Umra Omar
{{short description|Kenyan humanitarian}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Umra Omar
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1983|06|15}}
| birth_place = Mombasa, Kenya
| nationality = Kenyan
| occupation = {{hlist|Humanitarian|community conservation strategist}}
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
}}
Umra Omar (June 15, 1983) is a Kenyan humanitarian and community conservation strategist.{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeharrison/2017/10/27/umra-omar-the-cnn-hero-on-why-she-works-in-a-danger-zone/#314cdf0c3758|title=Umra Omar: the CNN hero on why she works in a danger zone|last=Harrison|first=Mike|website=Forbes.com|access-date=October 19, 2018|language=en}} 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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/gallery/2017/oct/05/when-the-boat-comes-in-safari-doctors-kenya-in-pictures|title=When the boat comes in: the Safari Doctors of Kenya – in pictures|date=2017-10-05|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=October 19, 2018|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} In 2016, Umra Omar was named a Top 10 CNN Hero,{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/08/25/health/cnn-heroes-umra-omar-safari-doctors/index.html|title=Group braves danger delivering health care to rural Kenya|last1=Torgan|first1=Ali|website=CNN|access-date=May 18, 2018}} and in 2017, she was named the UN in Kenya Person of the Year along with the rest of the Safari Doctors team.{{cite web|url=https://www.unicnairobi.org/news-and-events/umra-omar-of-safari-doctors-is-the-2017-un-person-of-the-year/|title=Umra Omar of Safari Doctors is the '2017 UN Person of the Year'|date=2018-03-08|website=Uunicnairobi.org|access-date=May 17, 2018}}
Early life and education
Umra Omar was born in Mombasa, Kenya, on June 15, 1983. 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. 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uwc.org/news/?pid=37&nid=3&storyid=3525|title=Founder of Safari Doctors on "Creating Your Sweet Spot"|website=Uwc.org|access-date=October 19, 2018}}
After completing the International Baccalaureate program at Atlantic College,{{cite web|title=Umra Omar - A UWC Atlantic Alumna that is a 2016 CNN Hero|url=http://uwckenya.org/umra-omar-a-uwc-atlantic-alumna-that-is-a-2016-cnn-hero/|website=Uwckenya.org|access-date=May 17, 2018|date=2016-12-14}} Umra was awarded a scholarship to attend Oberlin College in Ohio. 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.{{Cite news|url=http://www.okayafrica.com/umra-omar/|title=UMRA OMAR|date=2017-03-06|work=Okayafrica.com|access-date=October 19, 2018|language=en}}
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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thewomenseye.com/2016/10/11/twe-interview-umra-omar-cnn-hero-founder-safari-doctors/|title=TWE Interview: CNN Hero Umra Omar and Safari Doctors|date=2016-10-11|website=Thewomenseye.com|access-date=October 19, 2018|language=en-US}}
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.{{cite web | url=https://www.umurage.org/featured-legacy-makers/2019/7/5/umra-omar-of-kenya-for-all-the-children-who-die-before-having-a-name | title=Umra Omar of Kenya - for all the children who die before having a name|website=Umurage.org}} 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,{{cite web|url=https://www.osiea.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/AMPLIFYING-VOICES-English-2012.pdf |format=PDF|title=Amplifying Voices|website=Osiea.org|access-date=11 August 2022}} arts and culture,{{cite web|url=https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/uploads/c041ae3c-3ee6-4c09-97a6-cb4e569e419b/amplifying-voices-20130901.pdf|format=PDF|title=Amplifying Voices|website=Opensocietyfoundations.org|access-date=11 August 2022}} harm reduction services for sex workers{{cite web | url=https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/voices/kenya-s-invisible-women | title=Kenya's Invisible Women|website=Opensocietyfoundations.org}} and drug users, gender and sexual rights including of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) vulnerable communities, social justice,{{cite web | url=https://search.issuelab.org/resource/reflections.html | title=Reflections|website=Search.issuelab.org}} among many others.{{cite web|url=https://creaworld.org/wp-content/uploads/annual-reports/CREA%20Annual%20Report-2009-%202012.pdf |title=Creating Feminist Networks for Social Change, Strengthening Civil Society Organizations and Empowering Women : Combined Annual Report 2009-2012|website=Creaworld.org|access-date=11 August 2022}}
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,{{Cite web|url=https://creaworld.org/|title=CREA - Feminist Human Rights - Home|website=Creaworld.org|access-date=11 August 2022}} 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.{{cite web | url=http://clam.org.br/en/news/conteudo.asp?cod=7766 | title=CREA's 5th Sexuality, Gender and Rights Institute|website=Clam.org.br}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://fileserver.idpc.net/library/CUT_conference_report_2011.pdf |format=PDF|title=Conference Report|date=July 2012|website=Fileserver.idpc.net|access-date=11 August 2022}}
In 2014, Umra went vacation to visit her family in Lamu, Kenya. 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.{{Cite book|title=Where Am I Giving: A Global Adventure Exploring How to Use Your Gifts and Talents to Make a Difference|last=Timmerman|first=Kelsey|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|year=2018|isbn=978-1119454236|location=Hoboken, New Jersey|pages=187–206}}
In 2016, Safari Doctors conducted its very first medical sail. Currently, Safari Doctors reaches hundreds of patients a month, primarily women and children,{{Cite news|url=https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/doctors-with-boats-how-a-kenya-woman-is-keeping-he/|title=Doctors With Boats: How a Kenyan Woman Is Keeping Her People Healthy|work=Globalcitizen.org|access-date=2018-10-19}} 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. The following year, she was named the UN in Kenya Person of the Year.
Personal life and family
Umra Omar is married and has two young children. In 2016 Umra founded a small private pre-school to serve families who live on the island.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nation.co.ke/lifestyle/saturday/Taking-medical-help-to-the-people/1216-3826222-aglit0z/index.html|title=WOMAN OF PASSION: Taking medical help to the people|work=Daily Nation|access-date=2018-10-19|language=en-UK}}
Awards and recognition
- Umra Omar, Top 10 CNN Hero 2016{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/08/25/health/cnn-heroes-umra-omar-safari-doctors/index.html|title=Bringing doctors to rural Kenya, despite danger|first=Allie |last=Torgan|work=Cnn.com|access-date=2018-10-19}}
- Safari Doctors and Umra Omar, UN In Kenya Person of the Year 2017{{Cite news|url=https://www.unicnairobi.org/news-and-events/umra-omar-of-safari-doctors-is-the-2017-un-person-of-the-year/|title=Umra Omar of Safari Doctors is the '2017 UN Person of the Year'|date=2018-03-08|work=Unicnairobi.org|access-date=2018-10-19|language=en-US}}
- Safari Doctors, African Leaders 4 Change Award 2017{{Cite news|url=http://africacharityawards.org/awardees/|title=AWARDEES - African Leaders 4 Change|website=Africacharityawards.org|access-date=2018-10-19|language=en-US}}
- Umra Omar, Top 40 Under 40 in Kenya 2017{{Cite news|url=https://www.newsday.co.ke/top-10-under-40-women-in-kenya-2017/|title=Top 10 Under 40 Women in Kenya 2017|date=2017-10-23|work=NewsDay.co.ke|access-date=2018-10-19|language=en-US}}
- OkayAfrica's 100 Women 2017
- WEF Young Global Leader 2019
References
{{reflist}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Omar, Umra}}