By Umar Dankano Yola.
The Jesuit Refugee Service.JRS, Nigeria has officially launched a new project aimed at strengthening community leadership, resilience and self-reliance among displaced and host populations in Borno and Adamawa States.
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In his keynote address at the launching ceremony held in Yola, the Adamawa state capital on Wednesday, the Country Director of JRS Nigeria, Fr.Temple Anufo to said that project mainly seek to support communities affected by conflict and displacements to build stronger systems of protection,participation and resilience while creating opportunities for individuals and families to regain greater control over their lives.
Fr.Anuforo highlighted the importance of placing communities at the centre of humanitarian and resilience-building efforts declaring that the project is funded by the Basque Government,titled “Community Leadership and Resilience among Displaced and Host Populations in Borno and Adamawa,”
“Communities affected by displacement are not simply recipients of assistance. They possess knowledge, strengths and leadership capacities that must be recognised and supported. This project seeks to walk alongside communities as they strengthen their own capacity to respond to challenges, protect their members and build more resilient futures.”Anuforo stressed.
He explained that the project will focus on strengthening community structures and leadership while promoting meaningful participation of displaced and host populations.
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“Through targeted interventions, JRS will work with communities to identify priorities, strengthen local capacities and promote approaches that enable people to better respond to the social and economic challenges associated with conflict and displacement.
According to him,for JRS Nigeria, the project builds on its longstanding commitment to accompany, serve and advocate alongside refugees, internally displaced persons and host communities.
He noted that, It recognises that sustainable solutions to displacement require more than humanitarian assistance and require communities to have the knowledge, skills, voice and opportunities to participate in decisions affecting their lives
He also announced that JRS Nigeria has executed two different projects where the first and second targeted 2,268 and 3, 296 direct beneficiaries respectively. Unveiling that the current project targets a total of 8,810 beneficiaries in the two states.
The five (5) benefitting local government areas includes;Girei, Michika and Mubi South in Adamawa state while Biu and Uba Askira in Borno state accordingly and the project is for two(2) years span.
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Attendees and partners to JRS Nigeria who spoke at the occasion applauded the contributions of the organization in responding to humanitarian crisis in Northern Nigeria, where armed conflicts, climate change and economic challenges continue to affect the citizens particularly internally displaced persons IDPs and host communities.
Our Correspondent reports that invitees from relevant government institutions, humanitarian and development organisations, community leaders and other stakeholders from Borno and Adamawa States graced the program