I’m incredibly proud of my team’s recent efforts; despite the challenging health situation, they have accomplished some exceptional work on vital equipment. This included replacing a damaged pump at one of the cluster pump stations in record time, relying solely on the expertise and manpower of Iraqi staff. In addition to this, the team dismantled one of the main water pumps to carry out essential maintenance work on it at the workshop.

My priority is to always ensure the safety of my team. Each member has the necessary PPE and I have made sure everyone knows and understands the steps we must each be taking to prevent any risks and maintain our health and well-being. For example, we have to prioritize our tasks and schedule them to take place on different days to keep the number of staff working in proximity to each other as low as possible (we know how important it is to minimize close contact). During these times, we have had to change the way in which we work, and the team have shown great resilience and flexibility for doing this.

My team’s work has really embodied a ‘one team’ spirit. The team has engaged with colleagues in other departments to ensure the required work is completed in time. By careful planning and careful co-ordination, my team were able to follow health guidance and avoid any unnecessary group contact with other staff. They are an example to other teams across the field; they demonstrated it is possible to stay safe and still get the necessary work finished. We do not need to compromise our well-being.