Gada Roba

Gada holds a B.A. from the University of Minnesota with a double major in Global Studies and Political Science and a minor in African Studies with a focus on Sub-Saharan African governance, peace, and justice. He studied in Kenya through the University of Minnesota’s Studies in International Development program for an academic year and spent a summer in Tanzania with the Arcadia University on Human Rights and Capacity Building in East Africa. As a student leader, he participated in leadership programs locally and internationally in South Africa and Morocco. He promoted understanding and diversity around the campus; volunteering with the University of Minnesota’s Law Clinic, helping the local East African immigrant community as a translator, and co-hosting events with the Human Rights Center.

Gada interned with the Kenyan National Commission on Human Rights where he was involved in documentation and investigation of post-election violence in 2007/8. He has over five years of work experience working with the with local East African immigrant community-based organizations, the Minneapolis public school system and the University of Minnesota Duluth Upward Bound program, serving youth and families. He has served as the cultural liaison, advocate, and advisor in most of his positions.

Gada was a Humphrey Policy Fellow (2012-2013) and was selected to the Upper Midwest Human Rights Fellowship program in 2013. During the summer of 2013, Gada used his Human Rights Fellowship award in conjunction with the Hawkinson Scholarship for peace and justice and volunteered with the International Organization on Migration and the U.S. Resettlement Support Center in Nairobi, Kenya. He supported these organizations, serving refugees in conflict areas who were seeking resettlement into the United States and Canada. Gada began his Rotary Peace Fellowship at Uppsala University in 2015 but has since transitioned his studies to the MIDP program at Duke University, where he is focused on learning more about scientifically supported analytical methods to work towards the alleviation of conflict and poverty. After completing his degree, he intends to work with international NGOs to promote sustainable development, human rights and peace & security globally.