Sakena Yacoobi
Sakena Yacoobi
| Born | March 17, 1950 |
|---|---|
| Country | Afghanistan |
| Awarded for | Presenting a fundamental solution to refugee resettlement through 'education', and contributing to the improvement of human rights and status of Muslim women |
| Co-laureate |
Sakena Yacoobi, who has witnessed the suffering of Afghan refugees scarred by decades of war, is convinced that education is the key to hope for future generations. In 1995, the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL) was established to provide a systematic educational environment, providing education and vocational training to 13 million refugees, and in particular contributing to the improvement of the human rights and social status of Muslim women. Even under life-threatening circumstances of the Taliban regime, Dr. Yacoobi educated more than 3,000 girls in over 80 underground schools. Unlike the first generation of Afghan refugees, whose pioneering efforts were devastated by despair and poverty, the second and third generation refugees have become leaders for their community's reconstruction.
Educational Background
- 1977 Bachelor of Biology, University of the Pacific (California, USA)
- 1981 Master's Degree in Public Health, Loma Linda University (California, USA)
- 2007 Honorary Doctorate of Laws, University of the Pacific (California, USA)
- 2008 Master's Degree in Public Health, Loma Linda University (California, USA)
- 2008 Honorary Doctorate of Humanitarian Service, Loma Linda University (California, USA)
- 2010 Honorary Doctorate of Education from Santa Clara University (California, USA)
- 2013 Honorary Doctor of Laws, Princeton University (New Jersey, USA)
- 2014 Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, University of St. Joseph (Connecticut, USA)
- 2016 Honorary doctorate of Humane Letters, Middlebury Institute of International Studies (Vermont, USA)
Professional Background
- 1982-Present Established Creating Hope International (CHI) in Michigan, USA
- 1982-1991 Health Consultant
- 1989-1992 D Etre University (Michigan, USA)
- 1992-1995 International Rescue Committee (IRC) women's education and teacher training program
- 1992-2001 Operated more than 80 underground "secret" schools for girls (3,000 students)
- 1995-Present Founder and President of Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL)
- 2007-Present Founded four Professor Sakena Yacoobi Private School facilities in Kabul and Herat, Afghanistan (K-12), the Professor Sakena Yacoobi Private Hospital and Clinic, and Radio Meraj 94.1FM
Major Awards
- 2004 Women's Rights Prize (Peter Gruber Foundation)
- 2005 Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize
- 2005 Democracy Award (National Endowment for Democracy)
- 2013 Opus Prize (Opus Prize Foundation)
- 2015 World Innovation Summit for Education Prize (Qatar Foundation)
Afghan Institute of Learning Key Features
- Developed grassroots models to strengthen the capacity of Afghan women, foster women leaders, promote women's health, and provide education
- Provides quality educational opportunities in kindergartens, elementary schools, universities, women's education centers, and educational learning centers
- Literacy class operation, operation of income-generating vocational training project for women who are in need of financial support
- Operated 80 secret schools under the Taliban regime in 4 regions of Afghanistan and successfully educated over 3,000 girls without incident
- Provides leadership and human rights education for Afghan women
- Provides health education and basic medical services : family planning, prenatal / postpartum care, midwifery
- Computer management training
- Operates advisory clinic for poor Afghan women
Devoted her life to Afghan refugee education
Sakena Yacoobi, the mother of Afghan education, has been a pioneering and devoted refugee educator for 24 years with the belief that education is the key to social reconstruction even under severe conditions of war and occupation.
Dr. Yacoobi began educating teachers in Afghan refugee camps where they had struggled to survive after decades of war and the complete collapse of the education and health system, and began to establish schools for boys and girls. In 1995, the Afghan Institute for Learning (AIL) was established to provide systematic refugee education, providing education and vocational training to 13 million women and children. Despite the Taliban regime's ban on women's schools, it successfully operated and educated more than 3,000 girls without incident.
Currently, AIL provides curricula from kindergarten to university education, and 44 education centers provide basic literacy education and various vocational courses, opening opportunities to refugees for income generation. Ultimately, it has been providing education in leadership, democracy, self-confidence, and capacity-building, aimed at fostering refugees to become independent citizens capable of critical thinking. As a result, refugees who have been educated at AIL have improved their self-confidence, economic power, and problem-solving abilities, and have been leading a successful community rebuilding process. The Afghan refugee community, which has experienced displacement for more than 30 years, now feels that education is a pathway to a better future and a key element for the country's reconstruction, and that educated young people will play a leading role in Afghanistan's future.
