Jacqueline, who has lived in Baghdad all her life, joined the ICRC in 1995. She witnessed the bomb attack on the ICRC delegation that claimed the lives of two ICRC staff and a number of other people and injured many more.

She says: “Today security in Baghdad is better than it was a year ago, but worse than what it was a month ago. It is very unstable". As if to confirm this, two explosions go off very close to the office. She continues, "I now live alone in the family house, next to where the ICRC delegation once stood. I have no intention of leaving this country. All I want now is to be able to walk down the street, watch people talking and laughing and feel safe again.

I used to arrive at the office early and have tea with Zoheir, a guard, taken on at around the same time as I was, before starting my work. At around 8:30 am on that fateful October morning, the first day of Ramadan, I was about to leave my house when I heard the blast. I had no doubt it was our office, barely 100 metres away. The blast was so powerful that the kitchen ventilator fell on my father, injuring him. I checked to see if he was alright then ran out the door. I was met with smoke and destruction, and debris all over my garden.

At the office I found Zoheir and Dikran, another colleague who had only joined us two days earlier, lifeless on the floor. In a second, all was lost. Yet those of us still alive had to focus on the matter at hand. We were filled with anger and sorrow.

Rather than dishearten me the attack motivated me to maintain solidarity with my colleagues. Even my father considers my role important and has encouraged me not to quit my job.

I do understood why some colleagues had to leave. They have families to think of. Several other lives depend on theirs. Staff who stayed are cautious. We live in constant fear of an attack on our offices or of being harmed. We do our best, but have no control over the rest.

I am happy we can continue defying the odds and helping people. But we need to do more. I am proud of myself for staying with the ICRC. As time passes I realize just how much the ICRC’s decision to remain in Iraq has helped thousands of people through very difficult times.”