I am Bhany Kalang Ngok, from South Sudanese. I call Kakuma Refugee Camp my home for the past 15 years I have been in Kakuma. My journey has been defined by the duality of the refugee experience with many challenges but again potential opportunities: the undeniable weight of hardship and the incredible spark of potential that arises when opportunity meets determination.
For over a decade, I navigated many challenges as a refugee in Kakuma, always holding onto a deep-seated passion for First aid services and healthcare. I knew that to truly serve my community, I needed more than just a desire to help—I needed the professional expertise to make a difference. This search led me to Community Vitality Solutions, where I undertook a transformative one-year Medical and First Aid training program in Kakuma, Kenya.
When I walked into the Community Vitality Solutions training program, I was looking for a way to turn my passion into a profession. What I found was a bridge. The certificate I earned in 2024 was never just a piece of paper; it was the key that opened the door to my career pathways and I was able to get an opportunity to work with International Rescue Committee (IRC) at Ammusait General Hospital in the Lab department.
Today, I am proud to serve both the refugee and host communities through my work with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) at Ammusait General Hospital. Working within the Laboratory Department, I apply the skills CVS instilled in me across critical areas and now I am working on the following departments in Lab Biochemistry, Haematology, Blood Transfusion/Blood Bank, and Phlebotomy. There is a profound sense of fulfillment in providing accurate diagnostics and essential laboratory services at IRC clinics; it is where my passion meets my purpose
The skills I learned at Community Vitality Solutions—are the very essential tools I use to save lives. Every time I analyze a sample or prepare a transfusion, I am not just looking at data; I am looking at a person’s chance for recovery. I love what I do because it allows me to work in my refugee and host community to have access to quality healthcare services and I feel proud working with the refugee community and serving them especially such first aid and healthcare services are needed most.
The training I received at CVS went beyond technical knowledge. It emphasized ethics, precision, and the responsibility of care, preparing me to work in high-pressure environments. At times, we process over 80 patient samples in a single day at the IRC clinic. While the work is demanding, it is deeply fulfilling because it directly contributes to saving lives and improving health outcomes.
What motivates me most is knowing that my work helps ensure access to quality healthcare services for both refugee and host communities. I take pride in serving where the need is greatest, and in being part of a system that brings hope and healing to people in vulnerable situations.
Through the Community Vitality Solutions training, I have moved beyond basic first aid into the rigors of clinical preparation. The program emphasized not just the ‘how’ to provide first aid and healthcare services, but also—focusing on ethics, accuracy, and the responsibility of care. This foundation allowed him to transition seamlessly into the high-pressure environment of the IRC clinics where sometimes in Lab we test over 600+ samples for patients.
“From trainee to trusted frontline professional, Bhany Kalang Ngok’s journey embodies resilience and hope in Kakuma. Through Community Vitality Solutions’ one-year Medical and First Aid training, he transformed his career path—gaining practical skills that now support essential laboratory services for both refugee and host communities. Today, he works in a laboratory at Ammusait General Hospital with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Bhang delivers quality diagnostic services that strengthen healthcare systems and improve lives. ‘The skills he gained changed his career path,’. His dedication is helping build healthier futures for families across Kakuma.”
