NIMO ALI, A BEACON OF HOPE FOR MIGRANTS AND TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS.

Our World Day Against Trafficking in Persons celebrations continue with an inspiring conversation with Nimo Ali, Co-founder and Executive Director of the Candle of Hope Foundation (COHF).

Learn about her personal journey, the challenges faced by migrants and trafficking victims, and how COHF is making a tangible difference in the lives of thousands.

Discover the power of community, collaboration, and unwavering determination as Nimo shares her insights on addressing complex issues such as gender-based violence, economic disparities, and human trafficking.

COHF is a partner of the Better Migration Management Programme coordinated by GIZ and is funded by the European Union and Germany.

Why did you launch Candle of Hope Foundation?

My profound commitment is to address the difficulties that the most marginalised women and girls confront in Kenyan and Somali communities. I am driven by a thorough awareness of the obstacles and difficulties faced by this specific population, and I recognise the importance of conducting targeted interventions to improve their quality of life. I was particularly struck by the story of a young mother who faced profound despair after being abandoned by her partner and family.

This inspired me to start the Candle of Hope Foundation (COHF) with another caring woman who has experience in humanitarian development work. Our organisational purpose is to restore hope to individuals who have been silenced and abandoned by assisting them in finding safe and secure shelter, sustainable livelihoods, and a better future. In addition, I hope to establish a caring and empowering environment for women and girls who are frequently placed in vulnerable situations. I am devoted to solving a wide range of issues that disproportionately affect these vulnerable groups. These problems include gender-based violence, inadequate access to education, economic disadvantages, and limited chances for personal and professional development. In addition, I am dedicated and committed to preventing human trafficking and migrant smuggling.

I would like to build COHF as a platform that not only addresses all the above current issues, but also works towards long-term sustainable solutions. I am dedicated to building resilience, expanding educational opportunities, supporting economic independence, and working for women's and girls' rights and well-being. My vision is founded on the firm belief that by addressing the needs of vulnerable women and girls, we can break the cycle of disadvantaged and contribute to the broader empowerment of our community. Under my leadership, COHF has become a beacon of hope, dedicated and committed to making meaningful and long-lasting changes in the lives of those in most need.

What inspired your decision to work in the migration sector?

My interest in the migration sector stems from my personal experiences as a migrant, as well as my profound empathy for individuals facing similar circumstances. As someone who has migrated, I understand the complex hurdles and hardships that people endure while attempting to start a new life in a different nation. With the knowledge and experiences, I've received, I'm more committed to working with vulnerable migrants and offering crucial support and reintegration services through COHF.

Having personally been through the migration process, I am well aware of the unique obstacles that migrants, particularly those in dire situations, face. My own experiences have surely affected my perspective and inspired in me a desire to advocate on behalf of migrant communities. I am motivated by a desire to ease the problems that vulnerable migrants confront, borrowing inspiration from my own experience to make a good difference in the lives of others.

I chose to work in the migration field because I am genuinely devoted to addressing the complicated issues that migrants encounter. These obstacles cover a wide range of topics, including legal complications, social integration, and economic stability. Using my personal experiences, I am able to provide a unique and sensitive approach, understanding the complex needs of those going through the relocation process. I am also committed to assisting and reintegrating disadvantaged migrants, which is consistent with my overall vision of promoting inclusivity, resilience, and empowerment in migrant communities.

My transition into the migration sector demonstrates my compassionate leadership and real dedication to making a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals who, like me, have embarked on the difficult journey of migration.

As a leader in the migration sector, what specific hurdles have you faced and overcome?

Throughout my journey, I have faced a number of unique hurdles and successfully navigated them. These challenges have put my perseverance and problem-solving skills to the test. By combining tenacity, adaptability, and resourcefulness, I was able to conquer these challenges and emerge stronger than before. In my job as a female leader in the migration sector, I have faced several cultural barriers. Throughout my journey, I have encountered challenges due to gender conventions, societal expectations, and traditional beliefs. Allow me to offer some examples of these problems and how I overcame them.

My ability to overcome these challenges is a combination of resilience, cultural competency, and strategic communication, breaking down barriers and demonstrating my skill and experience, I can now mentor other young women in the migration sector and contribute to constructive cultural change.

For example, I have personally faced the difficulties of negotiating gender stereotypes, particularly in the Somali community. These preconceptions frequently limit women's leadership abilities, implying that they should stick to housework and avoid decision-making. I was able to overcome these prejudices by displaying my leadership abilities, competency, and stressing the good impact of diverse leadership in the migration industry.

