Ilwad Elman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ilwad Elman
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| Ilwaad Elman | |
Elman in 2015
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| Born | 1988/1989 (age 35–37) |
| Occupation | Social Activist |
| Parent(s) | Elman Ali Ahmed and Fartuun Adan |
Ilwad Elman is a Somali-Canadian social activist who works to bring peace and protect human rights in her home country of Somalia. She works at the Elman Peace and Human Rights Center in the city of Mogadishu. She started the center with her mother, Fartuun Adan. For her amazing work, Ilwad was named the African Young Personality of the Year in 2016.
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Early Life and Family
Ilwad was born in Mogadishu, Somalia, around 1989 or 1990. She is one of four daughters of Elman Ali Ahmed and Fartuun Adan. Both of her parents were dedicated to helping others.
Her father, Elman Ali Ahmed, was a famous peace activist in the 1990s. He was known for his powerful message: "Drop the Gun, Pick up the Pen." He encouraged people to choose education over fighting. Because of his work for human rights, he was killed in 1996. Today, many people in Somalia remember him as the "Father of Peace."
When she was young, Ilwad and her family moved to Canada. But in 2010, she made a brave decision to return to Somalia. At the time, there was a lot of fighting in the country. She came back to continue her family's important work for peace.
Tragically, on November 20, 2019, Ilwad's sister, Almaas Elman, was also killed in Mogadishu. Like Ilwad, Almaas had returned to Somalia to work as an aid worker.
A Champion for Peace
To honor her father, Ilwad, her mother, and her sisters started the Elman Peace Centre in Mogadishu. Her mother, Fartuun Adan, is the Executive Director, and Ilwad works beside her as the Director of Programs and Development.
Ilwad is in charge of many important programs that focus on:
- Human Rights
- Justice for women and girls
- Protecting people caught in conflict
- Peace and safety
- Helping people start their own businesses
Helping Women and Children
Ilwad helped start Sister Somalia, which is part of the Elman Peace Centre. It was the first program in the country to help women and girls who have been harmed by violence. The center gives them a safe place to live, counseling, and medical care. Ilwad's work has helped change how people think about this issue in Somalia.
She also works to help children who were forced to be soldiers. Her programs help them leave armed groups and get an education. This gives them a chance to build a new, peaceful life.
Speaking to the World
Ilwad shares her story and ideas with people all over the world. In 2012, she was a speaker at the first-ever TEDx conference in Mogadishu. She talked about how Sister Somalia was helping to rebuild the country.
She has also worked with many global groups. She is part of a Kofi Annan Foundation project called Extremely Together. In this project, she works with other young leaders to prevent violence by inspiring young people.
In 2015, Ilwad spoke to the United Nations Security Council. She was the first person from a community group ever invited to speak about protecting people during conflicts. Her ideas helped create a historic UN resolution about the role of young people in creating peace.
Awards and Honors
Ilwad has received many awards for her incredible work.
- 2015 Gleitsman International Activist Award from Harvard University
- 2016 Right the Wrongs Award from Oxfam America
- 2016 Young African Woman of the Year Award
- 2017 BET Global Good Star Award
- She was a finalist for the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity.
- In 2020, she was named one of the BBC's 100 Women.
In 2014, the U.S. Department of State named her a YALI Fellow. In 2018, she was invited to the International Leaders Programme in the United Kingdom.
See also
In Spanish: Ilwad Elman para niños
- Iman Elman - sister who serves in the Somali military
