When Huda Suweri joined the Libyan Red Crescent Society’s Sabratha branch in the 1990s as a young woman, she embodied the proverb: “Volunteer to make your existence in this life more beautiful.” For decades since, Ms. Suweri has devoted her time, energy, and compassion to humanitarian service for her country and its people.
In an interview with the Fawasel Media, the now 48-year-old recounted how her belief that volunteer work transcends gender motivated her to join an unconventional role – the Libyan Red Crescent’s body recovery team for migrants in 2022. Guided by her conscience, she was driven by a calling to uphold the dignity of women victims, whether of irregular migration perilous sea journeys, natural disasters, or other calamities.
“Who will cover the woman who met her fate at sea and was cast aside?” Ms. Suweri posed. The lingering thought of preserving the dignity of female migrant victims whose remains washed ashore weighed heavily on her mind.
Her pioneering decision was not without detractors, as some women criticized her for being the sole female on an all-male team engaged in the solemn duty of retrieving migrants’ bodies. Undeterred, Ms. Suweri stood firm in her humanitarian conviction that she was fulfilling an essential feminine role that her male colleagues could not – a role she actively encourages other women to join.
The emotional toll of such work is inevitably immense. Ms. Suweri recounted her first haunting experience recovering migrant bodies during Eid al-Adha two years prior, her sadness for the victims intertwined with pride in herself. Since then, she has retrieved 45 bodies under harrowing conditions, her determination inspiring awe.
While expressing gratitude for the support of her team members and the branch director who championed her involvement, Ms. Suweri lamented the lack of adequate medical equipment and protective gear for migrant body recovery operations as an ongoing challenge.
Huda Suweri’s remarkable story is one of unfaltering humanitarian commitment in the face of unimaginable tragedy. Her courage, perseverance, and dedication to upholding the dignity of migrant victims through visceral volunteer work have made her a pioneering model of inspiration for women in Libya and beyond.
