Local Actors, Global Gain.
How UNICEF is Building the Capacity of Partners in Northeast Nigeria.
When Ladi Clark Musa, a development expert, founded the Life at Best Development Initiative (LABDI) in Maiduguri, Borno State, nine years ago, she had no idea how profound an impact it would have on the lives of ordinary people in the northeast region.
But almost a decade later, the organisation has amassed a giant footprint by preventing child malnutrition, supporting adolescents at risk of child marriage, and even contributing to the attainment of the open defecation-free status of an LGA that is currently awaiting national certification in Borno State.
LABDI has reached over 120,000 vulnerable children and women with water, sanitation and hygiene, nutrition, child protection, and gender-based violence services. We have screened over 100,000 children under five years for malnutrition and treated moderate acute malnutrition and severe acute malnutrition in children, among other nutrition interventions, said Musa.
UNICEF and LABDI established a partnership in 2019 to support nutrition response in Shani, Borno State. Building on the success of this partnership, UNICEF expanded its collaboration with the national non-governmental organisation, joining forces on a variety of projects and themes that extend beyond Borno State.
The organisation, in collaboration with UNICEF, has played a vital role in creating more than 1200 gardens for families impacted by conflict and displacement. It also stands as one of UNICEF’s key partners in the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM).
At present, LABDI is providing guidance and support to 150 girls and 50 boys. Assisting them to explore options beyond child marriage.
In an effort to reach more children affected by conflict, UNICEF is collaborating with local organisations that have the necessary reach and capacity to make a difference. In addition to LABDI, UNICEF has formed partnerships. with more than 30 civil society organisations, including both local and international non-governmental organisations.
It has been proven that national organisations have a unique ability to deliver humanitarian services effectively, particularly to hard-to-reach communities.
Another local actor is joining forces with UNICEF in the Northeast. The Lindii Peace Foundation (LPF) operates across 17 local government areas in the region. With support from donors like the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund (NHF), Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), LPF has partnered with UNICEF to provide protection and nutrition support to children affected by conflict.
Recognising the potential of local organisations to boost their humanitarian and development efforts in northeast Nigeria, UNICEF has been empowering these actors to improve their responses to pressing humanitarian and developmental issues throughout the region.
Recently, UNICEF's Emergency Section took a significant step to empower local actors by providing training in humanitarian programming, partnership processes, effective monitoring, sustainability, and ensuring accountability to those affected. The participants were also training on the importance of visibility, proposal development, community engagement, and financial management.
At the event, Philimon Majwa, the UNICEF emergency manager, emphasized the importance of working together with local actors to accelerate results for women and children affected by the conflict in the northeast region.
In light of the many emergencies that unfolded in 2024, Majwa stressed the importance of a strong network of local actors to boost response services when the RRM is put into action.
Local actors play a vital role in sustaining humanitarian response in northeast Nigeria. International organisations, such as UNICEF, should consider how they can work alongside local organisations to enhance their efforts, Majwa stated.
Dr. Muhammad Barkindo, the director general of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), opens up about this. According to him, building the capacity of local actors for better response is “pivotal to strengthening sustainable response to emergencies in developing and culturing context-specific local capacities. We cannot neglect this area." Through RRM, UNICEF and local non-governmental organisations are providing women and children in hard-to-reach communities with essential items for their survival and well-being.
