From refugee to MBE: How Akuja de Garang became a champion for girls' education in South Sudan

Akuja de Garang is the project leader of the UK aid-funded programme Girls' Education South Sudan. On her way to Buckingham Palace to receive an MBE for her work, she came to speak to DFID about her life as a refugee and how she returned to South Sudan, where she was born, as an adult to help girls go to school. Listen to Akuja's inspirational story here, and to watch our video with her visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mp9s-ZGNHiI

Today, differing health conditions are changing the requirements of the global response, like shifting focus to preventing and responding to non-communicable diseases like cancer and diabetes, which are responsible for every 7 out of 10 deaths globally today. WHO’s immense responsibility in meeting modern health challenges across the world requires strong leadership focused on delivering value for money and updating the system to meet the needs of today and tomorrow. WHO Director General candidate Dr David Nabarro sat down with us to explain how the WHO would modernise under his leadership, and why this modernisation is so important for the future.

We sat down with Dr David Nabarro and asked him to explain why he will double down on efforts to ensure that all people, especially women and children, will get the health care they need under his leadership.

Drawing on expertise working in over 50 countries, Dr David Nabarro discusses tackling infectious diseases like malaria, TB, HIV/AIDs and neglected tropical diseases. He also discusses facing global health security threats facing the world today, like anti-microbial resistance.

We caught up with Dr David Nabarro, candidate for WHO’s Director General, to discuss why he’s the best candidate for the job and what the WHO would look like under his leadership.

Candidate for WHO Director General Dr David Nabarro draws on over 40 years of experience and expertise to explain the importance of coordinated and quick responses by the WHO in humanitarian crises and emergencies. He discusses how communities, especially children are impacted by food shortages, and what’s needed to provide a concerted global response to crises.

16-year-old twins Hope and Leah escaped FGM with minutes to spare. Listen to them tell their story and find out why they want to fight for girls' rights. Background: UK Aid works through partners to support a collective abandonment of the FGM, encouraging whole communities to say no to FGM together. We are backing the Africa-led movement to end FGM, working in 17 countries from Kenya to Ethiopia, Somalia to Uganda. Our support to The Girl Generation allows them to work with grassroots organisations like the one looking after Hope and Leah to help them effectively campaign for an end to FGM within their own communities.

Stefan Dercon DFID's Chief Economist introduces DFID's first Economic Development Strategy. DFID’s Economic Development Strategy sets out how Britain will establish new trade, investment and economic links and end global poverty. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dfids-economic-development-strategy-2017