{"id":733,"date":"2026-04-29T19:40:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T10:40:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/accept-int.org\/en\/?post_type=report&p=733"},"modified":"2026-08-30T19:45:34","modified_gmt":"2026-08-30T10:45:34","slug":"breaking-the-fast-together-a-shared-iftar-meal","status":"publish","type":"report","link":"https:\/\/accept-int.org\/en\/report\/29\/04\/2026","title":{"rendered":"Somalia Division\u30fcBreaking the Fast Together: A Shared Iftar Meal"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Activity Reports<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\nBreaking the Fast Together: A Shared Iftar Meal\r\n<\/div>\r\n

\r\nMarch, 2026\r\n<\/p>\r\n\"\"\r\n

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\r\nIn Somalia, Accept International works to support young people leaving the non-state armed group Al-Shabaab and reintegrating into society as agents of peace.\r\n

\r\nIn this report, we focus on our on-the-ground activities during Ramadan.\r\n

\r\nWe explain what Ramadan is, how it can influence decisions to leave Al-Shabaab and begin the process of reintegration, and share a glimpse of the moments of relief and connection experienced by young people at our rehabilitation center during this period.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

1. Ramadan and Its Influence on Decisions to Leave Al-Shabaab<\/h1>\r\n

\r\nRamadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. In 2026, it fell between late February and late March.\r\n

\r\nDuring Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from shortly before sunrise until sunset. Fasting during Ramadan is not only a practice of self-discipline, through which people learn to control their basic desires, but also an opportunity to experience hunger and deepen their empathy for those living in poverty.\r\n

\r\nIn Somalia, we tend to see more young people leave Al-Shabaab during Ramadan each year. One reason is that the group\u2019s surveillance is believed to be less strict during this period.\r\n

\r\nThe sacred period of Ramadan itself may also encourage some young people to make the decision to leave. Ramadan offers an opportunity to reflect on one\u2019s past actions, and it is also understood as a time when sins may be forgiven through good deeds. For these reasons, a number of young people choose this period to make the significant decision to lay down their arms and leave the group.\r\n

\r\nIn response, we step up our outreach during Ramadan to encourage more young people to leave Al-Shabaab. This includes radio broadcasts reaching a wide area and the distribution of leaflets. The leaflets include a telephone number that young people wishing to leave the group can call. Some of them see the information, find the courage to call, and take their first step toward leaving.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n

\r\n\u25b2 A young man who recently disengaged\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\nLeaving Al-Shabaab, however, is never an easy decision. If their intentions are discovered, they may be targeted by the group and their lives may be at risk. Leaving can quite literally be a matter of life and death.\r\n

\r\nWe therefore stay in close contact with each individual and coordinate with military forces, intelligence agencies, and other relevant authorities to ensure their safety. Once we have confirmed that they can move safely, we receive them at a designated meeting point.\r\n

\r\nBy the time they arrive, the strain is often visible on their faces. Many arrive exhausted after long journeys marked by intense fear and tension.\r\n

\r\nDespite these risks, nearly 600 young people have so far decided to leave Al-Shabaab through our outreach and support. Many of these decisions are shaped by years of frustration and inner conflict experienced within the group.\r\n

\r\nOne young man who previously left the group told us:\r\n

\r\n\r\n\u201cWe often went hungry, and I never had a moment when I could truly feel at ease.\u201d\r\n

\r\n\u201cI could not communicate freely with anyone, and if I did not follow the strict rules, my life could be in danger. I felt hopeless living without freedom, almost like a prisoner.\u201d\r\n

\r\n\u201cI began to question why my fellow members had to die for the group\u2019s ideology, and why the group had to spread fear among people.\u201d\r\n<\/b>\r\n

\r\nThese young people risk their lives to leave the group. We therefore have a responsibility not only to receive them safely, but also to support them as they rebuild their lives.\r\n

\r\nWith your support, we will continue working to ensure that these young people have the opportunity to choose a new path toward peace.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n

2. Life at the Rehabilitation center During Ramadan<\/h1>\r\n

\r\nThe young people we receive in this way begin preparing for a new life at the rehabilitation center. The programme includes religious re-education, basic literacy and numeracy, and vocational training.\r\n

\r\nBetween October 2025 and March 2026 alone, 17 young people completed the programme and returned to their communities.<\/b>\r\n

\r\nMany now live with their families or relatives while working as taxi drivers or barbers, or helping with family businesses.\r\n

