Fatima Jibrell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fatima Jama Jibrell
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| Fadumo Jibriil | |
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| Born | December 30, 1947 Sanaag, Somalia
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| Alma mater | University of Connecticut, University of the District of Columbia |
| Occupation | Environmental activist, filmmaker |
| Children | Five daughters, including Degan Ali |
| Awards | Goldman Environmental Prize National Geographic Society/Buffett Award for Leadership Champions of the Earth award Takreem award |
Fatima Jibrell is a brave Somali-American environmental activist. She was born on December 30, 1947. She helped start important groups like the Horn of Africa Relief and Development Organization (now called Adeso). She also co-founded Sun Fire Cooking and helped create the Women's Coalition for Peace.
Contents
About Fatima Jibrell's Life
Fatima Jibrell was born in Sanaag, Somalia, on December 30, 1947. She grew up in a nomadic family. Her father was a sailor who later moved to New York City.
Early Life and Education
As a child in Somalia, Fatima went to a British boarding school. When she was 16, she moved to the United States to live with her father. She finished high school there.
In 1969, she went back to Somalia and worked for the government. She married Abdurahman Mohamoud Ali, who was a diplomat. While her family lived in Iraq, Fatima started college at the University of Damascus in nearby Syria.
In 1981, her husband's job moved them back to the U.S. There, she earned her degree in English. She later got a master's degree in Social Work from the University of Connecticut. Fatima and her husband raised five daughters, including Degan Ali. She also became an American citizen.
Protecting Our Planet: Fatima's Environmental Work
The Somali Civil War started in 1991. This made Fatima Jibrell want to help her home country. She, her husband, and friends started the Horn of Africa Relief and Development Organization. This group is also known as Horn Relief.
Adeso: Helping Communities Grow
Fatima was the leader of Horn Relief for many years. In 2012, the group changed its name to Adeso. Adeso works to help local communities from the ground up. Fatima retired as the main leader in 2006. However, she still helps the organization and its programs in Somalia.
New Ways to Help People and the Earth
Fatima also helped create the Women's Coalition for Peace. This group encourages women to get involved in politics and social issues. She also co-founded Sun Fire Cooking. This project teaches people in Somalia how to use solar cookers. Solar cookers use sunlight to cook food. This helps reduce the need for charcoal, which harms the environment.
Sharing the Message Through Film and Books
In 2008, Fatima wrote and helped make a short film called Charcoal Traffic. This film tells a story to teach people about the problems caused by charcoal. The filmmaker Nathan Collett directed it.
In 2011, Fatima and James Lindsay, an Australian diplomat, published a photography book. It is called Peace and Milk: Scenes of Northern Somalia. The book shows the beautiful nomadic countryside and life in Somalia. Environmental groups around the world have praised this book.
Stopping the Charcoal Trade
Fatima Jibrell led a successful effort to save old acacia trees in northeastern Somalia. These trees can live for up to 500 years. People were cutting them down to make charcoal. This "black gold" was in high demand in the Arabian Peninsula.
Why Charcoal is a Problem
Charcoal is a cheap fuel, but making it causes a lot of damage. It leads to deforestation, which means cutting down too many trees. It also causes desertification, where land turns into desert. To fight this, Fatima and Horn Relief taught young people about the lasting harm that charcoal production creates.
Making a Difference: The Ban on Charcoal
In 1999, Horn Relief organized a peace march in the Puntland region of Somalia. The goal was to stop the "charcoal wars." Because of Fatima's hard work and teaching, the Puntland government banned charcoal exports in 2000. The government has enforced this ban. This has led to an 80% drop in charcoal exports from the region.
Awards and Recognition
Fatima Jibrell has received many awards for her work against environmental damage and desertification.
- In 2002, she won the Goldman Environmental Prize. This is a very important award for environmental activists.
- In 2008, she received the National Geographic Society/Buffett Foundation Award for Leadership in Conservation.
- In 2014, the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) gave her the Champions of the Earth award.
- In 2016, she received the Takreem Award for Environmental Development and Sustainability.
See also
In Spanish: Fatima Jibrell para niños
