Alhatikou Dagamaïssa
Pronouns: He/him
Organisations: Le Collectif des Jeunes pour la Paix et la Réconciliation au Mali; International Alert Mali
Country of origin: Mali
Young people... we are the ones who are most affected by the problems of conflict. When we talk about conflict, old people don't take arms to go to war, old people don't join radical groups, old people are not the victims of these conflicts. Wherever there is conflict, young people are on the frontline. The strategic and command roles are not given to the youth, but the primary actors are the youth. If young people get together, if young people become aware of the harm of these conflicts, and if people commit themselves to live together, to social cohesion, these conflicts will be forced to end.
Profile
Alhatikou Dagamaïssa is a Malian peacebuilder from the region of Timbuktu. He has earned a Master’s degree in Diplomacy and Governance, a Master’s in Economics and Management, and a Bachelor’s degree. Alhatikou founded the organisation le Collectif des Jeunes pour la Paix et la Réconciliation au Mali (COJEPAREM) in 2014. The local organisation attempts to come alongside affected communities in Mali and help them overcome the challenges they faced after a security crisis broke out in Northern Mali during the occupation and intervention of the French army in 2013. COJEPAREM therefore supports, empowers and guides individuals to work towards sustainable and durable peace by addressing the root causes of conflict and instability. COJEPAREM works with embassies in Mali and different international organisations, including International Alert. Alhatikou currently leads a four-year consortium project initiated by International Alert, called Breakwater, which focuses on reducing conflict in buffer zones. In addition, he serves as the Acting Programme Director for International Alert Mali.
Story
In 2013, Alhatikou Dagamaïssa left his home in Timbuktu to study in the capital of Mali, Bamako. Due to increasing insecurity, he would not be able to return home or see his family for two years. When he finally made it back, Alhatikou was confronted with the harsh realities facing his community ‒ their challenges, fears and daily struggles. This awareness led him to create the organisation COJEPAREM together with his fellow students.
Alhatikou said that throughout his journey as a peacebuilder, he realised the importance of motivation and having a vision before starting. He said he expresses passion for his work, and emphasises the importance of setting clear goals from the beginning. When he reflected on his journey, he said that his path has shaped him and strengthened his sense of purpose. Alhatikou said he finds himself deeply connected with individuals from different communities and backgrounds, and this empathy fuels his dedication even further. He said this sense of connection not only strengthens his work but also shapes him as a human being.
COJEPAREM aims to empower and accompany young people on their path towards a durable peace and reconciliation in Mali. To do so, the organisation focuses on capacity building and the transfer of skills through different projects, embodying the idea behind the proverb, ‘Rather than giving someone fish every day, teach them to fish’. Central to their mission is the belief that for peace to be sustainable, actions and solutions must come from within the community itself.
As COJEPAREM focuses on the solutions to identified problems, Alhatikou highlights the importance of developing and implementing projects in carefully structured phases, ensuring sensitivity and adaptability to each community’s unique context. The first phase is the organisational level in which the project is developed. Next is the consultation phase, during which project leaders engage directly with communities, listening to their needs and ideas to ensure the project aligns with the local context. The project framework is then adjusted to reflect these insights. Six months into implementation, the project’s impact is evaluated and adjusted as community circumstances evolve.
Focusing on guiding communities towards lasting peace, the organisation works gradually to bring people together to discuss challenges and solutions. Though this process takes time, the impact is evident – Alhatikou says that their efforts have helped bring ‘people who at first wouldn’t even agree to meet to sit side by side, talk together’ and collaborate as partners for peace. He said, these impacts are becoming deeply rooted in communities where, instead of turning to violence, leaders sit around a table and discuss the solutions, together.
Alhatikou said he stresses the importance of motivation in the field of peacebuilding without expecting your actions to be transactional. ‘The motivation has to be something personal, something internal, something that comes from yourself’, he said. This has proven to be a major driving force for himself and the accomplishments he has made as a young peacebuilder.