The People ­ Tuesday
Date: 03.05.2016
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aoas
Fatuma Adan works to bring together
members of northern Kenya's warring
tribes. Her approach includes organising
football tournaments and empowering
young girls to pursue their dreams
¦ by Nasibo Kabale
¥ @nas2cents
Breaking the shackles
n a valiant display of her fearless
The 38­year­old mother of two
attitude, Fatuma Adan gave up says because law would limit her to
her career in law to move back to serve just her clients, she wanted a
Marsabit and work with the com­ bigger platform that would leave her
munity to foster peace and create mark, especially among her people.
the peaceful environment she had "I wanted to set a different path for
always envisaged.
the youth and the law corridors
Born to parents from two war­ proved to be too small for me. That
ring communities, her mother a is why I did not flinch in making the
Gabbra and her father, a Borana, decision of opening up Horn of Af­
Fatuma experienced tribal conflict rica Development Initiative (HODI),"
first hand. The 2005 massacre at she says.
Turbi, especially, left deep scars in
Fatuma, who had always wanted
the community's collective memory. to play football, but was limited by
About 100 people from Gabra com­ culture, has now created a platform
munity were killed by Borana tribes­ for the youth of Marsabit to not only
men.
Though girls in her community are
married at an early age, her father,
a teacher, and her mother a house­
wife made sure all their five children
soldiers of peace," she says.
Fatuma has also rallied girls in the
community to not only play football
but also teach them about their rights,
and in breaking the silence on cultural
vices such as Female Genital Mutila­
tion and early marriages.
But it was not always smooth sail­
ing for the ever­smiling, resilient Fatu­
ma. She has met so much resistance
that eight of her girls were kidnapped
and forced to early marriage after a
tournament she had arranged. "The
community wanted to punish me
for my actions. So, when this hap­
pened, I felt so guilty and it took me
close to two years to get them back
play, but break from the shackles of to school," she says.
In 2013, however, Fatuma met the
traditions.Through HODI, Fatuma
launched a programme called Shoot strongest tide and the bleakness of
to Score, Not to Kill, which engages the situation made the idea of giv­
youth in the advocacy of peace. "My ing up an enticing alternative. "My
love for sports has seen me initiate parents had invested so much to
including two girls got education.
Fatuma graduated with a Law de­ the first ever village soccer teams in have me educated and there I was
gree from Moi University. She then the north of Kenya. Known for clash­ living with them. People kept asking
studied Governance and Sharia at es and slaughter fields, sports has me to do something serious with my
University of Birmingham.
helped us transform fighting tribes to life. That, coupled with the fact that
doctors said I could not play football
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya
The resistance
The People ­ Tuesday
Date: 03.05.2016
Page 21
Article size: 655 cm2
ColumnCM: 145.55
AVE: 183691.11
Fatuma Adan
with some
of the youth
she has men­
tored: Dima
Sheke, Hus­
sein Badege,
Mumina Duke
and Kula
Dida. BE­
LOW:
Fatuma dur­
ing the inter­
view.
PHOTOS: AYUB
MUIYURO
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya
The People ­ Tuesday
Date: 03.05.2016
Page 21
Article size: 655 cm2
ColumnCM: 145.55
AVE: 183691.11
anymore after I had my first child
following complications that arose
during childbirth," she says.
However, her struggles re­ener­
gised her and she came out stron­
ger than ever making HODI the
powerhouse it is now.
The enemy husband
Her refusal to accept blind ad­
herence to traditions were not only
limited to the work she does with
the youth of Marsabit, but also af­
fected her love life. That is why she
had to wait for 14 years to finally say
'yes' to the man she loved. "I fell
in love with a Rendille, an enemy of
my community and we had to date
in secrecy because I did not have
the courage to say I am ready," she
says.
When she finally said yes to her
now husband, both families were
not keen on the marriage, but she
remained strong in her decision.
"He came to propose by himself
because no one would accom­
pany him and my father was unim­
pressed. However, saying 'no' to the
marriage would mean he would lose
me and he would not let that hap­
pen," she says.
Fatuma's education is not all in
vain because she has not complete­
ly thrown her law to the back burner
as she now uses it to help the com­
munity with legal aid, especially with
the elders in the community.
"I have a legal aid programme
for free and I do many out­of­court
settlements, which involves elders
and that's not easy especially when
dealing with respecting women's
rights," she says.
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya