A group of African faith leaders and peacebuilding experts will visit Washington DC, Atlanta, Philadelphia and New York between October 4 –15 to meet with policymakers, and faith communities in the United States. The meetings are intended to urge U.S. officials in Congress, the State Department, and the United Nations to invest in peacebuilding and diplomatic efforts led by African governments, civil society organizations, and faith denominations.
The event is organized jointly by the AFSC Salama Hub and the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), a peacebuilding consortium based in the Horn of Africa. The delegation of African peacebuilders will meet with Members of Congress and their staff, State Department officials, African diaspora communities, civil rights leaders, UN representatives, civil society and faith-based organizations. The goal is to promote nonviolent, inclusive, and locally led approaches to peacebuilding across the Horn of Africa. The delegation aims to bring more public awareness about the issues faced in the countries in the Horn of Africa and the role which various stakeholders can play in peacebuilding and sustainable development.
The delegation comprises of key individuals working at American Friends Service Committees Africa Regional team, key staff of AACC, and partners from Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda, represented by civil society actors and religious leaders.
The organizers welcome media interactions in Washington D.C. on the following days and locations:
Washington D.C. - Luncheon with Faith Leaders and Peacebuilders from the Horn of Africa
Monday, October 5, 2026
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
United Methodist Building - 100 Maryland Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002
Event with DC-based peacebuilders at Alliance for peace
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
10:00 to 11:30 AM
1730 Rhode Island Ave NW, Suite 1101, Washington, DC 20036.
The tour will continue in Atlanta from October 8-11, Philadelphia from October 10–13 and New York City on October 14, 2026. For details about these events, contact Pauline Muchina at PMuchina@afsc.org.
Selected Bios of delegation members available for interviews:
Sheikh Ramadhan Aula Juma, Director, Center for Sustainable Conflict Resolution, Kenya
Sheikh Juma is a peacebuilding practitioner, Islamic scholar, and expert in preventing violent extremism. He serves as Director of the Center for Sustainable Conflict Resolution and has been associated with the All Africa Conference of Churches Eminent Persons Ecumenical Program for Peace in Africa. Through this role, he has participated in high-level engagements with the African Union on peace, security, religious radicalization, and the prevention of violent extremism. Sheikh Aula holds a master’s degree in religious studies from the University of Nairobi and a Bachelor’s in Sharia from the Islamic University of Madinah. He is also the Kenya Coordinator for the Global Network of Religions for Children and has led initiatives including Building Resilience Against Violent Extremism.
Mahlet Aberham, All Africa Conference of Churches, Ethiopia
Mahlet Aberham is the Programme Executive for the Horn of Africa Peace Project at the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) Liaison Office to the African Union. In this role, she leads regional peacebuilding initiatives and advocacy missions engaging the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), European Union, United Nations, governments, faith-based organizations, civil society, women, and youth across the Horn of Africa. Before joining AACC, Mahlet served as Program Directress at the Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Center, where she worked to promote and protect human rights defenders in Ethiopia. She also worked as an Emergency Program Consultant with Catholic Relief Services (CRS), providing technical advice on peacebuilding, emergency response, protection, and gender-responsive programming. She currently serves as a Board Chair of the Ethiopian Women Human Rights Defenders Network. Mahlet holds a Master’s degree in International Human Rights Law from the University of Sussex and Executive Masters in Managing Peace and Security in Africa from Institute of Peace and Security Studies. She is a Chevening alumna and an alumna of both the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) and the African Women’s Leadership Institute (AWLI).
Leyla Jeyte Somali Women Leadership Associate, Somalia
Leyla is an associate of Somali Women Leadership Initiative. She is an international development consultant, researcher, and visual artist dedicated to advancing governance, and female representation in Somalia. She has co-authored major United Nations Development Programme evaluation reports assessing political transition and women’s equality frameworks in the region. Her creative work focuses heavily on inclusivity, matching her advocacy work in international development.
Salwa Elsadik, Women Advocacy and Development Initiative, Sudan
Salwa Elsadik is a Sudanese humanitarian leader, women’s rights advocate, and director of the Women Advocacy and Development Initiative. A recipient of the 2026 Tonhalle Düsseldorf Human Rights Award, she has spent more than a decade advancing Women, Peace and Security, with a focus on civilian protection, preventing violence against women, psychosocial support, and women’s meaningful participation in peace and decision-making. She currently leads a humanitarian project in Sennar State, Sudan, supported by the American Friends Service Committee.
