Stuck between Crisis and Home: A humanitarian’s journey through the COVID-19 Pandemic

Among humanitarians, discussions about experiences with COVID-19 are frequent. It is often said that a humanitarian who hasn’t contracted COVID-19 at least once is an exception. While no one wishes for such experiences, the 2020 pandemic affected people globally in various ways. Personally, I contracted COVID-19 twice while working in Nepal—in 2022 and again unexpectedly in 2024. Fortunately, the symptoms were mild and manageable.

In 2020, I was stationed in Somalia. The experience was significant and has resurfaced in conversations with family and friends. I had promised myself to capture the experience before memories faded. I returned to Somalia for the second time in my career, reconnecting with former colleagues after seven years. The agency I worked for, with 38 years of experience in Somalia, demonstrated a strong commitment to staff safety and security, successfully navigating the challenges of operating in a hostile environment.

Entering Somalia often involved passing through Nairobi, where our agency had an office hosting Somalia-based roles. Due to improved security, many international positions were now based directly in Mogadishu. On January 19, 2020, I arrived in Nairobi and quickly integrated into the office. We discussed the COVID-19 cases in Wuhan, China, but did not foresee how rapidly it would spread. The WHO declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30, 2020, and China declared a lockdown in Wuhan on January 23, 2020.

Despite the unsettling news, we continued our work. I traveled from Nairobi to Hargeisa, joining colleagues from Mogadishu and Baidoa for an internal workshop on February 2, 2020. After the workshop, I arrive in Mogadishu on 7 February 2020, my permanent base, eager to unpack my bags and settle in after few weeks of being unable to establish myself in my second home away from home. A few weeks later, I went back to Nairobi for a meeting, unaware of the impending chaos and that I would not return to Mogadishu.

From Nairobi, I flew to Hargeisa on March 7 to work with my team there. At that time, Nairobi remained relatively calm and seemed unaware of the looming COVID-19 crisis. However, as I flew through Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, I noticed an unusual silence, which made me realize that things were beginning to take a different turn. While arriving in Hargeisa, the atmosphere at the airport was tense, with officials treating me as a potential carrier of the virus. I was only able to exit the airport with the support of my colleagues, who likely had to influence higher-level authorities.

On March 17, a German colleague returned to Hargeisa. By then, the WHO had declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Italy was among the first European countries to implement a nationwide lockdown on March 9, 2020, followed by Spain on March 14, and France on March 17. Followign communications with the Head Office, quickly resulted in an evacuation plan for international staff; there were three of us—from Ireland, Germany, and Nepal. The Head Office had already halted all official international travels. We traveled through Addis Ababa and arrived in Nairobi on the same day. Although I had a ticket to return from Hargeisa on March 20, 2020, I decided to go to Nairobi due to the increasingly unpredictable situation.

My contract included a Rest and Recuperation (R&R) period every seven weeks. After spending an extended period in Nairobi, I booked a flight with Air Arabia for March 20, 2020, to return to Kathmandu. With Nepal announcing the closure of Kathmandu Airport on March 22, 2020, many airlines, including Air Arabia, suspended their flights. Therefore, it was prudent for me to leave Hargeisa on an evacuation flight on March 17, 2020. Despite considering alternatives between March 18 and 22, nothing materialized, and I lost confidence in my plans, with my missed opportunity confined to a three-day window amid uncertainties.

We had two apartments in Nairobi, and three of us were living in one apartment. Upon our arrival in Nairobi, we put ourselves in quarantine. The office was set up at the apartment, enabling us to continue working from apartment. Another team house was occupied by colleagues from Kenya, who lived outside Nairobi, and another colleague from Uganda.

I think it was within three weeks after arriving in Nairobi, our colleagues from Germany and Ireland departed on repatriation flights. I was alone for about a month or two until our Kenyan colleague was able to leave Nairobi for his home. The guesthouse where I was staying was large and well-decorated, reminding me of a Saddam Hussein palace similar to those seen on television. I would say that jogging up and down the lobby twice a day provided enough exercise. Despite the solitude, work continued as usual, as humanitarian efforts remained our primary focus during that time.

