STORY
How an insider peacebuilder in Somalia helped turn young men away from violence
Ahmed Mohamed Jama knows that lived experience can change minds. As a person with a disability, he draws on his own perspective to encourage communities to reflect on the true cost of violence and the importance of choosing peace.
As Executive Director of the Galmudug Disability Organization (GALDO), Ahmed speaks with communities about the lasting consequences of conflict and the limited support available to people whose lives are permanently affected. He challenges young men to consider whether they want to contribute to more violence or become part of the solution.
After joining the Insider Peacebuilders Network in Galmudug state in central Somalia in 2018, Ahmed participated in conflict transformation and dialogue facilitation training supported by the Berghof Foundation. The training strengthened his ability to facilitate conversations across communities and contribute more actively to local peacebuilding initiatives.
A person who is fuelling or participating in conflict today cannot know what consequences may follow tomorrow. Conflict can affect anyone. Therefore, peace is a shared responsibility, and the costs of conflict are shared by everyone.
Ahmed Jama, insider peacebuilder
One of the most significant examples of this took place during a peace awareness campaign in Bidhaan Dheere, a community on the outskirts of Dhusamareb, the capital of Galmadug. A land dispute had fuelled growing tensions within the community, with the situation escalating to the point where violence appeared increasingly likely.
In response, the district administration brought together local leaders and community representatives to engage directly with residents, including young men who had been involved in the conflict. Through these discussions, they sought to raise awareness of the devastating consequences of violence, while encouraging residents to consider its impact on their families, their community, and their future.
Drawing on both his training and personal experience, Ahmed delivered a message that resonated deeply with the audience by reminding them that the only lasting outcomes of conflict are destruction, displacement, loss of property and disability.
The impact was immediate. Six young men who had been associated with the conflict publicly committed to refraining from violence and supporting peacebuilding efforts.
The engagement continued beyond the public meeting. Ahmed held follow-up conversations with the young men who had previously known little about solving conflicts without violence, encouraging them to look for alternatives and to being peacefully involved in their communities. Over time, they began rebuilding their lives through education, vocational training and employment opportunities. Two enrolled in masonry training, one returned to education through an adult learning programme, and others secured employment in Dhusamareb.
When Ahmed later met one of the participants, the young man reflected on the lasting effect of the intervention.
You cannot imagine how much your speech changed me. Today I live with peace of mind and stability. Following your advice was the best decision I ever made.
Participant from the public meeting
Ahmed’s experience demonstrates how insider peacebuilders can use trusted local relationships and dialogue skills to influence behaviour, reduce support for violence and create pathways towards more constructive livelihoods. It also highlights the importance of ensuring people with disabilities are recognised not only as those affected by conflict, but as active contributors to peacebuilding.
By equipping local peacebuilders with practical mediation and dialogue skills, Berghof Foundation’s support to the Insider Peacebuilders Network has helped strengthen community-led efforts to prevent violence and build more resilient local peace infrastructures in Somalia.
Your support helps us do more
So much money is spent on war. It’s time to invest in peace. Your donation enables us to sustain and expand our work.
