19 Aug 2018

Saving lives is the goal

On World Humanitarian Day we introduce you to Sophia Buller, our 26-year-old German partner who tells us why she has decided to take the humanitarian route.

En su pequeño jardín en su casa en Managua, Nicaragua. Sophia trata de neutralizar el estrés acumulado practicando yoga. Tanto su trabajo humanitario en la respuesta a la emergencia de los afectados por la erupción volcánica de Fuego, en Guatemala, como la crisis sociopolítica en Nicaragua han sido un gran desafío para nuestra colaboradora de 26 años.

Sophia has always had a strong sense of justice. "I could no longer see the injustices that people were experiencing," she says. "That's why I decided to devote myself to humanitarian work. While development cooperation is essential to combat structural injustice, I see the humanitarian approach as an opportunity to complement it in a very direct way to reduce suffering.

As part of her work in Nicaragua and Guatemala, Sophia witnesses the suffering and loss of affected families: "I think the most difficult part of my work is seeing people suffering, you are never immune from that."

She is aware of the security risks in the humanitarian world. Central America is the most violent region in the world. "Although I am not a direct target as a humanitarian worker, armed attacks, robberies and fraud are common threats. However, in the ASB we have strict security standards that protect us.

Sophia ama su trabajo en el ASB. «El riesgo siempre es latente. Pero es precisamente en estas regiones es donde se necesita más nuestra solidaridad. Los grupos especialmente vulnerables como las mujeres, los niños, las personas con discapacidad y las personas que viven en la pobreza están mucho más expuestos a estos riesgos. Si podemos ayudar a preservar la dignidad humana, salvar vidas y reducir el sufrimiento, todo el estrés ha valido la pena».