I fly from Nairobi to Juba in the cockpit of Kenya Airways Boeing 737-800, arriving in South Sudan, the world’s youngest and poorest country. Without aviation, the country simply stops. I follow the Kenya Airways Boeing 737-800 pilots in the cockpit on a short but high-workload flight into one of Africa’s most challenging aviation environments. Upon arrival, I’m surprised to find Juba Airport packed with fascinating aircraft. My host for this journey is the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). While Juba appears calm on the surface, the security situation remains complex, and photography is heavily restricted. With the support of the UN and the country’s media department, I was granted special permission to document aviation operations on the ground. The next morning, my aviation adventure truly begins. Aircraft of all types line up at Juba Airport, ready to depart. I soon learn why — South Sudan is the single largest operating theatre of UNHAS, the world’s largest humanitarian air service run by the UN World Food Programme.
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Sam Chui
