Where Angels Fear to Tread: The Memoir of a Humanitarian Aid Worker

Sally Becker's account of life and work in some of the most dangerous placed in the world is compelling and unforgettable. Through the many hardships she has faced she has never lost sight of her main mission – to save as many innocent children as possible caught up in conflict zones around the world.

In May 1993, Sally Becker went to Bosnia to help the innocent victims of war. She started by delivering humanitarian aid to the region and was soon hailed the Angel of Mostar for saving wounded children and their families from the besieged city. Sally continued her work throughout the conflict and is credited with saving many lives. When Milosevic ordered his troops into Kosovo, her missions continued, this time on foot across the mountains. While attempting to bring sick and wounded children and their families to safety she was captured by Serb paramilitaries, but neither this nor being shot by masked gunmen in Northern Albania could make her abandon her task. Where Angels Fear to Tread reveals not only the suffering of the ordinary people and the bravery of those who helped them but also the systemic inertia and ineptitude of government institutions and the often sluggish, even hostile reactions of the United Nations. When the UN insisted they could have done it without Sally Becker, her response – ‘So why the hell didn’t they?’ – was typical of someone who acted while others merely talked.

Bosnia was Sally's first mission and the beginning of her life long commitment to help rescue children caught up in some of the most horrific wars around the world. The book also charts her subsequent missions to help children in Iraq, Ukraine and most recently Gaza. It's a rare and invaluable insight into the complexities of international aid work, the shocking reality of life on the front lines and the desperate race to save innocent children trapped in-between.

Sally's words will bring hope, understanding and serve as a reminder that with determination, unrelenting passion and drive – one person can change the lives of so many.

© 2025 HarperElement (Lydbog): 9780008741594

Release date

Lydbog: 10. april 2025