Meet the Trainer: Dr Hilal EL Fadil Ahmed, Sudan

And although he officially retired in 2008, he is now busier than ever, undertaking consultancy work and using his wealth of experience to train others working in the field of WASH.

Dr Hilal became a RedR trainer in the spring of 2016, and since then has devoted his time to building water, sanitation and hygiene capacity across the country. According to OCHA, more than three million people in Sudan are in need of some form of WASH assistance. Dr Hilal has delivered practical, hands-on training to NGO and Government staff working in some of the states where the need is greatest - including those hosting refugees from neighbouring South Sudan - travelling long distances and often working in challenging circumstances.  

Between April and August 2016 (and working each time with a co-trainer), Dr Hilal delivered ten trainings, in North Darfur, South Darfur and White Nile States. In the space of just five months, he trained 251 people - most of them working for Sudanese NGOs - in the fundamentals of WASH in humanitarian emergencies. 

"This year alone, we have trained more than 500 people," he says of RedR’s WASH project. "This has made a huge difference. These people are an asset to their country. But it’s not enough - we need to do even more! Training opportunities are very unevenly distributed here. Some humanitarian workers do seven or eight trainings a year, while others have no opportunities at all. We need to train more people, and expand the project to other states. The need here is very great." 

Dr Hilal’s wisdom and humility are always appreciated by those he trains. In the words of RedR’s WASH Programme Coordinator Elmiqdam Ali Ahmed, "How do you want someone like him to retire? We need his knowledge and skills!"