GODANO YUSSUF

Godano Yusuf is a purpose driven young grassroots leader from the Borana community in Isiolo County, working at the intersection of social justice, youth empowerment, and the protection of women and girls across ASAL regions. Affiliated with ICPD25 Youth Coalition, she brings together program development experience and hands on community engagement, working alongside both civil society organizations and government actors to advance rights based and youth centered development.

Her commitment to this work is deeply personal. Growing up as an “uncut” girl in a context where FGM was widely normalized, Godano’s early life was shaped by parents who resisted harmful cultural practices and prioritized education and protection for their children. This lived experience of resilience and choice became the foundation of his advocacy. Today, it drives her determination to ensure that other girls and young people have the same access to safety, education, and opportunity.

Godano works with young people, women, and girls to address harmful practices such as FGM and gender based violence while promoting girls’ education, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and youth empowerment. Her work focuses on awareness raising, information dissemination, mentorship, and supporting community driven solutions that strengthen both knowledge and agency among young people. She also plays an active role in regional youth dialogues and national youth networks, helping to elevate grassroots voices into broader policy and advocacy spaces.

One of the most meaningful aspects of her journey is witnessing the long term impact of mentorship especially seeing young women she has supported reach university and continue their education. These moments reinforce her belief in the power of guidance, opportunity, and consistent support in shaping futures. They remain a strong source of motivation in her continued work. Godano has faced significant challenges, particularly the perception that young people lack the knowledge or experience to meaningfully contribute to complex social and policy discussions. At times, this has resulted in her ideas being overlooked or undervalued in both community and professional spaces. Despite this, she continues to advocate for youth inclusion, insisting that meaningful change requires trusting young people as equal partners in development and decision making.

Her approach is rooted in connection, trust building, and practical community engagement. She is able to navigate conversations across different social and cultural groups, which allows her to address sensitive issues in ways that encourage openness rather than resistance. By combining advocacy with practical, community driven solutions, she ensures that her work is both relevant and sustainable. For Godano, sisterhood is about being surrounded by strong, like minded women who challenge, inspire, and push each other toward growth and accountability. She sees the Sister-to-Sister Initiative as an important platform for learning across cultures and experiences, and for strengthening collective impact among women leaders working at the grassroots level.

 

She strongly believes that grassroots financing is not optional but essential, arguing that those closest to communities must be empowered with resources to lead meaningful change. Her vision is a future

 

where girls and women are confident, independent, and free from harmful practices and discrimination, and where young people fully realize their economic and social potential. Driven by resilience, courage, empathy, and bold leadership, Godano continues to work toward a future where young people are not only included in change processes but are actively shaping the systems that define their lives.



There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.

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