A former child refugee born in Somalia, who dedicated himself to changing lives through education,听as this year鈥檚 winner of the prestigious听.
Abdullahi Mire grew up in the sprawling Dadaab refugee complex in northeastern Kenya with its听听of more than 240,000 registered refugees, mostly from Somalia.
The UN refugee agency () coordinates operations there together with partners, relying also on the support of the Kenyan Government and host communities.
The majority of the population, around 56 per cent听, are children.
At that point there were over 60,000 students enrolled up to secondary school level, but despite that, the demand for teachers, supplies and classroom space, has long outstripped supply, leading to poor educational outcomes.
Educational pioneer
Of those managing to complete secondary school only a small number have been able to carry on into tertiary education.
Mr. Mire spent 23 years living in the Dadaab complex himself, from the early 1990s, and eventually went on to graduate with a diploma in journalism and public relations in 2013 from Kenya鈥檚 Kenyatta University.
After working for the UN migration agency听, in Somalia, specialising in the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of former combatants, he realised that without being literate, many were being brainwashed and radicalized.
Life-changer
His experience led him to start the Refugee Youth Education Hub (RYEH) in 2018, focusing on refugee education and youth development.
鈥淚 want to change the lives of refugee children and youth living in Daadab鈥�, he told the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia () in 2020.
鈥淭he only way to do that is through education. If you give quality education for these children or youths, their lives will be improved for good,鈥� he added. 鈥淔or societies to progress, especially the ones recovering from decades of conflict, education must be a priority. I think it鈥檚 the midwife of peace and stability, if not more.鈥�
Personifying change
Speaking ahead of the award announcement, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, said: 鈥淎bdullahi Mire is听living proof that transformative ideas can spring from within displaced communities.
鈥淗e has shown great resourcefulness and tenacity in strengthening the quality of refugee education.鈥�
UNHCR noted that after growing up in the Dadaab camps, Mr. Mire had resettled to Norway, 鈥渂ut a yearning to serve his community drew him back鈥�.
His education hub has opened three libraries in the camps 鈥� stocked with donated books 鈥� and expanded learning opportunities for tens of thousands of displaced children and youth.
鈥淭he win is not for me alone,鈥� said Mr. Mire, 36. 鈥淚t is for all the volunteers I work with鈥� It is for the children in the schools.鈥�
Regional winners
UNHCR also announced the regional winners to be honoured this year:
- Elizabeth Moreno Barco听(Americas): a human rights defender who advocates for communities affected by armed internal conflict in Colombia
- Asia Al-Mashreqi听(Middle East & North Africa): founder and chairperson of the Sustainable Development Foundation, which has assisted nearly two million individuals in Yemen affected by conflict
- Abdullah Habib, Sahat Zia Hero, Salim Khan and Shahida Win听(Asia-Pacific): four Rohingya storytellers documenting the experiences of stateless Rohingya refugees
- Lena Grochowska and W艂adys艂aw Grochowski听(Europe): a Polish couple whose hotel chain and foundation provide shelter and training to refugees
The awards will be presented at a ceremony in Geneva on 13 December at the听.
Hosted by the prominent US television journalist Ann Curry, the event will showcase the winners鈥� work and feature performances by Lous and the Yakuza, MIYAVI and Ricky Kej. It will also be livestreamed.
The awards are made possible through support from the Governments of Norway and Switzerland, IKEA Foundation, and the City and Canton of Geneva.
They are named after the Norwegian explorer, scientist, diplomat and humanitarian听
