Kenyan woman nominated for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize

By Samuel Ouma [caption id="attachment_94386" align="alignnone" width="1027"] Dr. Miriam Were[/caption] Dr. Miriam Were of Kenya has been nominated for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and Quaker Peace and Social Witness (QPSW). This was in appreciation of Were's tireless effort since the 1970s in establishing trust between governments, health authorities, and individuals through culturally appropriate programs. It has been Were's focus on community health techniques, which they believe facilitates the acceptance of health initiatives, such as the ongoing COVID-19 immunization campaign, among the most vulnerable people. "The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW) have nominated Dr. Miriam Were of Kenya for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. "The timing of this nomination is intended to draw attention to Dr. Miriam Were’s tireless work since the 1970s in promoting trust between governments, health authorities, and the citizenry through culturally sensitive programs,” read the statement in part. Were has expressed her to the organizations for selecting her, stating that community-based healthcare projects were wise given the world's current issues. "I am deeply grateful that the American Friends Service Committee and Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW) has nominated me for the Nobel Peace Prize. "I believe in the community approach as the modality for promoting both peace and health by empowering individuals and communities to lead in solving their problems including those articulated in the Sustainable Development Goals," she stated. She has worked in the health care industry for nearly 50 years. She is now the Chairperson of the National AIDS Control Council (NACC) Kenya, which coordinates Kenya's national HIV/AIDS response. She is  also a member of the COVID-19 Commission of the Lancet. Were is also the founder of the UZIMA Foundation, a non-governmental organization dedicated to youth empowerment.