Freedom

by Rebecca Sykes

Trying to catch up with Hafsat Abiola '92 is a challenge, for she is never in one place for long. Constantly traveling around the country and, increasingly, the world, Hafsat is a woman on a global mission to promote democracy and political empowerment of women and youth.

As founder and executive director of Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND), an organization dedicated to her mother's memory, Hafsat's consciousness- raising and fund-raising efforts frequently take her to such destinations as Brussels, London,

San Francisco and Boston. Although her native Nigeria is a prime target for her initiatives, she has already collaborated on a project in Northern Ireland and is active in Global YouthConnect, an international human rights organization through which young people work for peace.

Hafsat's mother, Kudirat Abiola--the "K" in KIND--created a model for democracy advocates as she spoke out against the military government that held her husband, wealthy businessman Chief Moshood Abiola, prisoner from 1993-98. Democratically elected to the Nigerian presidency in 1993, Chief Abiola was never allowed to take

office and died just days before he was to be released from prison. Because of her efforts to free the chief, Kudirat Abiola was murdered in early 1996.

Despite the influence of the Abiola legacy, KIND is far from being a family enterprise. The programs are managed by a team of seven individuals based in the United States, Nigeria and England. "Our abilities fall short of our vision," the 24-year-old Hafsat acknowledges, but she is hopeful that a growing network will improve the core group's potential effectiveness. When asked about the challenges of the work, she comments, "I'm a loner. Being part of a team includes socializing, taking the