Dr. Yacoobi began educating teachers in Afghan refugee camps where they had struggled to survive after decades of war and the complete collapse of the education and health system, and began to establish schools for boys and girls. In 1995, the Afghan Institute for Learning (AIL) was established to provide systematic refugee education, providing education and vocational training to 13 million women and children. Despite the Taliban regime's ban on women's schools, it successfully operated and educated more than 3,000 girls without incident.
Currently, AIL provides curricula from kindergarten to university education, and 44 education centers provide basic literacy education and various vocational courses, opening opportunities to refugees for income generation. Ultimately, it has been providing education in leadership, democracy, self-confidence, and capacity-building, aimed at fostering refugees to become independent citizens capable of critical thinking. As a result, refugees who have been educated at AIL have improved their self-confidence, economic power, and problem-solving abilities, and have been leading a successful community rebuilding process. The Afghan refugee community, which has experienced displacement for more than 30 years, now feels that education is a pathway to a better future and a key element for the country's reconstruction, and that educated young people will play a leading role in Afghanistan's future.
Presenting a holistic solution to the problem of the resettlement of refugees
Dr. Yacoobi introduced a holistic approach to rebuilding communities destroyed by war, providing an innovative solution to the problem of resettlement. This approach is a comprehensive and long-term solution to the problem of society as a whole, in order to overcome the inadequate educational, economic, socio-cultural and institutional constraints of refugee camps. It contributes to improving the overall quality of life and community development for Afghan refugees.
The Afghan Institute of Learning, an organization founded by Dr. Yacoobi, is providing technical assistance to four private schools, hospitals and radio stations at the private level. Since 1996, it has provided health education to more than 2 million women and children, which has significantly reduced infant mortality and maternal mortality rates during pregnancy and childbirth. It also continues to provide 'love and forgiveness' workshops to transform the refugees, who have been surrounded by social deprivation and anger, into positive leaders who can innovate in their local communities. Through radio broadcasting, it reaches more than a million people a day, dealing with social trends, health, family success models, human rights, literature, music, etc., and supports the desire of the refugees for a peaceful and fruitful life.
The entire community rebuilding process has been carried out in cooperation with the community itself, allowing the community to build a sense of ownership in the project. As a result of consultation, and organizing the projects needed by the community, rather than one-sided aid, it has revolutionized the refugee resettlement dynamic, providing a win-win situation for both the local community and government agencies.
The Afghan Institute of Learning, an organization founded by Dr. Yacoobi, is providing technical assistance to four private schools, hospitals and radio stations at the private level. Since 1996, it has provided health education to more than 2 million women and children, which has significantly reduced infant mortality and maternal mortality rates during pregnancy and childbirth. It also continues to provide 'love and forgiveness' workshops to transform the refugees, who have been surrounded by social deprivation and anger, into positive leaders who can innovate in their local communities. Through radio broadcasting, it reaches more than a million people a day, dealing with social trends, health, family success models, human rights, literature, music, etc., and supports the desire of the refugees for a peaceful and fruitful life.
The entire community rebuilding process has been carried out in cooperation with the community itself, allowing the community to build a sense of ownership in the project. As a result of consultation, and organizing the projects needed by the community, rather than one-sided aid, it has revolutionized the refugee resettlement dynamic, providing a win-win situation for both the local community and government agencies.
Contributing to the improvement of human rights and the status of Muslim women
Sakena Yacoobi is committed to educating Muslim women with the belief that "to educate girls is to educate future generations." Due to some elements of Islamic culture opposing women's education, and as a result of protracted conflicts, Afghanistan has recorded the world's lowest literacy rate, with only 12.6% of women over 15 years of age being able to read and write. In order to address this serious situation, Dr. Yacoobi has been aggressively persuasive and has changed prejudices about women's education. As a result, many women and children in Afghanistan and Pakistan are now educated, and in recent years Dr. Yacoobi even established a women’s university. She has provided family planning services and contraception advice in order to liberate women from unwanted childbirth. She also runs a women's legal counseling center in Afghanistan and provides legal advice services for women on issues such as domestic abuse, child custody, the right to inheritance, and marriage without consent.
Women who were isolated in their homes are now able to gather together and receive education through Women's Networking Centers. Women are given the opportunity to take part in classes, read and learn, engage in income-generating activities, and participate in society, all of which has greatly improved their access to human rights and a higher quality of life.