Deogratias M. Kawunde, Uganda/USA
Kawunde is a community leader, educator, civic engagement specialist, and disability inclusion professional. He serves on the Multicultural Commission of Prince George’s County, Maryland, and holds leadership roles with the African Catholic Association of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington and Uganda Martyrs Society, Inc. His community work focuses on religious freedom and interfaith dialogue, voter education, human rights, and strengthening diaspora communities. Professionally, Kawunde has worked in blind rehabilitation and assistive technology with the District of Columbia government and is the CEO of Northcote Technology and Resource Center in Bowie, Maryland. He holds an M.S.Ed. in Assistive Special Education Technology from Simmons University and a B.A. in Education, History, and French Studies from Makerere University.
Tewaney Seifesellassie, Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Ethiopia
Tewaney is a prominent faith-based environmental leader who serves as the head of the Peace, Advocacy and Ethics Department and a senior climate advisor for the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Development and Inter-Church Aid Commission. His work bridges ancient religious traditions and modern environmental action, focusing heavily on the preservation of Ethiopia’s sacred "church forests"—biodiverse ecosystems protected by centuries-old monastic rules. Seifesellassie frequently speaks at international forums where he advocates for eco-theology and the intersection of water security, sanitation, and peace for marginalized communities in conflict zones.
Kennedy Akolo, AFSC Africa Regional Director, Kenya
Kennedy Akolo serves as the Regional Director of Africa for the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). His over two decades career trajectory includes involvement in a parliamentary strengthening program aimed at supporting inclusive legislative processes in five East African countries. Kennedy has also contributed to various international development agencies, focusing on education, governance, and peacebuilding. One of his notable passions is strengthening social cohesion among post-conflict communities, driven by firsthand experiences. In his current capacity, Kennedy spearheads innovative approaches to peacebuilding in Africa, advocating for a new framework of shared security based on the principle that shared problems demand shared solutions. He holds an MSc in Organizational Development from USIU-Africa and a BA in Economics from Kenyatta University in Nairobi, Kenya.
Moses Chasieh, Salama Hub Director (Ethiopia/Cameroon)
Moses Chasieh is a highly experienced Project Management Expert with over 18 years of international expertise in peacebuilding, humanitarian assistance, conflict prevention, and Development. His expertise extends to strategic planning, monitoring, and evaluation. Moses previously held the position of Country Representative for the American Friends Service Committee in Burundi for approximately ten years and currently serves as the Director for the Salama Hub Program, the AFSC Research and Advocacy Program for the Horn of Africa. In his current capacity, Moses spearheads evidence-based research and advocacy initiatives, enabling Civil Society Organizations and Faith-Based Organizations in the Horn of Africa to positively impact conflict situations and policy development through engagement with regional bodies such as the AU, IGAD, UN, and more. Moses has also played vital roles in two United Nations Missions in Burundi, where he led strategy development and coordinated UN-wide Joint Programming. He holds an MSc in Project Management from the University of Liverpool, UK.
Dr. Pauline Muchina, AFSC Policy and Advocacy Director, Kenya/USA
Dr. Pauline Muchina, originally from Kenya, earned a Ph.D. in the United States and currently serves as the Policy and Advocacy Director for Africa at AFSC in Washington, DC. She previously worked as the Senior Partnership Advisor for UNAIDS for 7.5 years and is a visiting Professor at Reykjavik University School of Management and Marburg University Religious Studies Department. She is an active member in several boards and advisory groups, including the Advocacy Network for Africa, the Global Room for Women and Jubilee, USA, and is a Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians member. Dr. Muchina has founded the African Women & Youth Initiative in 2015, supporting impoverished women in crafting handmade African products for the global market, and launched the Future African Leaders Project, offering educational and leadership opportunities to promising African youth facing significant challenges. Her accomplishments include receiving the United Methodist Church Global Leadership Award in 2011 and being recognized as one of the most powerful international religious leaders by the Huffington Post in 2014.
The Salama Hub and AACC are in a consortium and have been implementing a joint project in the Horn of Africa on Research and Advocacy. This effort is undertaken in partnership with other organizations. Salama Hub is an Africa-led independent peacebuilding research and advocacy center focusing on the Horn of Africa region. It provides a platform for African civil societies to interact efficiently with institutional stakeholders in Africa, Europe, and America in the protection of human rights, peace, and stability in the Horn of Africa region.
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The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) promotes a world free of violence, inequality, and oppression. Guided by the Quaker belief in the divine light within each person, we nurture the seeds of change and the respect for human life to fundamentally transform our societies and institutions. We work with people and partners worldwide, of all faiths and backgrounds, to meet urgent community needs, challenge injustice, and build peace.
The All Africa Conference of Churches is a continental ecumenical body that accounts for over 200 million Christians across the African continent. AACC is the largest association of Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, and Indigenous churches in Africa, and a member of the worldwide ecumenical network. As an ecumenical body, AACC is a fellowship of more than 215 members comprising of Churches, National Christian Councils (NCCs), theological and lay training institutions, and other Christian organizations in 43 African countries.