In the eastern region of Burkina Faso, the arrival of a dual-rotor helicopter at Fada N’gourma’s dusty airstrip signifies a critical lifeline for hungry communities. American pilot Christine Brown, emerging from the cockpit in the late-morning sun, oversees the offloading of food and nutritional assistance from the World Food Programme (WFP).
“Transporting food to those in need is the most fulfilling mission I have ever done,” says Brown, 38, who delivers WFP support to some of the most remote and conflict-ridden areas of Burkina Faso. “It is heartbreaking to see the children and know what they are going through.”
Brown, along with dozens of other contractors and staff, is part of the WFP-managed United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) in Burkina Faso. Their efforts are crucial in reaching areas that are otherwise inaccessible due to insecurity.
“Without these airlifts, many of these communities would have no other means to survive,” explains Elvira Pruscini, WFP’s Representative and Country Director in Burkina Faso. “We are literally a lifeline for tens of thousands of people every month, ensuring the timely delivery of life-saving food and nutrition assistance to the hardest-to-reach areas.”
On any given day, pilots like Brown transport approximately six metric tons of food to northern and eastern Burkina Faso, where hunger is most severe. These airlifted supplies constitute about one-sixth of WFP’s monthly food and nutritional assistance, reaching over half a million people in 2023.
The airlifts are a key component of WFP’s humanitarian response, which aided over 1.2 million displaced people last year. Among them are young children and pregnant and breastfeeding women, who are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition, which exceeds emergency levels in some areas.
Climate change and desertification have exacerbated hunger in Burkina Faso, but the intensifying armed conflict has triggered a dire humanitarian crisis. Government estimates indicate more than 2 million internally displaced people, with 2.7 million facing acute food insecurity.
“Without the assistance of WFP, we wouldn’t have anything to eat,” says Zourata, a mother of six from the northern town of Titao, reachable only by air due to surrounding armed groups. “We cannot leave, nor do we have any way to cultivate crops, as we have no access to land.”
The food Brown delivers to Fada N’gourma—bags of grain and boxes of nutritional supplements—is transported to a nearby distribution center for waiting communities. By then, Brown is already on her way to the next destination.
“This job is very rewarding for me, but it’s also very difficult and a long way from home—I always miss my family,” says Brown, who resides in Idaho when not working. Nonetheless, she adds, “It’s a great and beautiful country to fly over, and I’m very lucky to be here.”
A seasoned pilot with over 6,000 flying hours in Afghanistan, Turkey, and the US, Brown discovered her passion for flying as a child during a vacation in southern Africa. She vividly recalls her first solo flight in 2012, commanding a two-seater R22 helicopter.
“My first flight was scary,” Brown recalls. “I was not exactly sure what I was doing. But once you are up there, nothing beats the feeling. You feel like a small part of the world. There is nothing else to think about except flying.”
Joining WFP and UNHAS in early 2023 as the only female UNHAS pilot in Burkina Faso, Brown is part of a growing number of women in such missions.
“The women who work for us are a talented, dedicated and vital part of the UNHAS team,” says WFP’s Chief of Aviation, Franklyn Frimpong. “They accomplish extraordinary things in some of the most difficult parts of the world.”
For Brown, however, being a successful pilot transcends gender.
“Flying is a human skill,” she says. “We all have the same arms and legs. For me, I go to work and do the best I can. Everyone works hard, and we all work together as a team.”
On this particular day, Brown’s mission takes her to four different eastern towns, reaching the border with Niger. As the sun sets and she returns to Ouagadougou, she reflects on the day’s work.
“When we land to deliver assistance in these very isolated communities, we see how happy the people are to see us,” Brown says, “and we feel so good about bringing the food.”
