Hawa Aden Mohamed (Xaawo Aadan Maxamed, Hooyo Xaawo)

Who is she?

Hawa Aden Mohamed, called Hooyo Hawa ("Mother Hawa"), is a Somali social activist (Wikipedia, 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). 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.

The Galkayo centre

The GECPD was set up in 1999 in Galkayo (Wikipedia). It works in Galkayo, Galdogob and Jariban, and in the villages of Beyra, Baacad Weyn, Bali Busle, Bur Sallah and Harfo, in 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 and Galmudug.

Awards

Wikipedia lists (Wikipedia):

• 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.