Aduwe Boboli was born in Mahagi, Ituri Province, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), on 20 December 1960. He went to primary school (1967–1973) in Gombe, Kinshasa, and then secondary school (1974–1976) in Adi, eastern DRC, after which he attended a vocational training college in the city of Bunia.
He first joined the ICRC’s Bunia subdelegation in August 1998, working for three months as a driver/mechanic. He rejoined the ICRC in the same role in February 2000, with responsibility for managing and maintaining the subdelegation’s fleet of vehicles. Married with five children, Aduwe was reliable and dedicated to his work. His colleagues described him as a pleasure to work with.
On 26 April 2001 Aduwe and five other ICRC colleagues set off from Bunia in two vehicles marked with the red cross emblem. They were heading for Fataki to assess the needs of health centres and displaced people, and to distribute Red Cross messages. Later that afternoon, all six were found murdered near the town of Djugu. Alongside 39-year-old Aduwe were three other Congolese nationals – Unen Ufoy-Rwoth, 28, a relief field officer; Véronique Saro, 32, a health field officer; and Jean Molokabonge, 56, a driver – together with Rita Fox-Stucki, 36, a Swiss nurse from Bern; and Julio Delgado, 54, a relief delegate from Colombia.
Speaking at their memorial ceremony, ICRC President Jakob Kellenberger said the loss of the six staff members was a “crushing blow” for the institution: “They reflect the image of the ICRC as a place where individuals of different nationalities, culture and background come together to follow the ideal of helping their fellows. In many countries we encounter people who express great affection for these men and women who ‘come from afar’ to bring assistance and protection. Some do indeed come from afar, while others belong to the area or country where they work. It is from their combined energies and their mutual trust that we derive our strength. Today we pay tribute to four Congolese, a Swiss and a Colombian who embodied these common values.”
At the time of his death, Aduwe had only recently rejoined the ICRC. But already, in a short space of time, his experience and field had earned him the trust, respect and appreciation of everyone in the Bunia subdelegation.