In Somalia, the pandemic began with the confirmation of the first case on March 16, 2020, began grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. Somalia's healthcare system, already strained by years of conflict and underdevelopment, faced significant challenges. The national staff were working tirelessly day and night to address various humanitarian crises amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

I was providing support to the team and year 2020 was marked by multiple disasters; we were responding to the pandemic, dealing with frequent conflict-induced displacements, and facing recurrent flooding in different regions. Additionally, the desert locusts caused massive swarms that ravaged crops and pastures across the country. Somalia experienced one of its most severe desert locust infestations in decades, described as the worst in 70 years. This crisis significantly impacted food security and livelihoods, worsening the already dire situation.

Kenya also suspended flights starting March 25, 2020, allowing only repatriation flights to operate, which was the global norm at that time. Meanwhile in Nepal, the first major repatriation flight took place on February 16, 2020, from Wuhan bringing 175 people back to Kathmandu. These evacuees were quarantined at a facility in Bhaktapur for 14 days. Foreign nationals were repatriated through arrangements organized by various embassies in coordination with the government. Repatriation flights for Nepalese citizens stranded abroad began in June 2020 as the government faced increasing pressure to repatriate those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nairobi experienced a lockdown that transformed its typically bustling streets into a quiet landscape. Non-essential businesses were closed, and residents adapted to social distancing and stricter hygiene practices. Curfews were imposed starting at 8:00 PM, limiting transportation and enforcing social distancing, but essential markets remained open, allowing us to buy basic necessities with relative ease.

My attempt going home was continuous and I was exploring various ways. I met a Nepali friend who was also urgently trying to return. She learned about a repatriation flight organized for staff at the American Embassy, with Ethiopian Airways taking passengers to Addis Ababa. This flight was scheduled for July 2, 2020, and there was also a repatriation flight to Kathmandu by Qatar Airways. We confirmed the details through communication with the embassy in Egypt, and President Tours and Travels were coordinating the tickets, with our family in Nepal helping with arrangements. We paid a non-refundable amount of $850 for the flight to Addis Ababa, while the usual fare from Nairobi to Addis Ababa is around $150 to $300. We had our negative PCR results ready, although the first experience with the test was quite uncomfortable.

While packing our bags, we received word from colleagues in Sudan that they were not permitted to board the same flight that was supposed to take us home. The flight was scheduled to travel from Doha to Addis Ababa, with a stopover in Khartoum. Unfortunately, it was canceled due to significant demonstrations and violence in Addis Ababa, which resulted in the temporary suspension or rerouting of flights to and from the city.

The Nepalese government had limited capacity to assist us, and we were understandably frustrated given our circumstances at that time. There were also some individuals who had arrived in Addis Ababa on June 29. I am unsure how they managed to get further flight to Kathmandu. Our attempt to board a flight from Nairobi was unsuccessful because we needed to confirm our next destination from Addis Ababa. In the first week of July 2020, other Nepali humanitarians were able to fly from Sudan, Ethiopia, and Tanzania, but it was not possible for us from Nairobi due to the lack of connecting flights to Addis Ababa.

The period of solitude was extremely challenging. My usual routine involved looking out the window, where the once-busy streets were now sparsely populated with vehicles. I often found myself checking the mirror to see if my voice was still functioning, as verbal communication had become rare, limited mostly to a few phones calls home. I used to think, 'what if I take a bicycle or start walking? How many days would it take?' All these crazy thoughts used to come to mind, and there were no Netflix movies left to watch. However, I consoled myself, knowing that my Ugandan colleague, who was only a five-hour drive from Nairobi, was here since March.

