Hope and Resilience in the Face of Crisis: Maimouna Ba Wins UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award
In a powerful symbol of hope and resilience, Maimouna Ba, a tireless advocate for forcibly displaced women and children in Burkina Faso, has been named the 2024 UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award’s Regional Winner for Africa. The Nansen Refugee Award recognizes individuals and organizations that have shown outstanding dedication in protecting refugees, forcibly displaced, and stateless people.
Maimouna’s work has empowered over 400 forcibly displaced women to achieve financial independence and enabled more than 100 forcibly displaced children to return to school. Her efforts to address the critical needs of forcibly displaced people in the Central Sahel, where over 3.4 million people are displaced, offer both educational opportunities and economic empowerment to those most affected by the ongoing crisis.
Born in the Sahel region, Maimouna belongs to the first generation of women in her family to receive a formal education. Despite the many challenges she faced, Maimouna pursued her studies and earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management. Her commitment to empowering women and children led her to co-found an organization focused on entrepreneurship, combating gender-based violence, and fostering peaceful coexistence.
Maimouna’s scholarship initiative provides education, psychosocial support, and protection from exploitation for orphaned and displaced children. Her leadership and dedication have earned her widespread recognition, including the affectionate title of "Maman Sahélienne" (Mother of the Sahel).
As the UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award’s 2024 Regional Winner for Africa, Maimouna’s work stands as a beacon of hope for displaced people across the continent, showcasing the power of local leadership and grassroots action to transform lives amid adversity. The awards will be presented at a ceremony in Geneva on October 14, hosted by South African actress Nomzamo Mbatha and featuring a performance by Moldovan opera singer Valentina Naforniƫa.
Maimouna’s recognition is a testament to her tireless efforts to empower forcibly displaced women and children, and her work serves as an inspiration to others working towards peacebuilding and community empowerment.
