Building a Sense of Normalcy for IDPs in Benue State
In north-central Nigeria, treatment, psychosocial counseling, and other related services are helping internally displaced persons rebuild their lives.
Fourteen-year-old Dooshima Kwaghbee sits quietly in a corner of Mega Camp, one of the largest camps for displaced persons in Benue State. Her face carries a weight far too heavy for her age.
I fled here with my parents and siblings in 2024 after armed men attacked our village, Dooshima begins, her voice low but steady. Originally from Kadrako village in Guma Local Government Area, life in the camp has been a difficult adjustment. We live here, but it’s not easy. The food isn’t enough. My father often goes out to find something extra for us to eat, she shares.
Yet, despite the challenges, Dooshima finds solace in one thing: her education.
Thanks to the efforts of the Benue State government, UNICEF, JASPI, and other partners, I can continue my schooling here in the camp without fear of being attacked, she says, a hint of hope in her eyes.
Mega Camp in Mbayongu, Makurdi, is home to thousands of people like Dooshima who were forced to flee their homes due to violence. Life in the camp is not just about survival; it’s also about rebuilding a sense of normalcy, especially for the most vulnerable: women and children.
Mark Terver, the camp coordinator, works tirelessly to make that happen.
My role is to ensure that partners and donors’ activities are well-coordinated and that the camp runs smoothly, he explains.
Through partnerships with organisations like JASPI and UNICEF, the camp has introduced programs to prevent gender-based violence (GBV) and create safe spaces for children and women.
We discovered early on that children and women in the camp had no real way to relax or recover emotionally. So, we worked with JASPI to create a football field and started psychosocial activities. Now, for the first time, we have a girls’ football team alongside the boys’ team, Mark says with a smile. Seeing them happy is one of the best parts of my job.
The camp also focuses on education and raising awareness about GBV.
We hold sensitisation sessions four times a week and run focus group discussions with adolescent boys and girls to educate them about GBV and its effects. To enhance safety, we’ve installed solar-powered lights around all the WASH facilities so that everyone can use them safely, even at night, Mark explains.
During a recent visit to the camp, Dr. Shamina Sharmin, UNICEF’s Acting Chief of Field Office in Enugu, handed over psychosocial materials to further support GBV survivors. She emphasised the importance of creating safe spaces in camps, like Mega Camp.
Today, we’re handing over resources to promote safe spaces for GBV survivors. In IDP camps, the safety of women and children, especially during armed conflicts, is critical, Dr. Shamina said. UNICEF is committed to supporting GBV survivors, focusing on treatment, psychosocial counseling, and other essential services. Through our partnership with JASPI and the Ministry of Women Affairs, we’ve been able to make a real impact, and we’ll continue to do so.
Through partnerships with JASPI and the Ministry of Women Affairs, this was made possible, and we will continue to provide support to survivors of GBV—their treatment, psychosocial counselling, and other related services, Dr. Shamina said.
