Healing in the Dark:Humanitarian Work in Conflict Zones | Fatima Mohammed Habib | TEDxBazeUniversity

Key Concepts:

• Boko Haram: A militant group whose name translates to "Western education is forbidden."
• Conflict, Displacement, and Violence: The experiences of the speaker and her community in Borno State, Nigeria.
• Resilience: The strength and ability of the people of Borno State to withstand hardship.
• IDP Camp: Internally Displaced Persons camp, housing those who have fled their homes due to conflict or disaster.
• Advocacy: Speaking out and taking action to support a cause or group of people.
• Humanitarianism: Working to improve the lives of others and alleviate suffering.
• Healing: The process of recovering from trauma and loss.
• Peace: Not a gift, but a responsibility of every individual.

Personal Background and the Impact of Boko Haram:

• The speaker is from Borno State, Nigeria, an area known as "the home of peace" despite experiencing years of conflict, displacement, and violence.
• She is a graduate of political science and pursuing a master's in global security and intelligence studies.
• She has been labeled as "Boko Haram" due to her origin. Boko Haram translates to "Western education is forbidden."
• The speaker recounts the first time she heard gunshots at age 12, marking a turning point in her life.
• This event transformed her into a victim, a witness, and eventually a humanitarian.
• She describes a constant state of alert, scanning buildings for exits and hiding spots due to growing up in a conflict zone.
• Nightmares of running from violence are a recurring theme in her life.
• The speaker highlights that in conflict zones, survival is a continuous cycle, with new challenges arising constantly.

Life Under Conflict:

• The speaker describes periods of total lockdown, referred to as a state of emergency, where communication was limited to letters.
• Phone networks were disconnected, isolating the community from the rest of the world.
• The conflict resulted in orphans, widows, and refugees.
• Boko Haram insurgents destroyed schools, hospitals, homes, and villages, aiming to destroy hope.

The Genesis of Advocacy for Human Value Foundation:

• The speaker's visit to an IDP camp, witnessing the suffering of women, children, and families, motivated her to take action.
• At 14, she founded Advocacy for Human Value Foundation, driven by a desire to help.
• She started hosting dialogues, writing proposals, and securing funding for those in need.
• Despite being told she was too young and facing potential dangers, she persevered.
• The foundation began small projects that had a significant impact on the lives of those they helped.
• She emphasizes that healing is often quiet, personal, and local, not always making headlines.

Humanitarian Work and a Call to Action:

• The speaker emphasizes that being a humanitarian is not about saving people, but about standing with them, learning from them, and rising together.
• She draws attention to children in war-torn countries who are deprived of their childhoods.
• She urges everyone to be a voice for justice, to show up, and to not look away from injustice or conflict, even on social media.
• "Peace is not a gift from our leaders. Peace is a responsibility that each and every one of us carry."