My name is Mariam Oyiza Aliyu, I am the Founder and Executive Director of Learning through skills acquisition initiative (LETSAI). I was born on 26th October, 1994 (26 year old) in a little town called Eika Ohizenyi, In Kogi state Nigeria. I am an orphan, the eldest child of my mum with two younger sibling. I am passionate about peacebuilding, Livelihood empowerment, and, women’s rights and ending violence against women and girls.

I graduated as a Medical radiographer from the University of Maiduguri in 2017 with a second class upper division and I am currently undergoing my masters in International Public health at Liverpool john-Moore University UK. From numerous knowledge building experiences acquired while volunteering with Christian Aid, Plan international, International Medical Corps and United Nations Higher Commissioner for Refugee.

I was motivated to start LETSAI with a goal to provide healing from trauma for survivor of Gender Based Violence, Livelihood support through life skills empowerment and enhancing community cohesion through joint peacebuilding initiatives. I currently have six years of experience working on emergencies in the humanitarian context. With funding support from Global center on cooperative security, Care fronting Nigeria, UN Women and Women peace and humanitarian fund. With successful leadership background with hands-on experience in emergency response, disaster preparedness, incident management and stakeholder networking initiatives in field operation, nonprofit and educational environments. Highly skilled in staff training, stakeholder liaison, technical support and site supervision I am excelling pretty well.

I enjoy reading and doing researches about African history, and understanding the origin of religion and humanity and feminism as I am a feminist. My best qualities are planning for the future, strong-willed and passion for humanitarian interventions in conflict and post conflict context. I consider myself as a work in progress, towards achieving a spectacular outcome in the nearest future.

I owe who I am today to my mother, Late (Mrs.) Ahmed Hawa Ohunene for imbuing in me the passion for humanitarian work, for training me to become a hardworking and outstanding woman. I pray she continues to rest in peace in Al-Janatul Firdausi. My mother is my role model and I work in her footsteps and I shall continue to make an impact in the lives of vulnerable people till the day I take my last breath.