Umra Omar

Last updated
Umra Omar
Born (1983-06-15) June 15, 1983 (age 39)
Mombasa, Kenya
NationalityKenyan
Occupations
  • Humanitarian
  • community conservation strategist

Umra Omar (June 15, 1983) is a Kenyan humanitarian and community conservation strategist. [1] [2] She is the founder of Safari Doctors, an organization that delivers primary medical care and health education by boat, air, and land to Bajuni and Aweer communities in Lamu, Kenya. [3] In 2016, Umra Omar was named a Top 10 CNN Hero, [4] and in 2017, she was named the UN in Kenya Person of the Year along with the rest of the Safari Doctors team. [5]

Contents

Early life and education

Umra Omar was born in Mombasa, Kenya, on June 15, 1983. [4] Umra and her sister spent their early childhood in Tchundwa, on Lamu Island, while her mother went to the United States to pursue higher education. [6] [2] For the duration of her primary school years, Umra studied in Nairobi. When she was 17, she was admitted into the UWC Atlantic College in Wales. [7]

After completing the International Baccalaureate program at Atlantic College, [8] Umra was awarded a scholarship to attend Oberlin College in Ohio. [9] She completed her first degree in neuroscience and psychology, and pursued her master's degree in social justice: intercultural relations at the World Learning Institute in Vermont. [9]

Career and philanthropy

After completing schooling, Umra worked in Washington DC and lived briefly in New York. Between 2012 and 2014, she worked back and forth between her home country and New York City. [6]

In 2010, Umra moved back to Nairobi to work with the Open Society Initiative for Eastern Africa (OSIEA) for a few years before going back to the US. [10] At OSIEA, she worked as the health and rights program assistant with where she was an editor and writer on various topics on health and social rights including sexual equality, [11] arts and culture, [12] harm reduction services for sex workers [13] and drug users, [11] gender and sexual rights including of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) vulnerable communities, social justice, [14] among many others. [15]

She was a participant various global and national conferences and workshops on behalf of OSIEA including CREA's Global Sexuality, Gender and Rights Institute in 2011, [16] an international, feminist, human rights organization which promotes and advances women's human rights and sexual rights of all people by strengthening feminist leadership, organizations and movements. [17] She also participated in the 2nd Harm reduction conference in Mauritius where she presented on empowering female drug users and sex workers in Malindi, Kenya. [18]

In 2014, Umra went vacation to visit her family in Lamu, Kenya. [6] She was introduced to a French mobile medical project that had become defunct when Al-Shabaab increased their attacks in Lamu County, and along with the nurse, Harrison Kalu, revived what would later become Safari Doctors. [19]

In 2016, Safari Doctors conducted its very first medical sail. [4] Currently, Safari Doctors reaches hundreds of patients a month, primarily women and children, [20] and runs a Youth Health Ambassador program that aims to facilitate youth leadership. Because of the organization's work, Umra Omar was named a Top 10 CNN Hero 2016. [5] The following year, she was named the UN in Kenya Person of the Year. [21]

Personal life and family

Umra Omar is married and has two young children. [1] In 2016 Umra founded a small private pre-school to serve families who live on the island. [22]

Awards and recognition

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebecca Walker</span> American writer

Rebecca Walker is an American writer, feminist, and activist. Walker has been regarded as one of the prominent voices of Third Wave Feminism, and the coiner of the term "third wave", since publishing a 1992 article on feminism in Ms. magazine called "Becoming the Third Wave", in which she proclaimed: "I am the Third Wave."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamu County</span> County in Kenya

Lamu County is a county of Kenya located along the North Coast of the country and is one of the six Coastal Counties in Kenya. Its capital is the town of Lamu. It borders Tana River County to the southwest, Garissa County to the north, Somalia to the northeast, and the Indian Ocean to the South.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamu Island</span>

Lamu Island is a port, city, and island just off the shore of Kenya in the Indian Ocean approximately 150 miles from Mombasa. It is a part of the East African country of Kenya. Lamu was founded in the 12th century. Lamu is one of the longest-established and best-preserved remaining settlements of the Swahili tradition in east Africa that remains today. The island has continually been inhabited for over seven hundred years, and continues to be an important center in eastern Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Musimbi Kanyoro</span> Kenyan activist

Musimbi Kanyoro is a Kenyan human rights advocate who served as the CEO and President of the Global Fund for Women from 2011 until 2019, and currently serves as Chair of the International Board of the United World Colleges. She is a founding member of the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians, and was elected as the first coordinator of the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians at the continental gathering in 1996, a post she held until 2002.

CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute is a television special created by CNN to honor individuals who make extraordinary contributions to humanitarian aid and make a difference in their communities. The program was started in 2007. Since 2016, the program was hosted by Anderson Cooper and Kelly Ripa. Honorees are introduced during the fall of each year and the audience is encouraged to vote online for the CNN Hero of the Year. Ten recipients are honored and each receive US$10,000. The top recipient is chosen as the CNN Hero of the Year and receives an additional US$100,000 to continue their work. During the broadcast celebrating their achievements, the honorees are introduced by celebrities who actively support their charity work. To celebrate the 10th anniversary, the 2016 edition had an additional segment where five previous Hero of the Year winners were chosen as candidates for the Superhero of the Year award, which was decided with an online poll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sylvia Tamale</span> Ugandan academic and activist

Sylvia Rosila Tamale is a Ugandan academic, and human rights activist in Uganda. She was the first woman dean in the Law Faculty at Makerere University, Uganda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judith Mackay</span>

Judith Longstaff Mackay, SBS, OBE, JP, FRCP (Edin), FRCP (Lon) is a British-born and Hong Kong–based medical doctor and international tobacco control advocate who has led a campaign against tobacco in Asia from 1984 onwards, campaigning for tax increases to discourage youth smoking, for the creation of smoke-free areas, and against tobacco promotion. Her main interests are tobacco in low-income countries, women and tobacco, and challenging the transnational tobacco companies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wanuri Kahiu</span> Kenyan filmmaker

Wanuri Kahiu is a Kenyan film director, producer, and author. She is considered to be “one of Africa's most aspiring directors, being part of a new, vibrant crop of talents representing contemporary African culture”. She has received several awards and nominations for the films which she directed, including the awards for Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Picture at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2009 for her dramatic feature film From a Whisper. She is also the co-founder of AFROBUBBLEGUM, a media collective dedicated to supporting African art for its own sake.

Myriam Merlet was a political activist, scholar and economist who served as Chief of Staff of Haiti's Ministry for Gender and the Rights of Women, from 2006 to 2008. One of the particular focuses of her work was on how rape and rape culture is used as a political weapon, and was not considered a criminal offense in Haiti until 2005.

Qanta A. Ahmed is a British-American physician who came to prominence as a doctor specializing in sleep disorders. She has also worked as an author, women's rights activist, journalist and public commentator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abortion-rights movements</span> Social movement advocating for legal access to abortion

Abortion-rights movements, also self-styled as pro-choice movements, advocate for the right to have legal access to induced abortion services including elective abortion. They seek to represent and support women who wish to terminate their pregnancy without fear of legal or social backlash. These movements are in direct opposition to anti-abortion movements.

Kakenya Ntaiya is a Kenyan educator, feminist and social activist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaa Murabit</span> Canadian physician; womens rights and youth activist

Alaa Murabit M.D. is a Libyan-Canadian physician, Meritorious Service Cross recipient, one of 17 Global Sustainable Development Goals Advocates appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and a UN High-Level Commissioner on Health Employment and Economic growth. In 2019 Murabit was selected as one of the Top 20 of the World's 100 Most Influential People in Gender Policy alongside Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Melinda Gates, and Michelle Obama. Murabit is the co-founder of The Omnis Institute, an independent non-profit organization that aims to work on critical global issues through the empowerment of emerging local leaders. She previously founded and spearheaded Voice of Libyan Women at the age of 21.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jill Filipovic</span> American feminist, lawyer, and author (born 1983)

Jill Nicole Filipovic is an American author and lawyer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women in law</span> Involvement of women in the study and practice of law

Women in law describes the role played by women in the legal profession and related occupations, which includes lawyers, paralegals, prosecutors, judges, legal scholars, law professors and law school deans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ilhan Omar</span> American politician (born 1982)

Ilhan Abdullahi Omar is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Minnesota's 5th congressional district since 2019. She is a member of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party. Before her election to Congress, Omar served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2017 to 2019, representing part of Minneapolis. Her congressional district includes all of Minneapolis and some of its first-ring suburbs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirthi Jayakumar</span> Indian womens rights activist

