Deqa Aden of Somaliland Among The New Cohort of Obama Foundation Scholars
The Obama Foundation is proud to announce its fifth cohort of Obama Scholars, 30 emerging leaders from around the world who will study at either Columbia University or the University of Chicago for the 2022-2023 academic year. The Scholars will participate in a unique set of activities led by each academic institution and will jointly participate in Foundation-led leadership development programming that aims to provide training, networking activities, and individualized support as they work to expand their efforts after graduation. The Foundation’s programming will kick off on Thursday, September 15, at the University of Chicago.
“The Obama Scholars program provides students with the unique opportunity to give and gain insight into the work that fellow young leaders are driving in their communities, while speaking to the intersectionality of their efforts through collaboration,” said Obama Foundation Chief Executive Officer Valerie Jarrett. “We are eager to welcome the new cohort of Scholars to the Foundation family–a network of change makers tirelessly working for a more equitable future.”
The newly expanded program at the University of Chicago will welcome 18 Scholars from across campus who are current students in their final year of study in a master’s program at either the Booth School of Business, the Harris School of Public Policy, or the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. As a part of the co-curricular programming, these Scholars will experience and examine how engaging with partners on the South Side of Chicago can lead to policies that help solve pervasive problems in communities across the globe.
“The University of Chicago Obama Foundation Scholars Program provides students with a unique opportunity to engage with communities across Chicago and the world,” said University of Chicago President Paul Alivisatos. “Much like a University of Chicago education, the program’s interdisciplinary approach prepares emerging leaders to address our most complex problems.”
DEQA ADEN – SOMALILAND
Former Manager, Harhub
Empowering victims of gender-based violence in Somaliland by providing access to legal services, medical, and psychosocial treatments.
Deqa Aden was recently a Manager at Harhub, a business incubator in Somaliland that creates jobs for vulnerable youth across the country through mentorship and grant investments. Deqa previously worked at the World Bank’s Finance Competitiveness and Innovation global practice, where she handled projects aimed at supporting fragile, conflict-affected countries with a focus on marginalized youth and women. Through these impact-driven investment projects, Deqa found her unwavering passion for working at the nexus between economics and gender-politics. In the near future, Deqa plans to establish a holistic advocacy center for victims of gender-based violence in memory of her late mother, Amran Abdi, a fierce advocate for education and women’s rights.
Deqa is pursuing a master’s degree from the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy.