Boko Haram’s insurgency has caused immense human suffering, displacement, and destruction of infrastructure in northeastern Nigeria. Thousands of people have been killed, and many more have been displaced, leaving behind a trail of devastation. Women, children, and youth are among the most vulnerable, requiring urgent support to rebuild their lives.
North East Nigeria comprises six states (Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Borno, Yobe and Taraba). The region is known for its production of Crops and livestock contributing significantly to the economy of the nation. Prior to the Boko Haram insurgency, the region had a population of 18,971, 965 (National population Census, 2006).
The three states most affected by the Boko Haram insurgency in North East Nigeria are Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States. The conflict affected 22 out of the 27 LGAs in Borno and 7 out of the 21 LGAs in Adamawa. Over 14 million people are affected by conflict in Northeast Nigeria and more than 7 million are in need. Meanwhile, an estimated 2.1 million people remain trapped in areas controlled by Boko Haram (BH) with no access to humanitarian assistance. 50% of the state remains inaccessible; mainly the north and east, leaving limited space for humanitarian operations. A movement of return towards safer LGAs in Borno is encouraged by the government despite the near-total destruction of homes and civil infrastructure and extremely limited state and humanitarian presence in many areas. This has resulted in almost one million people receiving no assistance (IOM 31/08/2016; OCHA 05/09/2016).
SPIRITUAL/ CHURCH SECTOR
Overall from 2010-2014 an estimated, 11,500 Christians have been killed in Northern Nigeria, 1.3million have been displaced/relocated from the region, 13,000 churches have been destroyed, burnt or abandoned (Crushed not defeated, The Impact of persistent Violence on the Church In Northern Nigeria, Open Doors/CAN, 2015).
In the North East of Nigeria, the EYN Church (church of the Brethren) provides a glimpse of what has happened to the Church in the region. Of the estimated 15,000 persons killed by the sect since 2009, 8,038 including 6 Pastors, representing 53.5% of this number are EYN members. 700, 000 EYN members have been displaced from the region of the total 1.5million people displaced from North East Nigeria. 178 girls of the 219 Chibok girls abducted from their School by Boko Haram are EYN members. Destruction of 4 EYN Bible Schools, 1 technical Schools, 1 comprehensive college,36 DCCs out of 50 EYN DCCs, 278 LCCS out of 456 LCCs, 1390 Local Church branches out of 2280 (Dr Samuel Dali, EYN President, Todays Challenge Magazine, Jan/Feb, 2015, pages 6-9). ECWA is still counting its losses. In Gongola DCC alone, 162 ECWA Churches were destroyed, 27 houses belonging to ECWA members were destroyed, 5 ECWA members lost their lives and the displacement of 11 ECWA Pastors(ECWA Challenge Publication, 2015).
There are reports of church denominational efforts which has led to the rebuilding of Churches in Mubi, Hong, etc. However, a lot still has to be done in the area of reconstruction of destroyed and burnt out Church buildings whose number and locations could not be ascertained by the assessment done prior to this time. Significant and commendable though the various efforts at rebuilding of Churches have been demonstrating the resilience of the church within the context of the North East, thethere are concerns that the Church within the region has still not learnt the hard lessons of working Individually in their little spaces tending to continue operations pre-Boko Haram insurgency where Churches and denominations tended to act alone without concerted joint working and efforts in pushing through Kingdom agenda aimed at the reconciliation of all broken individuals, communities, people groups and nations within region.
Summary of Education Sector
The 2010 Nigeria Education Data Survey reports literacy rates of 52% for the whole of Nigeria, and 28% across the north eastern states (Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi, Taraba, and Adamawa). Most key education indicators in north eastern states were significantly below national averages (NEDS, 2010). As at December 2016, There are an estimated three million conflict affected children with no access to education. Prior to the conflict school enrolment and attendance rates in North East Nigeria were among the lowest in the country with girls particularly lagging behind. In some areas schooling has been interrupted for over two years due to the conflict and overcrowding in host communities schools. In a marginalized area that was already underserved in terms of access to education the targeted destruction of more than 1,200 schools have had a devastating impact upon childrens right to education.
