Meet Mufid Khalili, our Protection Officer

Mufid Khalili, the son of a Jordanian Father and a Bosnian Mother, who lived half of his life in Jordan and another half in BiH, started to work in DRC for more than three and half years. His knowledge of eastern world culture, contributed to his daily tasks and to the DRC team to have a better understanding of the culture of the beneficiaries. DRC recognized Mufid’s humanitarian dimension of personality and enable him the opportunity to be promoted from the cultural mediator of the Arabic language to the Protection Officer.

“My working day begins at the bus station, where together with my team we welcome the newly arrived beneficiaries from various border locations, like Tuzla, Gorazde, Zvornik, and Mostar. First I approached and present myself and my organization, then provided them with all relevant necessary information regarding the actual situation in Sarajevo city, and possibilities to reside in temporary receptions centers and answer all the questions asked them. This is also a great occasion to identify vulnerable families, single women, unaccompanied and separated children, or injured beneficiaries, and to refer them to the relevant services of our partner organizations,” emphasized Mufid who is a member of the outreach team that distributes food and nonfood items to the people on the move residing outside of temporary reception centers in the Sarajevo Canton.

He was also very often available for the beneficiaries outside of work hours because this kind of help fills him with satisfaction giving him the sense that he succeeded in his mission.

 “Part of my tasks is to report and record all types of violence, the beneficiaries have experienced by various actors including the police and authorities in some countries, as well as pushbacks. One of my biggest challenges is to gain the trust of the people, since they have lost their faith, and to convince them to accept the relevant help they need at the moment. One of the beneficiaries had injured two legs, and he deny urgent medical help which was well needed. I talked to him that it is not a good idea to arrive at the final destination without legs, where he will lose the purpose of his journey to a better place. I succeed to convince him, he got proper medical care and he moved further to his final destination, after that he was so thankful because I convince him,” says Mufid who enjoys spending his free time with family and friends, having sports recreation, traveling, and visiting cities in BiH.

Mufid is a proud father of two daughters with whom he gladly travels as a support to various competitions with their hip hop dance club, and DRC is proud of having Mufid as an amateur actor who acted in ”Twice born” a Sergio Castellitto's movie with Penelope Cruz, and several national TV serials, like “Kotlina” directed by Oscar winner Danis Tanović, where Mufid play a role as a migrant.