No fewer than 240 conflict-affected persons in Borno State have benefited from a six-month peacebuilding and livelihood support programme designed to strengthen reintegration, promote community acceptance and reduce the risk of violent extremism.
The intervention, implemented by the Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development with support from the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN), came to a close with a one-day End Line Reflection and Learning Documentation Workshop held at Fordham Event Centre, Old GRA, Maiduguri.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of the foundation, Hamsatu Allamin, said the project focused on helping people affected by insurgency rebuild their lives while encouraging peaceful coexistence in their communities.
She explained that the programme reached 240 dialogue participants, made up of 120 men and 120 women, while an additional 40 beneficiaries received business support to improve their livelihoods and become economically independent.
According to her, the beneficiaries included children affected by armed conflict, female-headed households and caregivers who have faced different forms of hardship as a result of insecurity.
Allamin said the intervention also promoted caregiving, community acceptance, social inclusion and early warning mechanisms as practical ways of preventing violent extremism and supporting lasting peace in affected communities.
She thanked community leaders, partners and other stakeholders for their support, saying their cooperation contributed greatly to the successful implementation of the project.
The foundation’s Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, Hamza Maigari, said the programme encouraged equal care for children, discouraged the stigmatisation of conflict-affected persons and supported the establishment of community peace committees to strengthen local responses to emerging security threats.
Stakeholders at the workshop described the initiative as timely, noting that it had improved social inclusion, created livelihood opportunities and strengthened community resilience against violent extremism.
They appealed to development partners and governments to provide more funding so that similar interventions could reach more vulnerable communities across Borno State.
For years, communities in Borno have faced the devastating effects of insurgency, with thousands displaced and many families struggling to rebuild their lives. Peacebuilding experts believe that supporting livelihoods, encouraging community acceptance and strengthening local early warning systems are critical steps towards preventing violence and sustaining long-term peace in the state.
