NAMUTAMBA NUBUWATI, Salafi Women Leader & Bridges to Peace Project beneficiary, Bugiri District
Nubuwati participated in a 2- day Salafi Women Leaders training in strategies for Preventing/ Countering Violent Extremism. She also later on in the project represented Salafi women in a dialogue between the Salafi Community and Local government leaders whose institutional mandates have a bearing on the community drivers of violent extremist recruitment. The trainings on their part aimed to spur and strengthen the role of Salafi Women leaders in addressing conditions conducive to violent extremism in their communities.
Topics covered included; Why the women’s voice matters in peace and development, Cycle of Socialization & Liberation, Power, 4 Resources for personal resilience, building peace through strengthening social systems and programs, building peace through economic empowerment programs, and building peace through accelerating civic participation & engagement.
Under the theme of mindset change, the Salafi women leaders were introduced to an Inter-faith exchange with women of other faith groups that drew women leaders from the Catholic Church, Seventh day Adventist Church, Anglican Church, and Pentecostal Church who shared their experiences in confidence-building, women organizing, institutional building, and women development.
Nubuwati was fired up. She categorically stated that emboldened by the project, she decided to attend a training that was organized in her locality on the Parish Development Model ( PDM)– a newly launched government development program. She had over heard people saying this money had interest and could not benefit Muslims.
When she attended the government training, she had learnt that PDM funds had no interest in the first year someone received it and that if she repaid the money during this period, that was favorable for her as a Muslim. She applied and now got a PDM loan of USD530 which she is using to recapitalize her business. Being a leader of her stature and influence, she continues to inspire other Salafi women to actively participate in local government meetings, and also embrace government development programs that didn’t compromise their values as Muslims.
Active participation of Salafi in public affairs and government development programs erases feelings of real and perceived marginalisation that may push some community members into the hands of extremists as a way to seek justice. The Bridges to Peace Project is a multi-faceted P/CVE action implemented by Uganda Muslim Youth Development Forum and Kofi Annan Foundation, and is supported by the European Union.
