Fosiya Mohamed Ahmed has experienced enough loss and grief for many lifetimes. Her family lived in Burao, now part of Somaliland, when the 1988 civil war erupted and a mortar shell hit her house and killed five family members. The family members who survived fled to Ethiopia, and were repatriated to Hargeisa in 1991. As they had no option but to settle back in the war-ravaged land, they returned to Burao, only to encounter another family living on and asserting rights to their land.
After failed attempts to resolve the land dispute through talks and mediation with the family, Fosiya was forced to turn to the court system for resolution. Eight years after filing her initial claim, the case remained unresolved when Fosiya turned to a civil society organization for support. The dispute led Fosiya to become a tireless advocate for government and court reform in the region. Through the Uniting Communities to Mitigate Conflict program, Fosiya is gaining additional skills in conflict mitigation as well as using media tools for advocacy. Fosiya commented, “The IREX training builds up my professional skills and turns over a new page in my life.” Her commitment to a peaceful resolution of the land dispute led her to restart discussions with the other family, and she was able to negotiate a mutually agreeable resolution.
Today, Fosiya is a mother, activist, and member of the Somaliland-based Nagaad Umbrella NGO [10] that promotes justice, good governance, and leadership. Using techniques she is learning as part of IREX’s Uniting Communities to Mitigate Conflict program [11], funded by USAID, Fosiya aims to broaden her peace advocacy work and expand its reach.
*Video caption - Fosiya sings a song of peace in the buranbur style. Buranbur is a Somali ceremonial form of music, traditionally used only by women.
The above story is originally featured in our 2010 Annual Report [12]. With your support, we can continue to support activists like Fosiya in their quest for peaceful resolutions. Please consider making a gift online through our donation page [13].