Dr. Evan Atar Adaha is a surgeon from South Sudan. He has dedicated over 20 years of his life to providing medical treatment to people in need. Today, he is based in Bunj (South Sudan), where he runs the only functional hospital. It is often so crowded with patients that wards extend into the open air. Dr. Adaha and his team serve the population of more than 200,000 people. In 2018, the UN Refugee Agency honored Dr. Adaha with the Nansen Refugee Award.

The mission of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is to recognize and celebrate courageous individuals all over the world lending a helping hand to those in need, often with no regard to their own safety and well-being. We are honored to shed light on extraordinary human rights defenders, medical workers, activists, humanitarians, and other brave modern-day heroes who give humanity hope for a brighter future and to raise global awareness of their daily work. This is especially crucial in times like these when solidarity is needed more than ever to alleviate human suffering.

Photo: UNHCR/ Will Swanson