Fadoua Bakhadda, Regional Director of the Arab World Region (IPPFAWR), describes her journey to IPPF. My passion for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) is deeply personal. My great-grandmother died giving birth to her 11th child because she had no access to family planning. This was the spark that started my journey to fight for SRHR, because it affects everyone – regardless of their nationality or age. These rights are the basic needs of all human beings. In 2000, I left home in Morocco to study medicine in Senegal, but in my second year I became very ill with typhoid and had to return home. I told myself that if I survived this, that I would give back to others. I indeed survived, and returned to my education, graduating in business. After that, I quickly returned to my promise of helping people.