Speaking for myself, 2011 was a huge year and 2012 has been no different. And somewhat completely surreal.  

I’ve learned a lot and took part in work I never imagined I would ever do. 

In many ways, my devotion and focus was a blessing and a curse. I alienated many people,  some whose loyalty personal motives became all too clear to me but some others were unfortunately friends I considered very dear to me. Being a workaholic at my age wasn’t going to help much either and let’s just say that much of my work has been on hiatus for over a year and a half now. 

Libya’s first protests actually kicked off in the east on the 15th of February and by the 26th, my organisation had already had one 40ft and one 20ft container of medical aid leaving port en route to Libya via Alexandria, Egypt. These were the first med aid containers to ever enter Libya. This was initially motioned by a handful of people, one of which is the now acting Minister of Health of Libya, Dr Fatima Hamroush.  

I was back in Libya by the first week of March 2012. In total, I travelled about 4 times to Libya during times of great uncertainty (and a few times after), all while meeting the most incredible and inspirational people that I will ever meet. Men and women that really stepped up to the plate when the risk was so high. 

We shipped and led convoys of medical aid across Europe and the Mediterranean. I dealt with forces beyond my expectations and experienced emotions beyond fear or bravery - something I can only best describe as a blind sense of duty. All of this was of course impossible without the 8 to 10 full time volunteers that made the ILEA aid programme a functioning reality (by late August 2011, a total of 8 containers, valued at $9 million worth of medical aid had been sent from Ireland by the ILEA and dispersed all over Libya). 

Some of us have now found ourselves on the next stage of our revolution. With the initial direction of Dr Fatima Hamroush, we set up a Treatment in Ireland Programme for wounded Libyans and critical cases in the shape of the Libyan Health Office of Ireland (under the auspices of the interim Libyan government) and by the 4th of December, patients - wounded heroes - began coming to Ireland for treatment that soon will be readily available in Libya thanks to the current efforts, patriotic devotion and work of the Minister of Health. 

That, and I got to do some awesome things like.. oh say.. fire an LSD-1 machine gun after a meeting: 

;)

I’m a fairly private person and so has been the attitude of my colleagues. We operated and continue to operate in a relatively low key manner. As it should be and will continue to be but I thought I’d have this once off public moment of reflection. With whatever struggles that go on, life is good. Count your blessings and always help people in the best way you see right.

Don’t panic, actively make and accept sacrifices for causes bigger than yourself or any one individual and life will always move forward. 

Peace, 

Abdullah Elneihum 

عبدالله عبدالعزيز النيهوم