Ahmed Noor

Ahmed Noor is the co-founder and C.E.O. of Partners for Humanity Foundation; a community-based NGO that strives to contribute to vibrant and healthy communities in Edmonton, Alberta. Ahmed brings over 2 decades of public service, mainly from Kenya, providing agricultural/livestock extension services, and participatory community development planning that involved engagement of community groups and other stakeholders in addressing challenges that needed high impact solutions. Ahmed also worked as a consultant for African Union’s Inter-African Bureau on Animal Resources (AU/IBAR) - providing institutional development advice for Somalia livestock professionals so as to ensure credible certification of Somalia livestock exports overseas.

After graduation with a First-Class Honours BSc. (Cum Laude) in Animal Business from Texas Tech University, U.S.A., Ahmed worked with a World-Bank funded poverty reduction project amongst nomadic pastoral communities of North-Eastern Kenya. Ahmed Noor facilitated the formation of inter-departmental steering committee to coordinate, respond, monitor, and evaluate departmental programs that ensured efficient use of resources. Ahmed also provided advice with respect to policy options and impacts of programs to the management and donors. Ahmed was trained in resource policy analysis by the Environmental Economics Network for Eastern and Southern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya.

Ahmed got his Master of Science Degree in Range Resource Management from the University of Nairobi, Kenya, and Diploma in Animal Science from Egerton University, Kenya. For over 20 years, Ahmed served in various capacities in Kenya’s Ministries of Agriculture, Livestock Development, and Office of the President in the Department of Development Co-ordination. During this period, he had the opportunity to serve as a liaison among local leaders, government departments, and not-for-profit agencies to ensure program action plans were met. Ahmed also prepared briefing notes, reports, responded to departmental action requests, including ad hoc requests, and supported project staff to ensure successful implementation and ongoing delivery of services to beneficiaries.

Ahmed was recognized in the International Journal of Animal Science, July 1991 issue, for his contribution to the development of Animal Science. He was awarded membership into the prestigious Golden Key International Honour Society for outstanding scholastic achievement and excellence. Ahmed was also given Scholar Award by the American Society of Animal Science for high scholarship and contribution to animal science, as well as membership of the Honour Society of Agriculture (U.S.A.) in recognition of academic excellence and service to agricultural sciences.

 I gain satisfaction from life by dedicating my time to a cause that I feel passionate about. Throughout my time of public service (mostly in Africa), I had the opportunity to reinforce talents that I already possessed, and I even had the opportunity to develop a new set of skills. Although community service is designed to help others, I often felt that I benefited more than the people that I helped on many different levels; mentally, spiritually, and characteristically, I enjoyed the balance of diverse, yet tight-knit groups that focused on putting much efforts on improving lives of others. These experiences helped to build my character and leadership, transforming me into a more patient, responsible, and agile person. This is an absolutely priceless opportunity because by learning to help others, I learned to appreciate myself and my actions at a more profound level.  These experiences encourage me to strive towards being a better person, as it inculcates the attribute of challenging myself to become more patient and compassionate.