Women who were isolated in their homes are now able to gather together and receive education through Women's Networking Centers. Women are given the opportunity to take part in classes, read and learn, engage in income-generating activities, and participate in society, all of which has greatly improved their access to human rights and a higher quality of life.
Awarding of Medal and Plaque to Dr. Sakena Yacoobi
Founder Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon awards Afghan educator Dr. Sakena Yacoobi with the medal.
ⓒ 2017. Sunhak Peace Prize
Committee Chairman Dr. Il Sik Hong awards Afghan educator Dr. Sakena Yacoobi with the plaque.
ⓒ 2017. Sunhak Peace Prize
Sakena Yacoobi, Committee Chairman Dr. Il Sik Hong)
ⓒ 2017. Sunhak Peace Prize
Video of the awarding
Acceptance Speech
Afghan educator Dr. Sakena Yacoobi giving her Acceptance Speech during the 2017 Sunhak Peace Prize Award Ceremony.
ⓒ 2017. Sunhak Peace Prize
Video of Acceptance Speech
I am very honored to be chosen as one of the 2017 Sunhak Peace Prize laureates along with Dr. Gino Strada. I thank our host, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, members of the Sunhak Peace Prize Committee and my family and colleagues. Let us not forget, this prize established by Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, honors and represents the peace ideology of the late Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon. Reverend Moon believed we are “one global family.” This is true. We are living in a time where peace, love and wisdom needs to be at the forefront. God’s love does not discriminate by race, ethnicity, nationality, or religion. Reverend Moon reminded us of this. We must embrace peace as the road to resolving conflicts, building gender equality, and respect for all human beings.
I, myself, became a refugee in 1979 after the invasion of my country. My family all became refugees. I know what it feels like to be in a place where all of your rights have been taken away from you. I know how it feels to lose everything you have, including your dignity and self-confidence.
That is why I founded the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL), and that is why I have chosen to work with Afghan refugees and the resettlement of Afghan refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Afghanistan for the last 26 years. I wanted to find a way to help Afghans rebuild their self-respect and self-confidence; I wanted them to be able to trust again, rebuild their communities and reestablish their core values; I wanted them to be able to live in peace and harmony and have a sustainable way of life.
We are living in a world where people are being judged by religion, ethnicity, race, and gender. People are being labeled wrongly and being targeted by hate groups. We must rise above the hate. We must use our voices for good. We need to remove the injustice and eliminate poverty. War is not the answer to any problem. We must work together collectively to bring peace in this world. In order to do this, we need to share our knowledge and build a support system that provides sustainable results.
We see all around the world, millions of dollars are poured into countries that create an environment that does not bring peace or sustainability. The money is given to the government or organizations with no system in place to progressively develop the country. And sadly, the countries that need the most critical help are ignored. I truly believe that if we want to make a difference, we must set forth a creative program that involves the people. We must reach out to all community members; women, men and children. We need to give them all the necessary tools in life. We need to address education, health, skills, job opportunities, economics, environment, and above all human rights as it relates to responsibilities, values, compassion, love, and peace.
As I have shared previously with some of the United Nations and European Union organizations, when we give an opportunity to people and ask them what they know, what their skills are, how much they can give, you would be surprised to see the outcome. People want to feel valued. They want their voice to be heard. When they are heard, people gain confidence and want to take an active role in your program to ensure the success of the community and country. From the beginning you gain an important asset - the support and trust of the people. The human resources of the community will serve as the foundation that will build up the community and bring the people together.
When you share love, compassion and wisdom, you provide humanity with an indestructible base for living in peace and harmony that no one can take away. You create an environment where everyone respects each other’s rights and appreciates different cultures, traditions, religions and ideas. With love, compassion and wisdom as your base, then everyone globally can live in harmony and peace.
Thank you all.
I, myself, became a refugee in 1979 after the invasion of my country. My family all became refugees. I know what it feels like to be in a place where all of your rights have been taken away from you. I know how it feels to lose everything you have, including your dignity and self-confidence.
That is why I founded the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL), and that is why I have chosen to work with Afghan refugees and the resettlement of Afghan refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Afghanistan for the last 26 years. I wanted to find a way to help Afghans rebuild their self-respect and self-confidence; I wanted them to be able to trust again, rebuild their communities and reestablish their core values; I wanted them to be able to live in peace and harmony and have a sustainable way of life.
