The author had come to Cote d'Ivoire in April 1999 to work for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), an independent humanitarian organization dedicated to persuading governments to respect the rules of international humanitarian law (IHL), which are found in the Geneva Conventions. These rules provide impartial protection for the most vulnerable in armed conflicts, including civilians, prisoners of war, and sick and wounded combatants. The Geneva Conventions were particularly relevant at the time, since two bloody conflicts raged in nearby Liberia and Sierra Leone. The author worked with several offices located throughout the region to convince governments to agree to international treaties and provide assistance in drafting domestic legislation to respect and enforce IHL. In this article, the author explores the impact that humanitarian work can have as she recalls her own personal experiences in Cote d'Ivoire after the country's first coup d'etat.