\r\nSome of them have chosen to join the Somali National Army in order to protect themselves, their families, and their communities. After completing the required training, some are now serving on the front lines in southern Somalia, while others support the safe disengagement of individuals seeking to leave Al-Shabaab. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n

\r\n\u25b2 One programme graduate who has reintegrated into society
\r\nHe grinds maize and sells cornmeal, a staple ingredient in East African cuis\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\nOur rehabilitation center currently accommodates around 40 young people at any given time. Over the course of approximately one year, each participant prepares for their return to society. In the center, time was set aside each day for iftar during Ramadan, from February to March.\r\n

\r\nDuring Ramadan, iftar became an important part of daily life at the center<\/b>. Iftar is the meal eaten after sunset to break the day\u2019s fast. It is traditionally shared with family and friends, bringing people together around the same table. More than simply a meal, iftar is also a time to strengthen connections with others and share a sense of care for one another.<\/b>\r\n

\r\nFor young people who had spent time in conflict settings, opportunities to enjoy peaceful moments like these in safety were rare. Time to connect openly with others was also limited.\r\n

\r\nAt the rehabilitation center, young people who had been through these difficult experiences came together around the same table, sharing food, conversation, and smiles.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\"\"\r\n\"\"\r\n

\r\n\u25b2 Young people enjoying iftar together \r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nYoung people in our center shared reflections such as:\r\n

\r\n\u201cI feel safe here, and I feel that I am not alone.\u201d\r\n

\r\n\u201cI am sincerely grateful to Accept International and everyone who supports us for making peaceful moments like this possible.\u201d<\/b>\r\n

\r\nExperiencing Ramadan and iftar in this way gives young people an important opportunity to experience the values of Islam in a peaceful setting, reflect on their own beliefs, and consider what it means to choose a peaceful way of life.\r\n

\r\nThrough the programme, many young people come to express a strong desire to \u201cbecome an agent of peace\u201d or \u201ccontribute to society.\u201d<\/b> When these aspirations are realized, young people can begin to make positive contributions to their communities, creating a virtuous cycle toward sustainable peace.\r\n

\r\nWe will continue our work in Somalia to address the root causes of these challenges and contribute to lasting solutions.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n

3. A Message from Our Local Staff in Somalia<\/h1>\r\n

\r\nTo conclude this report, we would like to share a message from Ahmed, one of our local staff members.\r\n

\r\nAhmed plays a central role in our work on the ground. He coordinates the disengagement and defection support process for individuals leaving Al-Shabaab, supports education at the rehabilitation center, and provides counselling to them.\r\n

\r\nWhen young people graduate from the center, he offers each of them words of encouragement. He also continues to follow up with them after they return to their communities.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n

A Message from Ahmed<\/h1>\r\n

\r\nWhenever I see someone graduate from the rehabilitation center and return to their family and community, I feel deeply proud. It reminds me why this work means so much to me.\r\nIt is a truly special moment because I can see that our support has made a real change in someone\u2019s life.\r\n

\r\nWhen people who left Al-Shabaab first arrive, each of them is facing serious challenges. Through daily learning, practical life-skills training, and other types of support, they gradually begin to regain a sense of themselves. By the time they graduate, even their expressions and the way they carry themselves can seem completely different. You can see confidence in their faces, along with a sense of hope and responsibility for building their own future.\r\n

\r\nAt graduation, I am always deeply moved when I hear them express their gratitude to our staff, the government, and all of our supporters.\r\n

\r\nSeeing them return to society is clear evidence of the real impact of your support.\r\nEvery donation does more than save a life. It helps young people in Somalia build a new future and contributes to peace in their communities.\r\n

\r\nOn behalf of all our local staff, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who continues to support these young people and stand by them.\r\n

\r\nThank you, as always, for your continued support.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\"\"\r\n

\r\n\u25b2 Ahmed speaking to young people at the rehabilitation center \r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n

To Our Readers<\/h1>\r\n

\r\nThank you for reading this activity report. We will continue to share updates on the activities<\/b>, and we hope you will continue to follow our work.\r\n

\r\nAll of these initiatives are made possible through your support, particularly from those who join as \u201cAccept Ambassadors\u201d<\/b>, contributing from just 10 USD per month.\r\n

\r\nTo support more young people engaged in armed conflicts on new paths forward, we still need much more help.\r\n

\r\nWe hope you will walk with us as an Accept Ambassador \u2013 to help break the cycles of violence<\/b> and build a more peaceful future together.\r\n

\r\n\u27a1 Become an Accept Ambassador<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/a>
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