The Humanitarian Times

By Abdulkareem Haruna

In a concerted effort to foster long-term stability and economic recovery in Nigeria’s North-East, the Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development has rolled out an intensive capacity-building initiative for survivors of armed conflict in Borno State.

The comprehensive three-day workshop, which focuses on income generation, saving skills, business management, caregiving, and safeguarding, forms a core component of the ongoing project titled “Strengthening Pathways to Reintegration and Community Resilience Against Violent Extremism.”

The initiative is being implemented with robust backing from the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN), underscoring a shared commitment to localized peacebuilding and economic empowerment.

Years of insurgency and security challenges in Borno State have left profound socio-economic scars, heavily impacting vulnerable demographics, particularly women and caregivers.

According to project coordinators, the current training targets a carefully selected cohort of 60 participants.

The beneficiaries comprise 40 livelihood participants and 20 women who participated in the deradicalization program supported by ICAN through the Allamin Foundation, alongside women heads of households and caregivers tasked with supporting them.

To ensure sustainable self-reliance, participants were trained on identifying the right trade, thoroughly understanding the market by paying close attention to community needs, evaluating the location of goods, analyzing the competition, and determining what makes their product unique.

Leading the technical sessions is Dr. Mohammed Abdullahi, a seasoned consultant with the Allamin Foundation, who brings extensive expertise in community resilience and development programming.

Elaborating on the scope of the program, Hamza Dadum Maigari, the foundation’s M&E  Manager, noted that the training aims to strengthen participants’ knowledge in small business management, savings, and record-keeping to ensure a successful reintegration.

“Whatever we want to do in terms of reintegrating those that have been affected by conflict, especially in North-East Nigeria, the provision of livelihood is very key,” Mr. Maigari stated.

He added that ICAN is supporting the beneficiaries through the Allamin Foundation by providing business startup packs so that the reintegration remains sustainable.

The Allamin Foundation, a frontline peacebuilding NGO based in Maiduguri, has continually spearheaded grassroots interventions aimed at transitional justice, deradicalization, and community-led reintegration across the Lake Chad Basin region.

One of the female beneficiaries, who spoke on the strict condition of anonymity to avoid stigmatisation, expressed enthusiasm about the lifeline being extended to them.

“Insha Allah, I am here to learn about cooked food vending, and I am doing so because of my children. Today, we are here to be taught how to manage the capital we were given; how to watch our money, avoid wasting it on nonsense, and keep reinvesting in our business,” she said.

The middle-aged woman noted that she has also received support from the Allamin Foundation to ease the burden of caring for her orphans.

“My husband passed away and left me with eight children. Insha Allah, I will continue doing this work. Alhamdulillah, we thank them. There is nothing we can say except to pray that Allah rewards them with goodness.”

Similarly, two of the young boys participating in the project expressed gladness that the Allamin Foundation has provided them with the opportunity to learn trades like tailoring and metal welding.

Stakeholders hope that initiatives of this scale will not only provide financial lifelines to direct victims of conflict but also fortify the broader social fabric of Borno State against future security vulnerabilities.