In much of Nigeria, acts of violence – whether by Boko Haram or local bandits – have forced over three million to abandon their villages and flee for their lives.
The families living in Ungwan Iliya, a small village in Kaduna State, were forced to leave six months ago in the middle of the pandemic. Now upon returning home, many are finding their houses ransacked and damaged and their livelihoods lost. These villagers are faced with the difficult task of rebuilding their lives from the wreckage that is left.
Abraham Gaga, DAI Nigeria Director, has been helping many displaced families, both Christian and Muslim, with critical relief supplies and services. Most recently, his team visited Ungwan Iliya, providing families with desperately needed food and medical assistance. They were also able to give a mill to four women to start a small business grinding grain (see above picture). This will allow these families to re-establish themselves and have a sustainable income. In addition, Gaga – a trained veterinarian – was able to conduct check-ups and give medicine to the villagers’ livestock. (See photo to the right.)
The situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) is not an easy one to solve, particularly in the midst of a pandemic. As well as immediate relief efforts, a lasting solution requires the long-term, difficult work of knitting whole families and communities back together and restoring their material well-being won from decades of hard work.
Such a deep investment requires leaders committed for the long haul. It is DAI’s purpose to help find, train and walk alongside the leaders that are committed to this vision.
