Nigerian activist Rebecca Dali received the prestigious Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation award for her humanitarian work with those abducted by Boko Haram militants. She accepted the award on August 19, 2017, at the UN European headquarters in Geneva.
Dali’s organization, Center for Caring Empowerment and Peace Initiative, has provided victims of Boko Haram with food, shelter, skills training, and trauma care. Because the government is taking responsibility for the reintegration of the Chiobk girls, Dali and her team focus their efforts more on widows, orphans, and the many others who have been abducted by the terrorist organization. She notes that when they return, they are often rejected by their families and society. She advocates on behalf of these victims, pushing for reconciliation and asking communities to accept them.
Upon receiving the award, Dali remarked, “The award came to me as a miracle from God. So, it will urge me to do more. It is really going to help me.”
To read more about Rebecca Dali’s work and award, click here.
