The Humanitarian Crusade Of Dr Jemilah Mahmood

By Ainul Huda Mohamed Saaid KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 (Bernama) -- In Afghanistan that was embroiled in civil war, she negotiated resolutely with a reluctant Taliban tribal leader until he allowed her to provide medical care for the women of the tribe. Somewhere in rural part of strife-torn Iraq, she took a bullet in the hip, got it stitched up in a jiffy, and continued to doctor a woman in labour. As for this strong willed lady, its all in a day's work. She feels at home in war zones, like in any other place. She is Dr Jemilah Mahmood, a trained gynecologist turned humanitarian crusader. MOTHERING 'MERCY' It was nearing the end of a millennium when the Kosovo war broke out in south of Europe. Closer to home Dr Jemilah's private practice with husband Dr Ashar Abdullah was doing well. However, this is not good enough to content her. She knew that there was more that she needed to do. She then decided that she wanted to go to Kosovo and help war victims there, so she contacted related NGOs conveying her intention. None replied. Her husband suggested that she set up a body and organise volunteers herself. Dr Jemilah concurred, and thus Mercy (Medical Relief Society Malaysia) was born. "One of the things of being a humanitarian crusader and starting an organisation was that I was able to convince Malaysians that if we were going to be a developed country, it is not about building buildings, it is not about building highways. "It's about helping people. It's about being compassionate to everyone. Why do we restrict ourselves as Asians or as Malaysians to play that role at the global level?" she told a forum at the Royal Selangor Golf Club during the WTA Tennis Championship here recently. From a humble beginning operating from Dr Jemilah's clinic, Mercy is now a renown body which had touched and saved many lives and is continuing to do so. After Kosovo, these selfless group of people headed by Dr Jemilah went to Iraq, Afghanistan, Indonesia (Acheh), Somalia, Cambodia and many other troubled countries to lend a helping hand. REMEMBERING MOTHER Dr Jemilah revealed that growing up in a mixed parentage family, in which she has 13 siblings and half-siblings of different beliefs (of Islam, Christian and Buddha), attuned her to the diversity of human beings. She learnt that respect and love, are very important, irrespective of colour, religion or faith. She recalled how her mother had sent her for 'humanitarian' trips when she was a teenager. She was asked to go to Singapore to help buy school books and other necessities for relatives on her father's side. This was after her father had passed away when she was nine. "For a while I was quite rebellious. I thought my mother did not love me and therefore that was the easiest way to get rid of me for two months during school holidays. "But I think she saw something very different in me and in fact on her deathbed she said to me that she was very pleased with me as a daughter and she knew that I was different. She said go and do what your heart tells you. You're a doctor but you know what you're looking for," reminisced Dr Jemilah. WHEN LIFE PULLS YOU DOWN The mother of two sons said the biggest challenge of being a humanitarian crusader, as well as in life, was to keep oneself motivated. She recalled the time when she was depressed due to the shootout in Iraq. Two staff had died and a few were injured. "I had to go through everything that we had done and realised that it was not my fault. It was one of those things that had happened. Even the Red Cross, UN (United Nations) were bombed, and these are people who get the best security. "For me what kept me motivated was the people who died and the people who were injured during that mission, I cannot let them down. I owe it to the organisation and the people that I'm trying to serve and that we continue doing the work we started," she said. For her, faith has always been her guide, apart from her very supportive husband, whom she described as the wind beneath her wings. She is also grateful for an understanding family who have been deprived of spending more time with her, as well as people who believe in her vision. MOVING FORWARD In 2009, 10 years after she founded Mercy, Dr Jemilah handed over the setup to someone else and moved to do other things such as coaching young leaders and writing. "Now I am more passionate about leadership, about growing young people. I'm more passionate about changing the geopolitical view of the world. I want us, the so called global South, to have a say in global issues. I want us to be able to influence policies. I want us to be able to shape the future," said Dr Jemilah. She added that she is leaving Malaysia to take on a new job as the head of the World Humanitarian Summit Secretariat at the United Nations headquarters in New York. NOTE TO YOUNGSTERS To youngsters out there, she urged them to find their passion. "It may take time. I took time, took a long time to discover what was I really passionate about. Don't be afraid to change your career when you are stuck with something that you don't like. Even if the society is sceptical, as long as it is your passion, go for it. "In life you have to take some risks, calculated risks. If you don't take all the shots you definitely miss the opportunity," said Dr Jemilah. --BERNAMA