We are living in a world where people are being judged by religion, ethnicity, race, and gender. People are being labeled wrongly and being targeted by hate groups. We must rise above the hate. We must use our voices for good. We need to remove the injustice and eliminate poverty. War is not the answer to any problem. We must work together collectively to bring peace in this world. In order to do this, we need to share our knowledge and build a support system that provides sustainable results.
We see all around the world, millions of dollars are poured into countries that create an environment that does not bring peace or sustainability. The money is given to the government or organizations with no system in place to progressively develop the country. And sadly, the countries that need the most critical help are ignored. I truly believe that if we want to make a difference, we must set forth a creative program that involves the people. We must reach out to all community members; women, men and children. We need to give them all the necessary tools in life. We need to address education, health, skills, job opportunities, economics, environment, and above all human rights as it relates to responsibilities, values, compassion, love, and peace.
As I have shared previously with some of the United Nations and European Union organizations, when we give an opportunity to people and ask them what they know, what their skills are, how much they can give, you would be surprised to see the outcome. People want to feel valued. They want their voice to be heard. When they are heard, people gain confidence and want to take an active role in your program to ensure the success of the community and country. From the beginning you gain an important asset - the support and trust of the people. The human resources of the community will serve as the foundation that will build up the community and bring the people together.
When you share love, compassion and wisdom, you provide humanity with an indestructible base for living in peace and harmony that no one can take away. You create an environment where everyone respects each other’s rights and appreciates different cultures, traditions, religions and ideas. With love, compassion and wisdom as your base, then everyone globally can live in harmony and peace.
Thank you all.
It is a great honor to be chosen as a 2017 Sunhak Peace Prize Laureate. This year the Sunhak Peace Prize focuses its attention on the global refugee crisis. It is a privilege to be recognized along with Dr. Gino Strada as someone who has contributed to helping refugees and helping in their resettlement.
I, myself, became a refugee in 1979 after the invasion of my country. My family all became refugees. I know what it feels like to be in a place where all of your rights have been taken away from you. I know how it feels to lose everything you have, including your dignity and self-confidence. That is why I founded the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL), and that is why I have chosen to work with Afghan refugees and the resettlement of Afghan refugees and IDPs in Afghanistan for the last 24 years. I wanted to find a way to help Afghans rebuild their self-respect and self-confidence; I wanted them to be able to trust again, rebuild their communities and reestablish their core values; I wanted them to able to live in peace and harmony and have a sustainable way of life.
When I first went to the refugee camps in Pakistan, I saw courage in the women, men and children, but I also saw despair and hopelessness. I knew that I wanted to do something to transform the minds and spirits of my people. I knew that to build trust, I needed to listen to them; I needed to include them and their ideas in programs that they wanted, and I needed to ask each community to contribute something to their projects. Their contributions would give them self-worth and dignity. In other words, I wanted them to become partners with us. And, because education has changed my life, I decided that the solution to transforming the lives of my people lay in offering them holistic education—education that would empower them, give them health, critical thinking skills, and skills to earn a living so that they could be self-sufficient —education that would help them to be creative and have vision—education that gave them wisdom but also taught them about love and compassion. Most importantly, because I am a spiritual person and I believe that God created all of us as equal human beings, I made up my mind to include universal core values that bring peace and harmony for all in any work that I decided to do with my people.
When you share love, compassion and wisdom, you provide humanity with an indestructible base for living in peace and harmony that no one can take away. You create an environment where everyone respects each other’s rights and appreciates different cultures, traditions, religions and ideas. With love, compassion and wisdom as your base, then everyone globally can live in harmony and peace.
Globally, if all are educated and have equal opportunity for a holistic educational system, you can overcome poverty and disease. Then, there is no war. We live in an era of conflict, mass displacement, growing hatred and great distrust. We need to look at the situation deeply and remember that we are all humans created equally by God. We must share and collaborate with each other to make this world a better place for everyone.
Nov 29, 2016
Dr. Sakena Yacoobi
Dr. Sakena Yacoobi
| Written and edited by the Sunhak Peace Prize Foundation | |
| Format | Shin Kook Pan, 338 pp |
|---|---|
| Issue | January 25, 2018 |
| Category | Political and Social ISBN : 979-11-88794-04-1(03300) |
| Price | 15,000 won |
Contents
- -English ver
- -Korean ver
- Preface.