Kirthi Jayakumar is a peace educator, a women, peace, and security and feminist foreign policy practitioner, lawyer and writer. She is a Commonwealth Scholar, a Vital Voices (VV) Lead Fellow, a VV Engage Fellow, a Local Pathways Fellow, and a World Pulse Impact Leader. Kirthi is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. She served as an advisor to the G7 through the Women7 under the German Presidency of the G7 in 2022, and currently under the Japanese Presidency of the G7 in 2023, and was named as one of UN Women Asia Pacific's 30 for 2030.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Intersex rights in Kenya</span>

Intersex people in Kenya face significant human rights violations, starting from birth. There are few protections from mutilation and non-consensual cosmetic medical interventions and no legislative protection from discrimination. Intersex persons may have difficulties in obtaining birth certificates and others forms of documentation.

Malya Villard-Appolon is a Haitian activist for women's rights and domestic violence prevention. She is the cofounder of the Commission of Women Victims for Victims (KOFAVIV), an organization that provides services and support to victims of violence against women in Haiti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nelly Cheboi</span> 2022 CNN Hero winner

Nelly Cheboi is the founder of TechLit Africa, an organization that teaches digital skills in rural primary schools, and the winner of the 2022 CNN Hero award.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Torgan, Allie. "Bringing doctors to rural Kenya, despite danger". Cnn.com. Retrieved 2018-10-19.
  2. 1 2 Harrison, Mike. "Umra Omar: the CNN hero on why she works in a danger zone". Forbes.com. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
  3. ↑ "When the boat comes in: the Safari Doctors of Kenya – in pictures". The Guardian . 2017-10-05. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved October 19, 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 Torgan, Ali. "Group braves danger delivering health care to rural Kenya". Edition.cnn.com. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
  5. 1 2 "Umra Omar of Safari Doctors is the '2017 UN Person of the Year'". Uunicnairobi.org. 2018-03-08. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 "TWE Interview: CNN Hero Umra Omar and Safari Doctors". Thewomenseye.com. 2016-10-11. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Founder of Safari Doctors on "Creating Your Sweet Spot"". Uwc.org. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Umra Omar - A UWC Atlantic Alumna that is a 2016 CNN Hero". Uwckenya.org. 2016-12-14. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  9. 1 2 3 "UMRA OMAR". Okayafrica.com. 2017-03-06. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Umra Omar of Kenya - for all the children who die before having a name". Umurage.org.
  11. 1 2 "Amplifying Voices" (PDF). Osiea.org. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  12. ↑ "Amplifying Voices" (PDF). Opensocietyfoundations.org. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  13. ↑ "Kenya's Invisible Women". Opensocietyfoundations.org.
  14. ↑ "Reflections". Search.issuelab.org.
  15. ↑ "Creating Feminist Networks for Social Change, Strengthening Civil Society Organizations and Empowering Women : Combined Annual Report 2009-2012" (PDF). Creaworld.org. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  16. ↑ "CREA - Feminist Human Rights - Home". Creaworld.org. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  17. ↑ "CREA's 5th Sexuality, Gender and Rights Institute". Clam.org.br.
  18. ↑ "Conference Report" (PDF). Fileserver.idpc.net. July 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  19. ↑ Timmerman, Kelsey (2018). Where Am I Giving: A Global Adventure Exploring How to Use Your Gifts and Talents to Make a Difference. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 187–206. ISBN   978-1119454236.
  20. ↑ "Doctors With Boats: How a Kenyan Woman Is Keeping Her People Healthy". Globalcitizen.org. Retrieved 2018-10-19.
  21. 1 2 "Umra Omar of Safari Doctors is the '2017 UN Person of the Year'". Unicnairobi.org. 2018-03-08. Retrieved 2018-10-19.
  22. ↑ "WOMAN OF PASSION: Taking medical help to the people". Daily Nation. Retrieved 2018-10-19.
  23. ↑ "AWARDEES - African Leaders 4 Change". Africacharityawards.org. Retrieved 2018-10-19.
  24. ↑ "Top 10 Under 40 Women in Kenya 2017". NewsDay.co.ke. 2017-10-23. Retrieved 2018-10-19.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.