Water Sanitation
As at May 2016, a total of 6.2 million people were in need, 2.8 million targeted, 393,467 reached. (UNOCH dash board, 15/6/16). 55% of households without sanitation devices. 61% of households are without access to improved water. (UNDP Livelihood and Economic Recovery Assessment, May 2016). As at December 2016, UNICEF supported 720,497 people with access to safe water, 1,024,652 with access to sanitation facilities as per agreed standards and 1,004,735 people were reached through hygiene promotion and distribution of hygiene kits/NFI. Under the scale up plan, 641,265 people have access to improved sanitation services, including 20,848 people reached during the reporting period through the construction of 296 latrines in host communities and IDP camps in MMC, Jere, and newly liberated areas in Borno and Yobe. Latrine construction was complemented with hygiene promotion through house to house visits benefiting 1,814 people. During the reporting period, UNICEF also provided 13,824 hygiene kits in Dikwa and Monguno benefiting 82,924 IDPs. Distribution of kits will continue to reach 100 per cent of the IDPs in the newly liberated areas. In Adamawa State, 50 WASH kits were provided to 262 IDPs being hosted in GDSS school in Demsa LGA. Two boreholes with hand pumps were rehabilitated in South Yola LGA benefiting 972 IDPs and host community members.
Trauma Management
The conflict in North East Nigeria has no doubt had tremendous psychosocial impact on the citizens in the region.52% of those interviewed in the Adamawa and 36% in Borno report a change in the behavior of the Children since the insurgency due to psychosocial stress reflected in less willingness to help caregivers and siblings ( for 33% of surveyed), Less willingness to care for others in the community (20%), Having nightmares and/or not being able to sleep (19%), Sadness (e.g. not talking, not playing etc.) (15%), Unwillingness to go to school (15%), Less interested in education (13%), Helping parents less than before (12%), Violence against younger children (11%), Committing crimes (6%), Spending more time on sport and playing (6%), Disrespectful behaviour in the family (3%), Substance abuse (2%), Isolating themselves (2%) of their children since the insurgency began.(International Rescue Committee, Multi-sectoral Assessment, Jan 2016).
Given that the North East Region has been under war in the last eight years (2009-2016), it would not be out of place to assume that people in various communities would be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder given what they witnessed, the pain of the loss of their loved ones who in many cases were killed in their presence, the loss of their livelihoods leading to the loss of hope, the stress of living in crowded camp conditions and suffering the indignities of waiting for relief etc.
Youth and Poverty
The population of North East Nigeria prior to the Boko Haram Insurgency was 18,971,965(2006 National Census). The population of Adamawa state at that time was 3,168,101, Borno(4,151,193), Yobe(2,321,591). The projected population in 2017 is put at 13,300,300 with Borno having a population of 5,800,000, Adamawa state (4,200,000) and Yobe state (3,300, 000)(ACAPS 2016). Youth constitute above 50% of the population of the three states most affected by insurgency in the North East. The north eastern regions have the highest proportion of poverty in Nigeria, and were ranked below southern states on most key socioeconomic indicators even before the conflict. Poverty is higher in rural areas (WFP and IFPRI, 07/2013). In 2010, the absolute poverty rate in the northeast stood at 69%, among the highest in Nigeria (NBS 2010). In the region like most parts of Nigeria Poverty seem to be a Youth phenomenon. In 2010 the average unemployment rate in the region was 26.07%, Adamawa state had an unemployment rate of 24.60%, Borno(26.70), and Yobe(26.20%). Given that the livelihoods of families have been destroyed by the insurgency and that many of the youth within the region are now without any means of livelihoods, the region like the rest of Nigeria is sitting on the horns of a demographic disaster.
Objectives:
The objectives we aim to achieve through this proposal are:
1. Provide economic empowerment to widows by equipping 2000 widows who are victims of Boko Haram in sustainable economic empowerment skills and businesses.
2. Support educational interventions for children and youth by Building/Rebuilding and equipping 10 primary schools so as to encourage children who are out of school because of Boko Haram to return to school or have access to basic education.
3. Engage youth in positive activities to prevent radicalization.
4. Rebuild burnt Church buildings to promote social cohesion by rebuilding 20 burnt Churches by the Boko Haram insurgence.
5. Provide access to clean water and sanitation through borehole and latrine construction by sinking 10 boreholes and build 20 toilets facilities and provide solar electricity for 10 communities who are victims of Boko Haram.
6. Equip Church leaders by training 1000 Church Pastors, Evangelists and Church workers in Disciple Making Movement (DMM) skills for the multiplication of Disciples in the Boko Haram affected areas.
7. Empower Church leaders in effective leadership by training a minimum of 500 Church leaders in Church Governance workshop, a church leadership empowerment training for effective Church leadership.
8. Provide psychosocial support by taking 4000 men, women and youths who are victims of Boko Haram through trauma healing sessions.
