Ceel‑Afweyn: Reviving a City of Peace through Youth and Community Action

By Hassan M. Jama

Introduction: A City Once Known for Harmony

Ceel‑Afweyn, located in the western part of Sanaag region, Somaliland, was once a shining symbol of peace, mutual respect, and deep-rooted community ties. It wasn’t just a place—it was a feeling. Families were closely intertwined: cousins, nephews, and uncles all living together like a single, large family. The affection between them was so powerful and natural that the town earned a name that reflected its harmony: “Habar-lamaan”—meaning people so bonded, it left others in awe.

But that harmony was shattered.

For nine painful years, intercommunal conflict tore through Ceel‑Afweyn. The relationships that once held the community together began to fray—trust was broken, services collapsed, and fear replaced friendship.

This blog post reflects on my 23-day peace engagement experience in Ceel‑Afweyn, where I worked closely with local youth, community leaders, and residents—reconnecting people, sharing stories, and planting a new seed of peace in the form of a public library.

1. Ceel‑Afweyn: Once a Model of Peace and Social Unity

Before the conflict, Ceel‑Afweyn felt like one large extended family. Everyone had:

  • A cousin they grew up with,

  • An uncle they admired and visited freely,

  • A best friend they went to school with and played football together.

The community shared:

  • Vast grazing lands, where pastoralists coexisted in peace and helped each other thrive.

  • Fruitful farms, which sustained families and fostered cooperation.

  • A bustling fishing coastline, where trade and livelihoods flourished.

Generosity, respect, and interdependence were part of everyday life. The name Habar-lamaan wasn't just a title—it was an identity rooted in harmony.

2. The Nine Years of Conflict: When Family Became Strangers

Then came a darkness that lasted almost a decade.

  • Schools were closed,

  • Health centers stopped functioning,

  • Basic services vanished,

  • And most painfully, relatives stopped speaking to one another.

Youth who once shared classrooms, football fields, and dreams now avoided eye contact in their hometown. One particularly striking story I heard:

"When we’re in Hargeisa or Ceerigaabo, we’re close friends—we eat together, joke together. But the moment we return to Ceel‑Afweyn, we each go our separate way, as if we don’t know each other."

This wasn’t just conflict. It was emotional devastation.

3. My 23-Day Journey: Reconnecting Youth, Rekindling Hope

For 23 days, I worked with more than 50 young people from both sides of the conflict. The first night we sat together, you could see the surprise—and the joy—in their faces. It was like meeting long-lost brothers.

“This guy and I used to play football every afternoon when we were kids,” said one participant, “I haven’t seen him in nine years—not once in town.”

This was more than reconciliation—it was rediscovery. Each conversation, each handshake, was a small victory against the weight of years gone by.

4. The Library: Where Peace Found a Home Again

Amid these discussions, a powerful idea emerged: a public library. But not just any library—one designed as a hub of healing and community rebuilding.

The library became:

  • A learning space: where youth read books together, participated in trainings, and accessed knowledge freely.

  • A safe forum: where open discussions, debates, and artistic expressions took place—bridging gaps through dialogue.

  • A relationship builder: where youth from both formerly opposing sides studied side by side, dreamt together, and grew closer once again.

The library is now a symbol of peace in Ceel‑Afweyn—a place where pens replaced grudges and books built bridges.

5. The Role of Youth: The Backbone of Peacebuilding

If we want lasting peace, we must recognize and empower young people. From what I saw firsthand:

  • With even small financial support, such as micro-grants or startup seed funding, youth can create jobs and reduce tensions.

  • If included in local decision-making, they can become powerful agents of unity.

  • When given training on leadership and conflict resolution, they can lead their communities to healing.

Young people are not the problem—they are the solution. If they feel heard, supported, and trusted, they will protect peace more fiercely than anyone else.

6. Recommendations and a Call to Action

To sustain the progress made in Ceel‑Afweyn, and to replicate it in other conflict-affected areas, we must:

For Local Governments:

  • Open doors to youth in district decision-making.

  • Include peace and reconciliation in local development agendas.

For NGOs and Development Partners:

  • Invest in libraries, youth centers, and creative social spaces.

  • Support youth-led initiatives and economic empowerment programs.

For Civil Society:

  • Train and equip neutral youth-led peace committees.

  • Promote dialogue and storytelling as tools for rebuilding.

Let the library be more than a building—let it be the birthplace of new ideas, social healing, and youth-driven transformation.

Conclusion: From Habar-lamaan to Hope Again

The stories I heard in Ceel‑Afweyn taught me that peace is not something you inherit—it’s something you grow. It needs effort, dialogue, forgiveness, and most importantly, trust.

The new library in Ceel‑Afweyn is not just a building with books—it’s a beacon of reconciliation. It’s a space where cousins talk again, where friends meet again, where dreams are shared again.

Youth are leading this change. They have the energy, the memories, and the motivation to protect what was once broken.

Now, it’s up to the rest of us—community elders, institutions, development actors—to nurture their efforts, amplify their voices, and open more doors.

Let’s help Ceel‑Afweyn reclaim its legacy—not only as the town of Habar-lamaan, but as a national symbol of what youth-led peace can truly achieve.

#PeaceBuilding #CeelAfweyn #YouthLeadership #Somaliland #CommunityReconciliation #LibrariesForPeace #HabarLamaan


the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the eil-afwayn public library
 

a community meeting between the district administration and local residents to discuss practical ways of achieving lasting peace.     


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