Fulbright Scholar and PLNU alum Dan Nyamangah (22) takes his mission field to North Macedonia.
PLNU alum Dan Nyamangah (22) put his bachelor’s and master’s in Organizational Leadership to use for a very noble cause — building community within the conflicting ethnic groups in North Macedonia.
In September 2023, Nyamangah ventured to North Macedonia to conduct participatory action research (PAR) as a Fulbright Scholar. This included creating dialogue between ethnic Macedonians, ethnic Albanians, and other minority ethnicities — such as Romani, Turkish, Serbs, and Bosnians.
Tribalism 101
A passion for community building is a common thread through many stages of Nyamangah’s life. Hailing from the small village of Kaulu, Kenya, Nyamangah was witness to the tenuous relationship between the nation’s three main tribes: Bantu, Nilote, and Cushite.
As a child, Nyamangah and his family were first introduced to the Catholic faith by his grandma. “We grew up going to church,” Nyamangah explained. “We had a village church, which was under a tree, but the [local parish] was almost two hours away.”
“It was difficult to go every Sunday and walk there four hours — to and from church, but we did that,” Nyamangah said. What motivated him to make the long trek to the parish was his lifelong dream to be a priest.
In addition to his early mission to priesthood, Nyamangah was dedicated to helping his family by waking up early every morning to take care of their family’s cows and then making the long trek to his school — where he was expected to excel. “School was very important because we had to pay, which was very expensive for my family,” Nyamangah explained. “So we took it very seriously.”
In school, Nyamangah, a Bantu, first became fascinated with the interrelation between the different Kenyan tribes. He took the same classes with kids from other tribes, and played football with kids from other tribes, while the media and politicians had told him that these people were bad.
“My own experience was very different from what they had said about these other tribes.”
In Nyamangah’s favorite subject, English, he was able to express his thoughts on the tensions between tribes. He recalled writing about “how this kid [from one tribe and that kid [from another] were not friends and now they are friends.”
Coastal Changes
A move to the Kenyan coast when Nyamangah was in seventh grade altered the trajectory of his life. It was here that Nyamangah became involved in a drama troupe with his friends which performed Magnet Theatre — a form of improv performance that takes place in public spaces designed to tackle issues affecting a community. This type of theater encourages discussion and community-wide change.
Nyamangah’s drama troupe gained popularity locally and received funding from the United States Aid International Organization (USAID), enabling them to encourage community dialogue around public health.
“We were going to different villages doing HIV and AIDS testing, counseling and outreach for the county,” Nyamangah said.
Being part of this troupe also led him to his wife, Heather. “My wife was a volunteer sent to our town doing small business development,” Nyamangah explained.
“We invited her to one of our [drama troupe] meetings, and then we started to get to know each other,” Nyamangah recalled.
After hitting it off, the couple decided that if they were to marry, it would be best to do so in the United States — in either San Diego or Chicago. “She showed me the photos of Chicago during the winter, and I was like, ‘Nope, I’m not living there!’” Nyamangah quipped.
San Diego Community Building
The newlyweds moved to San Diego in 2010, and Nyamangah continued his work in community outreach as the Senior Community Organizer for education policy and advocacy for the PSRO (Parent Student Resident Organization) program through SAY San Diego.
At SAY San Diego, Nyamangah worked with “over 20 ethnic groups, refugees and immigrants from Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Vietnam … and more,” Nyamangah said.
“They are very different, speak different languages, have different cultures, but there’s one language of humanity that they do speak. They all care about their kids’ futures.”
What Nyamangah learned was, “Yes, they are very different, speak different languages, have different cultures, but there’s one language of humanity that they do speak,” Nyamangah explained. “They all care about their kids’ futures.”
Nyamangah’s first-hand experience with tribal conflicts equipped him with a unique perspective to navigate the deep tribal tensions among Somali refugees who came to San Diego. The tribal rivalries and struggles were exacerbated by the uneven distribution of United Nations aid, which resulted in a prolonged refugee situation for some of the more marginalized tribes.
The Somali immigrants who first arrived in the U.S. belonged to the more dominant and politically influential tribes — including the Darod, Hawiye, Isaaq, and Rahanweyn (Digil and Mirifle) clans. Members of these clans were often given more access to emigration resources than the minority tribes.
