Humanitarian aid in Nigeria

Background information

The north-east of Nigeria has been massively affected by the terror of the Islamist organization Boko Haram and its splinter groups since 2009. In central Nigeria, violent clashes between various ethnic and religious groups, in particular sedentary farming families and nomadic Fulani, have caused serious disruption. The inhabitants of the affected regions must constantly reckon with attacks, killings, kidnappings and assaults. Around 16 million people are affected by the conflicts and more than 2.5 million people have been forced to flee their homes. The majority of them have lost all their possessions and their livelihoods. People have been living in precarious conditions in camps for displaced persons for over 10 years. The situation is very difficult for women who were widowed in the attacks. They often have no education and, as widows, they are particularly at risk of falling into extreme poverty and being exploited. For this reason, Mission 21 and its partner organizations EYN and EPRT support the affected people with basic necessities such as food and hygiene products, access to drinking water and basic medical services. Training courses to help people regain a livelihood are an important part of humanitarian aid. Traumatized people can receive psychosocial support to help them come to terms with what they have experienced.

They support Mission 21 and its partner organizations in rebuilding destroyed houses and wells as well as their livelihoods, e.g. by distributing seeds. In addition, the local population from particularly vulnerable areas attend training courses on disaster risk reduction measures.

Mission 21 also links its humanitarian work to long-term projects, e.g. vocational training measures for internally displaced persons. In the Shuwari camp for internally displaced persons, for example, women and men who had fled were able to learn various trades so that they could build a long-term livelihood for themselves. After several years, this offer is now being transferred to the Wuro Jabbe/Yola camp in order to offer people there the same opportunity.

Project goals

• The survival of populations affected by disasters is ensured through emergency relief measures.
• People affected by disasters are supported in rebuilding their livelihoods.
• Through vocational training, refugee women and men are empowered to earn a living and lead self-determined lives.
• Traumatized people have psychosocial support to help them process what they have experienced.
• The vulnerability of local communities in the face of humanitarian disasters is reduced through preparedness measures.
• Local communities are empowered to effectively respond to and manage crises by organizing relief efforts.

Target group

The target group for humanitarian aid are people who are directly affected by disasters and violent conflicts, regardless of their religious, ethnic or political affiliations. A special focus is placed on internally displaced persons and returnee families as well as particularly vulnerable groups such as widows from the states of Adamawa, Borno and Plateau.

Activities

• Provision of food and everyday necessities for survivors of humanitarian disasters.
• Providing medical care and ensuring access to clean drinking water for refugees.
• Helping people return to home villages by rebuilding destroyed homes and wells.
• Vocational training for internally displaced persons to create gainful employment opportunities.
• Psychosocial support for traumatized people affected by conflict and violence.
• Training local professionals and vulnerable communities to mitigate risks and cope with disasters
• Establish local and coordinating disaster preparedness structures and coordinate local disaster response strategies.

Project progress

In 2023 and 2024, the focus was on providing emergency aid to those affected by natural disasters such as the flooding in large parts of north-eastern Nigeria and supporting internally displaced persons of different ethnic and religious affiliations. To ensure their survival and alleviate their suffering, they were given access to urgently needed food and hygiene products as well as basic medical services and psychological support. In addition, village communities that have lost their belongings as a result of natural disasters or attacks by Boko Haram and other non-state armed groups were supported in rebuilding destroyed houses and wells. The training measures will be relocated to Camp Wuro Jabbe from 2025, after almost all interested people were able to take part in Camp Shuwari. Thanks to practical training in a marketable profession, they will be able to earn an income and will no longer be dependent on humanitarian aid.