By Jessica John Bakari.
Over 2,268 individuals, along with approximately 11,340 others from Adamawa and Borno States, have directly and indirectly benefited from various interventions by Jesuit Refugee Service Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation.
Reverend Father Temple Anuforo, the Country Director of the organisation, announced this during the project inception meeting for the Basque Government-funded initiative in Adamawa and Borno States, held at Mama Chare Hotel in Jimeta.
He stated that these interventions have had a significant impact on the projects executed in these states. The meeting served as a multi-sectoral platform for sharing insights on building inclusive and sustainable leadership in humanitarian contexts, promoting gender sensitivity, and enhancing local capacity building in Borno and Adamawa.
Additionally, Reverend Father Anuforo introduced a new project titled “Leadership, Equality, and Resilience” aimed at community empowerment in humanitarian contexts in both states. The first phase of this project is set to last for twelve months, from August 2023 to September 2024, to foster and enhance leadership and agricultural and entrepreneurial capacities.
He explained that the project’s objectives include promoting gender equality and improving access to education for individuals affected by conflicts in Adamawa and Borno States.
The project is being implemented in Girei, Michika, and Mubi North Local Government Areas in Adamawa State, as well as in Askira-Uba and Biu Local Governments in Borno State.
Reverend Father Anuforo commended the Adamawa State Government for providing an enabling environment and called for further support from both the Adamawa and Borno State Governments to help them effectively carry out their duties.
Madam Tamana Usman, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of Jesuit Refugee Service Nigeria in Yola, noted that the project has trained 300 people, including community leaders, with a special emphasis on increasing women’s participation in decision-making.
She explained that 300 women farmers have received comprehensive training in modern and sustainable agricultural practices and business skills through Farmer Field School (FFS) and Farmers Business School (FBS) initiatives aimed at increasing their yields and diversifying their income. Some of the women have successfully started small businesses, such as groundnut oil processing, and have provided safe, quality education for vulnerable children by renovating classrooms in five schools across five local governments, supplying learning materials to 750 pupils, and covering school levies.
In the presentation of achievements from the Basque project, Ayodele Oluseyi, a Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist at JRS, highlighted that the project led to the formation of ten Village Savings and Loan Associations. These groups were registered as cooperatives, enabling them to access financial assistance, social safety nets, and low-interest loans, which they invested in agricultural inputs to improve household incomes.
He also mentioned that beneficiaries were engaged in non-farm income-generating activities, and 150 individuals received skills training in areas such as tailoring, bead-making, and soap production, along with start-up kits to launch small businesses, contributing to household economic stability.
In a presentation by Innocent Emmanuel, the Project Director of JRS Yola, he stated that the second phase of the project aims to strengthen the resilience of displaced and host communities in Adamawa and Borno States through economic, educational, and social empowerment.
After the meeting, Mr. Salvation Godfrey, an agricultural extension agent from Girei local government, reported that approximately 60 farming groups were trained on improved planting techniques and seed management.
The event involved contributions from stakeholders representing the Ministries of Education, Human Capital Development, Women Affairs and Social Development, the Agriculture/Food Security Sector, and the Catholic Diocese of Yola, among others.