On the frontline for children: A conversation with UNICEF’s Brendan Ross

When you first meet Brendan Ross, you’re greeted with a familiar Aussie accent and big smile. But it’s when he starts talking about his work as a humanitarian that his passion truly shines through and what follows next is a heartfelt conversation about the inspiring stories, heartbreaks and impact of making a difference for children in need.  

From Australia to South Sudan 

Brendan grew up in Adelaide, where his family encouraged him to speak up for change. His mother, a committed feminist and labour rights activist, was a big influence. However, it was a trip to Indonesia after university that really changed how Brendan saw his future and inspired him to make a difference. 

“I was quite disgusted with the way certain businesses were operating in Indonesia,” he explains. “The way they were treating their local staff, the human rights record, the environmental impacts, social impacts of some of these Australian companies were really quite appalling to me.” 

After that, Brendan started his humanitarian career with Oxfam in Indonesia. He also completed a Master's in Development Studies and Human Rights, where he became increasingly interested in child protection. 

“At that time, there weren't really child protection or gender-based violence programmes in the humanitarian world. Most of the humanitarian programming focused heavily on food, nutrition, shelter, and some clean water, so there was a growing awareness at the time where we needed to provide tangible responses to ensure the safety of vulnerable people.” 

From Indonesia, Brendan’s journey took him across oceans to Africa, where he continued his international career with UNICEF roles in countries including Malawi, Kenya, Somalia, and, currently, South Sudan. 

Supporting children in South Sudan 

Children in South Sudan are facing a heartbreaking reality, growing up amid crises. Ongoing conflict, economic hardship, and relentless flooding have left around 5 million children in urgent need of humanitarian support, leaving many exposed to risks such as family separation, violence, recruitment by armed groups and child marriage.   

Brendan and his team at UNICEF work to protect children from harm. Their role is to keep kids safe from violence, abuse, exploitation, and neglect, especially during emergencies. When families are separated, they help reunite children with their parents. 

After the team finds and cares for children, they use their networks to search for the children's families. "You take the child home, and the parents haven't seen their child in months or years," says Brendan. "Being there to witness the moment where a mother gets to her child for the first time - it's a really beautiful sight to see."

The difference one person makes 

In his line of work, Brendan has met hundreds of people over the years, each with their own unique story, but one person who stands out to him is Kuku. Once a gang leader in South Sudan, Kuku chose to turn his life around after spending years in prison. When he got out, he started a football academy and began mentoring young people in his community. 
 
With support from UNICEF and local partners, he built a thriving youth centre where thousands of children gather to play sport, read, learn music and spend time in a safe environment. Many of the young people who attend are current or former gang members, child soldiers or children living on the streets. Kuku's approach is simple: don't judge, offer support, and provide a different path forward.   
 
"He’s just one of the most beautiful people that I’ve met and nobody's ever heard of him," Brendan says of Kuku, "but in his community, he's a shining star."   

Humanitarians in action 

The role of being a humanitarian is never easy.  "It's similar to being a social worker in a war zone or conflict," Brendan explains.  

In places where conflict and violence impacts communities, humanitarian workers do more than respond to immediate needs. They provide a pause amid the crisis, creating safe spaces where children and families can find support and regain a sense of normality despite the trauma that children experience.  

Brendan recalls speaking to a 16-year-old boy whose community had recently come under attack. “He said to me he picked up a gun off a dead soldier on the ground and fought with his peers and teacher against the attackers. That’s what escalating conflict does – it sucks everyone in and everyone wants to fight.” 

For Brendan, humanitarian work is about helping to break these cycles before they become entrenched. "What humanitarians do is provide basic care, welfare and services,” he says. “We provide shelter, food and water, but the work never stops there. We also try to reduce tensions and create peace." 

What happens to children if humanitarian work stops 

One of Brendan’s fears is not just conflict itself, but the possibility that people stop caring about one another. “When all of a sudden, people who are living in high-income countries stop giving to people who are living in war and conflict and low income and poverty, that’s a devastation.”  

Humanitarian support is about far more than providing food, water, and shelter. While these essentials keep children alive, child protection also helps ensure they are safe, cared for, and able to rebuild their lives. In places like South Sudan, UNICEF can help children reunite with their families, help former child soldiers return to their communities, provide mental health support, and work with governments to strengthen child protection systems that will safeguard children long after a crisis has ended.  

While many organisations provide emergency assistance, UNICEF also works alongside governments to strengthen child rights and child protection systems for future generations. Without that support, Brendan warns, some of the world's most vulnerable children would be left without the protection they need.  

At its core, he says, child protection is not additional to humanitarian response; it’s the heart of UNICEF’s work. “If we stop doing it, the world is a much less safe place for children.” 

Finding hope and resilience in crisis 

After twenty years in his role, there are a few mantras that Brendan has developed: stay humble, recognise your own privilege, and, most importantly, always choose kindness.    

“Humanitarian workers are limited by the resources that we have. Good people are everywhere, and we try to  find those people here in South Sudan, like Kuku, who are doing amazing things and make sure they've got some resources in their pockets so that those little areas of kindness can grow and expand and be counter forces to the conflict and anger and poverty.” 

What constantly inspires Brendan is the resilience of children. Time and again, he’s seen children reunite with their families and given the support they need to feel safe again. “What’s remarkable to me is how the child and family recover together after they're reunited, and how quickly that child wants to get back into life, back to school, start playing again,” says Brendan.  

“When you give a child the right to a home, the right to clean water and food, and all these things, you create the protective environment that helps a child recover quickly. In our programs here, what we’re trying to do is provide transitions for these young people to become youth workers and social workers so they can use their personal experiences and stories to help others.”  

While the effects of trauma can linger, these foundations help children begin healing and looking to the future, a future where they can thrive. No matter what. 

This World Humanitarian Day on 19 August, stand with humanitarians like Brendan who provide a voice of hope and humanity in times of crisis. Your support helps UNICEF deliver lifesaving assistance and long-term recovery programs for children and families around the world.