HCR
Soren Jessen-Petersen

Biographies
of our colleagues

Press release
April 27, 2001

Julio Delgado
Julio Delgado was born in Colombia in 1946. He worked for several years as an officer in the Merchant Navy before turning to humanitarian aid and development. He took part in numerous programmes run by United Nations agencies and worked for various non-governmental organizations in the area of food aid and logistics, especially in Africa.

Mr Delgado joined the ICRC as a leader of relief convoys in Somalia in 1991 just as the crisis there was at its height. He continued to work in the area of assistance as a relief administrator, and later as a delegate specializing in economic security in Bunia, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Throughout his career with the ICRC Julio Delgado showed exemplary enthusiasm, commitment and courage, always agreeing to work in the most difficult and dangerous conflict situations such as those in Afghanistan, the African Great Lakes region and Sudan.

Mr Delgado displayed a high degree of professionalism in all his assignments, and earned the respect of his colleagues because of his determination to see every task through to completion. With his ease of human contact and excellent grasp of situations in the field, he was greatly appreciated for his sense of teamwork and his talent for cooperating with the authorities and the humanitarian organizations that operate alongside the ICRC.

Rita Fox-Stucki
Rita Fox-Stucki was born in 1964. She trained as a nurse and had several years of professional experience in neonatology and paediatric surgery. Her first assignment as an ICRC health delegate was in Rwanda in 1996. Subsequent missions took her to Georgia and Sudan.

Ms Fox-Stucki had just begun her assignment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo when she was killed.

Rita Fox-Stucki chose to work for the ICRC because of her desire to do something practical to alleviate suffering in the world. During her assignments she displayed exceptional personal commitment and determination and excellent organizational ability. Those who worked with her are unanimous in commending her gift for dialogue and for listening to others and her good humour, even at difficult times.

Jean Molokabonge
Jean Molokabonge was born in Buta, Orientale province, in 1945. He was married with two children, and had been working for the ICRC as a driver since 1 February 2000.

A well-liked, calm and conscientious employee, "Papa Jean" was always available and ready to take the road in all circumstances.

Véronique Saro
Véronique Saro was born in Aru, Bunia, in 1968 and had two children. She joined the ICRC as a field officer for the medical service on 1 January 2000.

Ms Saro's experience and knowledge of the medical situation often enabled the ICRC to make the right choices in a difficult environment. She displayed exemplary courage and, despite the difficulties encountered, had succeeded in relaunching the health programme when activities resumed in the field.

Mr. Unen Ufoirworth
Unen Ufoirworth was born in Kasengu, Bunia, in 1972 and was unmarried. He joined the ICRC on 1 January 2000 as a field officer for relief activities. In this capacity he accompanied the relief delegate during surveys, acted as an interpreter from French into Swahili and vice versa, and registered displaced persons.

Mr Ufoirworth was a very receptive colleague, always ready to lend a hand and eager to acquire new knowledge.  Thanks to his personal and professional qualities and his interest in ICRC activities, he was offered the opportunity to do tracing work and accepted this proposal. Despite the problems involved he quickly developed the tracing service. His colleagues will remember him as a man of great integrity.