Hanifa Adan, popularly known as “Hanifa Farsafi” or “Honey Farsafi”, rose to prominence as an activist in the protests calling for the rejection of the Finance Bill, 2024. She holds a degree in journalism and mass communication and is currently pursuing a master’s degree. 

Her journey began as a volunteer at a United Nations-accredited organisation, where she wrote and edited impactful human interest stories. She believes that journalism and advocacy are deeply interconnected and possess the power to change lives and drive meaningful change. 

Hanifa is currently working with the Eastleigh Voice, a local newspaper in Kenya that focuses on news within the Eastern Africa region. Hanifa has written several stories on a wide range of topics tailored towards the developments within the Eastern Africa region. 

However, since June 2024, most of her articles have been more in line with the aftermath of the Finance Bill, 2024, protests. All of these have shed light on the inefficiencies demonstrated by the government in its failure to take accountability for the lives lost during the demonstrations.

Amidst the chaos that ensued, Hanifa, alongside other prominent activists via X Spaces and other social media platforms, conducted a rigorous fundraiser dubbed “Care for the Injured.” The campaign raised about Ksh25 million, which was partly used to cover medical bills for those who were injured during the country-wide protests.  In addition, she distributed some of the money to families whose loved ones had been killed in the crossfires, with some of the funds directed to funeral costs. 

When she came under fire on claims that she had embezzled the money she had been entrusted with, she offered a full audit report. The report outlined each of the hospitals across the country where various Kenyans sought medical relief, bank transfers to all those who made appeals for help and some contributions made towards legal aid for those who had been apprehended during the protests. Due to her integrity, she was invited to be a panelist at the African Philanthropy Forum 2024.