Even the refugee system in San Diego was set up for people from these influential tribes, while not recognizing the other minorities. “Nothing was set up for them — even in San Diego,” Nyamangah explained. “Yes, they are from Somalia, but they don’t speak Somali. They speak Hisa.”
“It was very demeaning to this community,” Nyamangah elaborated. “So, my job was working with the elders to find a solution.” While he couldn’t solve every aspect of the chasm between the Somali tribes, Nyamangah helped find a way for them to set aside their collective trauma and pursue a common goal — getting their children access to quality education:
“These parents don’t speak any English and don’t know how to get along, but they put aside all their differences to make it easier for their kids to access education.”
Finding this common ground among the Somali refugees Nyamangah encountered was paramount in building a bridge between these divided tribes. “They know once their kids get education in America, they will be able to succeed,” Nyamangah said.
“For them, their job will be done because that’s the dream of most of the immigrants — to have success in the next generation.”
Through this role at SAY San Diego, Nyamangah was introduced to PLNU’s online Bachelor’s in Organizational Leadership program by a coworker. He was able to balance classes while working full-time until graduating in May 2021. After this, Nyamangah went straight into PLNU’s online Master’s in Organizational Leadership program, seeing that it could help further his career into more senior roles within organizations.
A Gentleman and a Fulbright Scholar
His work with SAY San Diego and the lessons learned in PLNU’s MAOL program were the impetus for applying for the Fulbright Open Study/Research Award. “When I was applying for the Fulbright [Award], I wanted to look for a demographic that reflects what I’ve been doing for the last 10 years,” Nyamangah said.
The small country of North Macedonia, with just over two million people, was the perfect case study for Nyamangah’s research in mitigating conflict through community inclusion. He specifically focused on the ethnic, economic and geopolitical conflicts within the cities of Skopje and Tetovo.
Ethnic divisions have resulted in very different experiences through the generations living in North Macedonia. What is compelling is that “Nationally, ethnic Albanians are a minority, but in Tetovo, they are the majority,” Nyamangah said.
This creates an interesting obstacle to the goal of his project to “foster ethnic healing, deepen trust levels, engage marginalized groups, and offer tangible ways to build economic and social development,” Nyamangah explained.
Through his Fulbright Scholarship, Nyamangah has focused his work on creating dialogue between ethnic Macedonians, ethnic Albanians, and other minority ethnicities of Romani, Turkish, Serbs, and Bosnian through fostering inclusive community engagement.
Upon interacting with the people of North Macedonia, Nyamangah discovered there were many “unwritten rules of interaction between ethnic groups,” Nyamangah said. “Nobody can teach those. You have to navigate it by using your own experience and learning as you go.”
The Kenyan Albanian
Nyamangah was curious about the Albanian experience in Tetovo. “I wanted to see how — if you are the majority in Tetovo — are you practicing inclusivity given that you have been excluded historically by the majority in the larger country?”
One of the ways Nyamangah has immersed himself in the community is through a hiking club, which consists of a mixture of Albanians and Macedonians of many ages.
These aren’t a walk in the park … they are serious hikes. “It’s a three-hour vertical hike, which is a lot, but the views at the top are [amazing],” Nyamangah said. “You can see the whole country — you can see Kosovo, and you can also see Albania.”
“The Albanians identify with these three places – Kosovo, Albania, and these parts of Tetov. So, it has a lot of historical meaning to them,” Nyamangah explained. “And culturally they look at the mountains as a sacred place.”
Atop the mountain, Nyamangah joined them in song, dance, and sharing Albanian jokes, “which are very, very interesting jokes,” Nyamangah chuckled.
Every time Nyamangah went hiking, he was taken in as part of the family. “They called me the first Kenyan Albanian to walk on the mountains,” Nyamangah recounted.
This nickname given to Nyamangah is proof that he has been more than just a passive observer. “When I first came, I shared with them, I’m an American citizen, I’m doing this research, [but] my research is not about giving you a questionnaire to fill out and then I’m going to go away,” Nyamangah recalled.
“I’m going to be here with you. When you cry, when you laugh, when you eat … I just genuinely want to be part of it.”
His message to the people of Tetov and Skopje:
“I’m going to be here with you. We’re going to laugh together, we’re going to do activities together. When you cry, when you laugh, when you eat … I just genuinely want to be part of it.”
