Clean water and sanitation are basic necessities, but in conflict zones and humanitarian crises, providing them can be extraordinarily complicated and sometimes dangerous. Damian Seal will take us behind the scenes of humanitarian water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) work, drawing on his extensive experience in South Sudan, Southeast Asia, Ukraine, and other complex emergencies. Damian has worked as a WASH Cluster Coordinator in East Asia, South Sudan, and Ukraine for a range of humanitarian organizations, helping coordinate the efforts of governments, UN agencies, international NGOs, local organizations, and donors responding to some of the world’s most difficult crises.
Through stories from the field, Damian will explore what it actually takes to deliver humanitarian assistance when communities are facing conflict, displacement, flooding, disease, and the destruction of basic infrastructure. How can aid organizations help provide water and sanitation before diseases take root? How do humanitarian organizations operate when access is limited, information is imperfect, resources are scarce, and needs can change overnight? And how do you provide emergency assistance while also thinking about systems that need to function for years, not just weeks?
The conversation will also look inside the humanitarian aid system itself. What makes large international aid organizations effective in the field, and where do they struggle? How do enormous organizations coordinate across agencies and borders while remaining responsive to local communities? What role should local organizations play in leading humanitarian responses? And after decades of experience and billions of dollars invested in humanitarian assistance, what have we learned about what works and what needs to change?
Ultimately, this is a conversation about much more than water. It is about the practical realities of helping people survive and rebuild in the midst of crisis; the people and organizations working behind the headlines; and the lessons that can be carried from one emergency to the next to make humanitarian assistance more effective, sustainable, and responsive to the people it is intended to serve.
About the Speaker
Damian Seal is an experienced humanitarian and emergency management professional specializing in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), emergency response, and the coordination of complex humanitarian operations. He began his career in the military and civil engineering, bringing a strong technical and operational foundation to his later work in international humanitarian response.
Damian has worked across Asia, Africa, and Europe, including in South Sudan, Southeast Asia, Bangladesh, and Ukraine. He has served as a WASH Cluster Coordinator with UNICEF and other humanitarian organizations, coordinating governments, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, and other partners in response to conflict, displacement, disease, flooding, and infrastructure challenges.
He holds an MSc in Water Management (Community Water and Sanitation) from Cranfield University and is experienced in emergency management, environmental studies, and project and risk management. His career combines technical expertise, field experience, and humanitarian coordination, giving him a practical perspective on delivering essential services in some of the world’s most challenging environments.
Program Details
- Check-in will begin at 11:30 AM with seating available on a first-come first-serve basis. The program will begin at 12:00 PM.
- Those with online reservations do not need to present ticket confirmation at the door, we will have all confirmed attendees on a list at check-in.
- Online registration closes at 6:00 PM on October 12 or when event sells out.