Implemented By: Rotary Club of Yola & American University of Nigeria (AUN)

About the Project:

In response to the violent insurgency by Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria, the Rotary Club of Yola, in collaboration with the American University of Nigeria (AUN) and the Adamawa Peace Initiative (API), launched a series of community-driven programs to support displaced families, educate vulnerable youth, and build peace in a region ravaged by conflict.

As tens of thousands fled attacks and sought refuge in Yola, Rotarians and university leaders, led by AUN President Margee Ensign, mobilized resources to deliver emergency food aid, education, and psychosocial support. With over 400,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the city at the height of the crisis, the coalition provided critical support when international and government responses lagged.

The Adamawa Peace Initiative was awarded the 2016 Tomorrow’s Peacebuilders Award by UK-based Peace Direct. Its inclusive, community-first approach—blending relief, education, and dialogue, helped counter radicalization and restore hope to thousands affected by insurgency.

This Rotary-supported effort in Yola showcases how grassroots partnerships between universities, local leaders, and Rotarians can deliver scalable solutions in the face of violence, displacement, and humanitarian need.

Safecity: Breaking the Silence on Sexual Harassment Through Technology and Community Action

Implemented By: Safecity Foundation, in collaboration with Rotary Peace Fellows and Rotary Clubs in India
About the Project:

In response to the alarming prevalence of sexual harassment in India—where only 1% of women report such crimes—Elsa Marie D’Silva, a Rotary Peace Fellow, founded the Safecity app, a digital platform that empowers survivors to report incidents of sexual and gender-based violence anonymously and without fear of shame.

Launched after the 2012 Delhi gang rape, the app bridges the gap between actual and reported cases by encouraging victims to share their stories. Each report is pinned on a digital map and categorized by location, type of harassment, time of day, and day of the week. This crowdsourced data is then analyzed to identify hyperlocal patterns and trends of violence.

To date, the platform has collected over 50,000 stories from one million users, engaged 35,000+ youth as campus ambassadors, and partnered with 500 educational institutions to create on-campus safety programs. Safecity is now used in over 25 non-profit initiatives in India and 17 countries worldwide.