One of the difficulties I experienced was striking the balance between honouring diverse cultural sensitivities. It can be challenging to handle environments in which certain topics, such as migration or women's issues, are considered taboo. For example, consider the forced migration of women and girls as a result of practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM) or other cultural traditions. I overcame this difficulty by encouraging open and courteous debate and creating a safe environment for conversations. I attempt to approach cultural sensitivities with empathy, which has enabled me to interact with a variety of populations. My ability to develop bridges and foster understanding throughout the community has been critical to my success.

I faced numerous hurdles, particularly those related to my identity as a Muslim woman and a migrant. In this case, my gender has had an impact on the convergence of society attitudes. I have mostly overcome this challenge by stressing the strengths that stem from my diversified upbringing and by embracing my unique perspective.

What challenges does your community face, and how does your foundation address it?

I would like to emphasise the importance of (COHF) to both me and the community. I am profoundly concerned about the issues that disadvantaged members different communities, particularly vulnerable women, girls, and children, confront. These groups routinely face a variety of challenges, including gender-based violence, limited access to education, economic disadvantages, and a lack of opportunity for personal and professional development. In addition, we are dealing with the serious challenges of human and child trafficking. Migration issues also present additional obstacles, including elements such as integration and support for vulnerable migrants. As the founder, I play an important role in tackling these difficulties using a diverse strategy. I am delighted to inform you that our foundation is committed to providing a supportive and empowering environment for women and girls in difficult situations. We offer a variety of programs that focus on skill development, and economic empowerment, giving them the skills they need to succeed and thrive in life.

Regarding migration, Candle of Hope Foundation is committed to strengthening its efforts to provide critical support and reintegration services.

This involves increasing access to economic opportunities and linking people with existing VSLA projects and small SME start-ups. I am aware of the unique problems that migrants face, so our experts assist them by linking them with support services in areas such as legal issues, social integration, and financial stability. I seek to use a complete approach that not only addresses current needs, but also promotes long-term resilience and empowerment in migrant/host communities. The Foundation is very important to me and the community because it is dedicated and committed to meeting the needs of vulnerable individuals of our communities, promoting social justice, and facilitating good change, and by addressing these important challenges, we have emerged as a beacon of assistance, encouraging hope and facilitating positive change in the lives of those in greatest need. It gives me tremendous delight to see the tangible benefits of the Foundation's activities, as they assist to develop a society in which every person, regardless of background, may thrive and live with dignity. I am delighted to report that Candle of Hope Foundation exemplifies how empathy, resilience, and community-driven efforts can lead to major and long-term improvement.

How did the BMM Programme become involved? How has the collaboration improved the situation?

I had the honour of contributing in the rescue operation of several trafficking children who were being transported from Berbera to Mogadishu and then to Nairobi. The regional administration of Somaliland cooperated to make this operation possible. Following this critical situation, we were referred to Ms. Silke Hampson, the former Regional Coordinator BMM Kenya and Somalia. Since then, our relationship with GIZ through BMM has had a significant impact.

We have been able to effectively implement a communication plan that significantly improved the situation in Nairobi's transport sector. Thanks to BMM, we have effectively intercepted and prevented over 400 prospective trafficking victims at various cross-border locations, assuring their safety and protection from exploitation in various destinations in Nairobi County. We are sincerely thankful to the entire GIZ BMM team, especially Silke Hampson and Johanna B?gel , for their unshakeable dedication and continued support.

Their contributions have been critical to guaranteeing the amazing success of Candle of Hope Foundation's programs. I am glad to announce that our collaboration is a striking example of the important alliances that address the complex difficulties faced by human trafficking. I've also had the opportunity to attend a number of capacity building seminars, including ones focused on organisational development, resource mobilisation, data protection, financial reporting, and many more. These seminars took place as part of the East and Horn of Africa Anti-Trafficking (EHAAT) Network's activities. The EHAAT was initiated by BMM and brings together 116 CSOs from the region to boost our collaboration and thus impact.?? Through this, we have made significant progress in providing comprehensive help to women, girls, and migrants in need. As part of our efforts, we successfully created and sustained initiatives that benefited 100 migrant women in Nairobi between 2022 and 2023. These projects have concentrated on economic empowerment for these women by establishing and supporting them to establish self-help groups. I am glad to inform you that our COHF has made great efforts towards expanding its outreach efforts to reach more vulnerable women and girls.

It is my believe that Candle of Hope Foundation will contribute to a brighter future by implementing effective initiatives and programmes that solve urgent global issues. We will work together to make the globe a more sustainable, inclusive, and affluent place for everyone; LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND.

Furthermore, I believe through our partnership with GIZ BMM, we can continue to effectively develop and implement impactful solutions that will result in significant improvements in the lives of vulnerable populations, and by pulling our efforts, we can have a tremendous impact and accomplish systemic reforms.

COHF is a partner of the Better Migration Management Programme coordinated by 德国国际合作机构 and is funded by the @European Union and Germany Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) .