The Inner Foundation for Peacebuilding -- Afghanistan and Beyond
Sakena Yacoobi has been working in Afghanistan for years, helping provide an education to girls and women. Sakena will share the inner foundation of peace that empowers her to work in the face of tremendous challenges, including when she operated hidden schools during the Taliban regime.
Dr. Sakena Yacoobi
Dr. Sakena Yacoobi is Executive Director and founder of the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL). Established in 1995 to provide grassroots education and health services, AIL has served more than 11 million Afghans and was the first organization to offer human rights and leadership training to Afghan women. Dr. Yacoobi is an Ashoka Fellow, Skoll Social Entrepreneur and Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur. She has received many awards, including: the Peter Gruber Foundation Women’s Rights Prize, the NED Democracy Award, the Jonathan Mann Award for Global Health and Human Rights, the Afghan National Peace Award, the German Media Award, the Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership, and the Opus Prize. Dr. Yacoobi has honorary doctorates from four universities, serves on the board of the Creating Hope International, is on the advisory boards of the New Global Citizens and the Millennium Campus Network and is a Commissioner for the Women’s Refugee Commission.