There were many distressing updates coming from Nepal, and it was unsettling to think about the possibility of someone at home contracting COVID-19. With my parents, my two daughters, and my wife at home, I worried about what would happen if I contracted the virus—who would take care of them, how I would manage, and whether I would ever make it back home. Even a simple cold or fever in my daughters became a nightmare for me.

When our Kenyan colleague moved out of another apartment, we planned to have our Ugandan colleague move into the larger one where I was staying. However, due to the house owner's protocol, he was not allowed to move into my apartment. As a result, I had to relocate to another well-organized serviced apartment. I felt more comfortable and sociable in the new place, where we could enjoy conversations about life and family. Humanitarian flights became more organized, and stranded workers were successfully repatriated. My Ugandan colleague's departure in the last week of June was particularly difficult for me.

I deeply appreciate the support from my family in Nepal which helped me stay calm. I am also grateful for my two friends in Nepal and another stranded in Uganda; we would spend hours on video chat, from the start of cooking until closing the kitchen.

Humanitarian flights connecting from Africa region to Kathmandu were not common. The struggle continued, and it was only in the last week of July that our team in Mogadishu managed to send my belongings from there. I had to buy all new set of clothes including for the cooler months in Nairobi, which occur from June to August.

As restrictions gradually eased, Nairobi began adjusting to a “new normal.” By the first week of July, Kenya had relaxed some restrictions with still enforced strict measures. I met three wonderful Nepali friends, and we began traveling outside the city. I also managed a trip to Masai Mara in early August. Renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and vibrant wildlife, Masai Mara is one of the best places in the world to witness the Great Migration and experience traditional Maasai culture.

Despite the first unsuccessful attempt in July, I continued to try. My wife, who was with the World Food Programme in Nepal, persistently worked on exploring humanitarian flight options for me. With her support and communication with my head office, we finally managed to arrange a humanitarian flight. Nairobi airport reopened on August 1, 2020, and I was able to book a Qatar Airways flight from Nairobi on August 24 to Doha, with a connecting flight to Kuala Lumpur. After a one-day layover at the airport, I took a Malaysian Airlines flight, operated as a humanitarian flight managed by WFP, to Kathmandu. I was delighted to see many familiar faces at the Kuala Lumpur airport. Flying during COVID-19 was an unusual experience, marked by the new normal of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).

When I landed at Nepal Airport on August 26, 2020, my heart leapt with joy when I saw my wife on the runway. We were very grateful to the WFP for managing the humanitarian logistics and flights so smoothly. All the passengers on the flight were taken to quarantine managed by the Nepal Army. We had to fill out forms, download a mobile application to update our status daily, and were given new SIM cards for the Nepal government to track us. After completing these procedures, we were released.

I had to quarantine at home for another 7 days. My daughters had already been moved to their grandparents' home, and my wife had stocked the refrigerator with all essentials. I went straight to the hospital for a PCR test. I then saw my daughter from a distance; as I was not supposed to physically hug them, I waved from the road, and they waved back from the terrace. I received a negative PCR result; we were finally able to reunite with the family.

The most important lesson I learned was the value of staying calm and maintaining strong communication during times of high stress and intense emotions. Despite the challenges and fluctuations in the situation, having patience and resilience is crucial as we adjust to a new normal.

Reflecting on my experience, I question why I did not take a flight to Nepal while I was in Addis on March 17 or push harder to return from Nairobi on March 18. Was it reluctance or a lack of confidence?

Many faced struggles returning home, with some even traveling to the USA to catch repatriation flights. Each of us has our own story, and documenting mine provides both personal reflection and potential insights for future situations.

The pandemic, which emerged from Wuhan in December 2019, rapidly spread across the globe, impacting nearly every aspect of life. The virus, indifferent to national boundaries, caused immense suffering worldwide, with over 6.9 million lives lost and countless others facing illness, economic hardship, and social disruption. It demonstrated that no country, regardless of wealth or status, was immune, uniting the world in its shared vulnerability and challenges.