Faiza says, “I come from the North Eastern part of Kenya. The Somali community is one of the most affected with clannism and tribal conflicts for a very long time. Enhancing peace is something I am so passionate about.”
Faiza Abdihamid Haji is a youth leader who has extensive experience in matters relating to peacebuilding and youth empowerment. She has proven organizational and managerial skills coupled with a background in International Relations and worked for the U.N. for three years. She serves as a Peace Ambassador for the AFSC Somali youth development project as well as Kenya peaceful youth and their communities, promoting peaceful co-existence between various nomad communities (Boran, Gabbra, Rendille, Burji, Turkana, Ell-Mollo, Dasanach, Samburu, and Somali communities) through creating and implementing supportive peacebuilding and conflict transformation initiatives.
The roots of conflict in these areas can be found in the violation of basic political, civic, economic, social, and cultural rights. Without addressing human rights-based violations, peace cannot be sustained, and development achievements will be precarious at best. Abuse of human rights, violent conflicts between warring clans are often rooted in discrimination, exclusion, and marginalization, particularly of minorities and women. The empowering voice of the community also focuses on the inclusion of the most vulnerable and marginalized, enabling their participation in development, peacebuilding and other political, social, and economic processes through capacity-building and empowerment initiatives, as well as building locally relevant and sustainable institutions and practices that address the root causes of poor governance, abuse of human rights, and conflict.
Learn more: afsc.org/youthinaction