In August 1999, in the aftermath of Somalia’s civil war, Educationist turned Rights Activist Hawa Aden Mohamed founded GECPD with a vision to address the immense suffering of women and girls. Our journey started with the construction of the GECPD Main Center on land that once housed an Adult Education Center destroyed during the war. This symbolic rebirth set the stage for our mission to provide education opportunities and improve the status of women and girls in Somalia. What began as an initiative to avail a venue to provide basic education and functional literacy skills has grown into a comprehensive organization addressing multiple facets of women’s empowerment. From our humble beginnings, we have expanded our reach to 16 districts across Puntland and Galmudug states, establishing schools, and women’s learning centers, running education and vocational training programs and advocacy initiatives on violence against women and other harmful social practices. Our integrated rights-based approach combines education, economic empowerment and social protection to create lasting change in the lives of Somali women and girls.