with my experience as a refugee and having been a recipient of scholarships that changed my life. The exposure to immense human suffering during the course of my work also contributed to the decision. It is clear to me that the Fund will have immense positive impacts on the worthy recipients; and to have positive multiplier effects for our common humanity. I hope many fellow alumni will generously support this worthy initiative.
Simon Dradri (1989, MSc Agricultural Economics)
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