We would like to share the story of a young former member of a non-state armed group who chose a new path with the support of Accept International.

This is Mustafa, a graduate of our rehabilitation center. We invite you to read about his life, shaped from an early age by the presence of non-state armed groups, and the “new path” he found through his involvement with Accept International.

One of the most important areas of Accept International’s work is rehabilitation and social reintegration. However, reintegrating into society can be challenging for people who have been involved in armed conflict.

In the communities to which they may return after their release from prison, people voice concerns such as, “Is it really safe to accept them back?” and “What if they become involved again?”

In this report, we share some of the concerns we have heard directly from community members, as well as the efforts of our Kenya Division to address them.

How Mustafa Came to Join Al-Shabaab

Mustafa was born in southwestern Somalia in 1999. Growing up in a poor family, he recalls that his family could not afford to send him to school or to a madrasa, where he could study Islam.

One day, he was told that he could study Islam for free at a madrasa established by Al-Shabaab, a non-state armed group, in his village. That invitation became his first point of contact with the group, and he eventually joined.

According to Mustafa, almost all of the young people in his village had some form of involvement with Al-Shabaab.

But the life he found there was far from what he had hoped for when he joined in search of an education.

“It felt like being a prisoner.”

Within Al-Shabaab, he was not free to speak openly or make his own choices. He was constantly put to work, and over time, he began to lose hope for his future. Eventually, his only hope was to leave the group and regain his freedom.

He recalls thinking, “If I continue like this, I may not be able to live a good life either in this world or in the hereafter.”

It was then that he decided to leave Al-Shabaab.

▲ Mustafa when he first arrived at the rehabilitation center

Positive Changes Through Rehabilitation

On his way to the rehabilitation center, Mustafa was deeply anxious. He feared that he might be imprisoned for years or even killed.

Those fears began to disappear as soon as he arrived and met the head of the rehabilitation center and Accept International’s Executive Director, Yosuke Nagai.

“They welcomed me warmly. I felt that I had been saved—that I was finally safe and at peace.
At the center, Mustafa was able not only to rest in a safe environment, but also to deepen his understanding of Islam through the rehabilitation programme.
Over time, he came to recognise that some of what he had been taught within Al-Shabaab was mistaken. He began to understand the importance of peace, stability, and supporting one another, and discovered a path toward a better future.

That is why we began by listening to them, rather than trying to teach them from the outset.

After completing the one-year rehabilitation programme, it was time for Mustafa to consider his next step. Drawing on his previous cooking experience and the positive attitude he had shown throughout the programme, he was selected to work as a cook at the rehabilitation center.

Today, Mustafa does much more than prepare meals. He also cooks together with young people who are preparing to return to society, just as he once did. In doing so, he has begun to take on a new role as an agent of peace.

His dedication to his work is evident even in small things, such as buying his own apron and chef’s hat. He has also tried new recipes using moringa, a highly nutritious plant that grows locally in Somalia.

“I was very happy to receive messages from our supporters.”
He often tells our staff how much those messages mean to him.