- Chapter 1. From Peace into the Vortex of Tragedy
- - Peace in Afghanistan is now but a memory
- - A father’s view on education
- - The treacherous refugee camps in Pakistan
- - Establishing the first refugee school with a Mullah
- Chapter 2. Building Afghanistan's Future
- - Establishing the Afghan Institute of Learning
- - The underground schools
- - The Mobile Literacy Program
- - Meeting the needs of the communities
- - The teacher training programs
- - What about the boys?
- - Healthcare for mothers and children
- Chapter 3. The Mother of Refugee Education
- - Education is the solution to the refugee crisis
- - Establishing an innovative model for refugee resettlement
- - Protecting women’s rights
- - The Love and Forgiveness Conference
- - Radio Meraj
- - A legacy of peace for future generations
- - Help is needed from the entire world
- Chapter 4. The Sunhak Peace Prize for Future Generations
- - The Sunhak Peace Prize award ceremony
- - Major achievements
- - Acceptance speech
- - World Summit speech
- Biography
Introduction
Dedicated her entire life for Afghan refugee education,
and proposed a fundamental solution to refugee resettlement
and proposed a fundamental solution to refugee resettlement
Dr. Sakena Yacoobi, an Afghan national who had studied in the United States, returned home and devoted her life to helping refugees recover their dignity that had been lost in the wars, and helping them reconstruct their nation. Through her work, she has demonstrated that education provides a fundamental solution for not just Afghan refugees, but for refugees all over the world.
The Sunhak Peace Prize Committee awards those who have peacefully led humanity towards a common destiny, and selected Italian surgeon Dr. Gino Strada and Afghan educator Dr. Sakena Yacoobi, as co-recipients of the 2017 Sunhak Peace Prize Award Ceremony, for their work to solve the refugee crisis.
Dr. Sakena Yacoobi established the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL) in 1995, with the belief that only education could offer a brighter future for refugees and has been lauded for providing education and vocational training to 14 million people for 22 years.
The Sunhak Peace Prize Committee awards those who have peacefully led humanity towards a common destiny, and selected Italian surgeon Dr. Gino Strada and Afghan educator Dr. Sakena Yacoobi, as co-recipients of the 2017 Sunhak Peace Prize Award Ceremony, for their work to solve the refugee crisis.
Dr. Sakena Yacoobi established the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL) in 1995, with the belief that only education could offer a brighter future for refugees and has been lauded for providing education and vocational training to 14 million people for 22 years.
Preview
Publisher's review
“Refugees are human being just like us, and have the same values that must be respected. Global efforts must be made to help them regain their confidence and reintegrate into society."
Commemorative book for the 2017 Sunhak Peace Prize laureate Dr. Sakena Yacoobi,
who devoted her life to refugee education.
who devoted her life to refugee education.
Refugee problems today are a concern for all of humanity. Violence of all sorts, including wars and terrorism, has utterly destroyed human life in many countries, causing millions of people to leave their homes. Even today, throughout the world, countless refugees are on the brink of death, struggling to survive in hunger and poverty. They are looking for new places to live, after being forced to leave their own homes and countries, suffering miserably in unfamiliar lands. As a result, the refugee problem has reached a point that the world can no longer ignore. In order to remind humanity that the world is still suffering due to misjudgement and conflicts of ideology, the Sunhak Peace Prize selected Dr. Sakena Yacoobi.
Dr. Sakena Yacoobi devoted her entire life to Afghanistan's refugee education, even under life-threatening circumstances, and proposed a fundamental solution to refugee resettlement by creating a holistic approach through which refugees could start their lives anew in their countries. She was also acknowledged for her contributions to improving Muslim women's rights and statuses, which had been defiled by men.
This book was published to make us reflect upon Dr. Sakena Yacoobi's accomplishments, and to honor her as a laureate of the 2017 Sunhak Peace Prize. We hope that readers of this book will find interest in the ongoing refugee crisis, and find inspiration to act towards the ideal of 'One Family under God'.
Dr. Sakena Yacoobi devoted her entire life to Afghanistan's refugee education, even under life-threatening circumstances, and proposed a fundamental solution to refugee resettlement by creating a holistic approach through which refugees could start their lives anew in their countries. She was also acknowledged for her contributions to improving Muslim women's rights and statuses, which had been defiled by men.
This book was published to make us reflect upon Dr. Sakena Yacoobi's accomplishments, and to honor her as a laureate of the 2017 Sunhak Peace Prize. We hope that readers of this book will find interest in the ongoing refugee crisis, and find inspiration to act towards the ideal of 'One Family under God'.