The Albanian hikers also explained to Nyamangah that for the most part, Albanians would not want to include him. They said, “They won’t invite you, but we will.”
Inclusivity Wins
From Nyamangah’s experience in North Macedonia, he discovered that “corruption is very rampant in the entire country.”
However, “the younger generation is seeing it’s kind of a plan for the ruling class to keep them where they are while they enrich themselves through corruption,” Nyamangah said.
“Everyone is suffering because of corruption, but a few are suffering because of a lack of inclusivity,” Nyamangah said.
One of the ways Nyamangah fostered inclusivity within Tetov was through rugby. “In November 2023, I coached two teams, and we ended up going to the national youth championships,” Nyamangah said.
Both of his teams were in the final game, competing with one another for the trophy. Tetov ended up winning and brought the trophy home for the first time, which was a huge accomplishment. The true win for Nyamangah, however, was the fact that “You had Macedonians, Albanians, girls, boys, Romani students, Turkish students,” Nyamangah said. “But, you never notice anyone saying ‘you don’t belong here.’”
It’s more difficult for adults to be able to let go of the anger from being excluded and marginalized. “With the adults, there’s the … historical trauma that they have seen over the years,” Nyamangah said.
Nyamangah also held a Thanksgiving event with over 200 people in attendance. “It was the first time people from different villages came together to celebrate. While there was no American turkey, people from the various villages and ethnic groups each brought a traditional dish to share,“ Nyamangah said.
In May 2024, Nyamangah organized the first-ever rugby tournament in Tetov, “Inclusivity Through Rugby.” Students from all over the country and with different backgrounds and abilities participated.
The tournament was organized in partnership with the University of Tetovo and the Rugby Federation with support from Southeast European University, local schools, and private businesses.
The event brought the community together more than Nyamangah anticipated. On the field, players from different ethnicities — primarily Albanian, Macedonian, Pakistani, and Turkish came together to play rugby. Off the field, you had local universities working together for a common goal, and everyone — from the City of Tetova to local parents — stepped up in a massive way to make the event successful.
“The City of Tetovo [finding] schools to participate and offering training fields, coaches volunteering their time, local businesses funding food and drinks, parents volunteering to chaperone and clean after the tournament, schools volunteering to invite the villagers to the tournament, and even parents bringing drinks after practice in the villages,” Nyamagah shared.
Another community-focused event Nyamangah organized was a book drive. With help from the California State Department and the U.S. Embassy, he was able to ship thousands of donated books from the U.S. to North Macedonia.
Most of the villages don’t have libraries, so the kids don’t have things to read,” Nyamangah said. But now, students can go rent a book to read — which was not previously possible.
Vocation as a Mission Field
While Nyamangah had childhood dreams of being a priest, he recognizes the work he is doing now in community building is his mission field. “From my perspective, I think it’s what faith should be,” Nyamangah revealed.
A few years ago at an airport, Nyamangah’s impact in his role at SAY San Diego came full circle. Nyamangah was getting ready to board a flight to Kenya and noticed the gate agent kept looking at him.
“I was like, ‘Why is she looking at me? What did I do?’” Nyamangah mused. “I got to the place where you put your ticket and bring it to board. And then she asked me, “Are you Dan Nyamangah?”
He couldn’t quite place her face. It had been years since Nyamangah had seen the now grown woman, who was a former student who came to San Diego as a refugee with her mother. When they first arrived in America, the gate agent and her mother didn’t speak any English, but Nyamangah helped get her enrolled in high school.
While the gate agent graduated high school in another state after being in San Diego for one year, she did not forget her experience with Nyamangah.
The gate agent then said, “I don’t know if you remember me, but there was this time my mom and I came to the U.S. and nobody else talked to us.”
“Nobody else treated us the way you did,” the gate agent revealed. “I know it was difficult for you because you have to rely on the school administration to do the things that we needed. But, you stayed there and talked, you treated us as humans, and you made sure to include my mom in the parents group on how to be a parent in the United States.”
Remembering the way Nyamangah helped her, the gate agent said to him, “There’s no way you’re flying economy, Dan.”
Nyamangah was upgraded to a first-class ticket to Kenya and was given a tangible reminder that …
“If you’re actually practicing your faith, you can use your job to be that good act that someone really needs.”
