# Hawa Aden Mohamed (Xaawo Aadan Maxamed, Hooyo Xaawo)

> Hawa Aden Mohamed (Hooyo Hawa): founder of the Galkayo Education Centre for Peace and Development, Nansen Refugee Award 2012.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/people/hawa-aden-mohamed/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## Who is she?

Hawa Aden Mohamed, called Hooyo Hawa ("Mother Hawa"), is a Somali social activist ([Wikipedia, Hawa Aden Mohamed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawa_Aden_Mohamed)). She founded and directs the Galkayo Education Centre for Peace and Development (GECPD) (same source).

## Return to Somalia

She was born in Somalia and moved to Canada after the civil war began ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawa_Aden_Mohamed)). In 1995 she returned and set up an education programme for women and girls displaced by the war (same source). She also campaigned against female genital mutilation (same source). See [Somalis in Canada](/en/diaspora/canada/).

## The Galkayo centre

The GECPD was set up in 1999 in Galkayo ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawa_Aden_Mohamed)). It works in Galkayo, [Galdogob](/en/history/ethiopian-somali-border-war-1982/) and Jariban, and in the villages of Beyra, Baacad Weyn, Bali Busle, Bur Sallah and Harfo, in [Mudug](/en/regions/mudug/) (same source). It gives primary schooling to young girls and second-chance schooling to older girls, serving 781 girls aged 8 to 18 (same source). It also offers adult literacy, skills training such as tailoring, and teacher training (same source).

Its headquarters has 38 classrooms, a conference hall for 80 people, a resource centre, skills and computer units, and two hostels (same source). It is funded by the Somali community, private investors and international organisations (same source). See [Puntland](/en/states/puntland/) and [Galmudug](/en/states/galmudug/).

## Awards

Wikipedia lists ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawa_Aden_Mohamed)):

- 1994: Woman of the Year, Ontario Women's Directorate.
- 2001: Voices of Courage Award, Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children.
- 2004: *Marie Claire* Top Ten Women of the World.
- 2005: Ginetta Sagan Award, Amnesty International.
- 2012: UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award.

## In short

A Somali educator who returned from Canada in 1995 and founded a school and training centre for girls and women in Galkayo.

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