Yasser Essa Peacebuilder & Governance Advocate | Sudan

Yasser Essa is a Sudanese peacebuilder, governance practitioner, and human rights advocate whose life has been shaped by the enduring legacies of conflict, marginalization, and exile — and whose work is dedicated to building just and inclusive societies from the ground up.

Raised in Darfur during the genocide of the early 2000s, Yasser’s journey into activism began not by choice, but by necessity. As a member of a targeted community, he witnessed firsthand the atrocities of war, the trauma of forced displacement, and the silencing of those who dared to speak out. He was arrested, threatened, and surveilled for his humanitarian work — and eventually forced into exile after Sudan’s 2021 military coup. Yet exile did not end his advocacy — it reshaped it.

From Tanzania to Boston to Canada, Yasser has pursued education in governance, conflict resolution, and coexistence, seeking to understand how communities like his can reclaim power and peace. Today, he works with restorative justice initiatives and diasporic networks that amplify Sudanese voices, build civic engagement, and advocate for an end to war. His upcoming book — written in Arabic and grounded in Sudan’s grassroots realities — documents the impacts of state institutions on social justice.

Whether in local organizing or international forums, Yasser’s voice bridges memory and possibility, reminding us that even in forced exile, transformation is possible.