*Provides psychosocial support, entrepreneurship in Borno
By; SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri
Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development (ALFOPED), a non governmental organization has organized a 2-day training for 30 selected and screened new members of Jire Dole Network Borno State to build resilience of the victims and survivors of mental health and psychosocial support from their Boko Haram insurgency experiences including gender based violence (GBV).
The two-day training workshop which also included lectures on business and skills entrepreneurship as well as confidence building on business activities and livelihood, was held at the Allamin. Foundation for Peace and Development Office Complex Auditorium, Giwa Barracks Area Maiduguri, Borno State Capital on Sunday, 29 and Monday 30 January, 2023.
The Executive Director, Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development, Hajiya Hamsatu Allamin said the workshop was purposely organized for the selected members of the Jire Dole Network to share the experiences and exposure of the time and survivors of the Boko Haram insurgency and gender based violence as well as other crimes.
Represented by the Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development, Transitional Justice and Reintegration Project Manager, Mr. Samuel Orahii, she added that the training was also aimed at providing the participants (victims and survivors) with the necessary information and knowledge on mental health and psychosocial support as well as confidence building and entrepreneurship to build their resilience.
The Executive Director further explained that the participants of the chain training workshop programmes lined up by the foundation for the members of the Jire Dole Network who are victims and survivors of conflict related sexual violence, abduction and forced disappearance, arbitrary arrest and detention, both from, Boko Haram insurgents and Nigerian military.
She also noted that Allamin Foundation comprises of eight humanaitarain groups, namely, mother’s and relations of enforced disappearances, victims of arbitrary arrest (Youth), Njotkuno Movement victims of arbitrary arrest (Women), victims of arbitrary arrest (minors), knifes movement of wives of disappeared husbands , inda rai network of survivors, network of early/forced marriage and early divorce as well as network of widows of invisible children .
According to her, the training workahop was targeted at building the resilience of victims and survivors on mental health and psychosocial support as well as helping the victims and survivors recover from their bad experiences in the bolo haram crisis.
A facilitator/resource person, Malam Mohammed Bako who also a PSS Practitioner equally said it was to support the victims and survivors return to normalcy as soon as possible by forgetting their adverse experiences and to support the victims and survivors to overcome psychosocial distress and improve their social reintegration.
The Allamin Foundation Gender Officer, Hajiya Falmata Musa also said the training was organized purposely to orientate, educate and enlighten the participants with useful information and knowledge on how to support them build reaileunce among victims of are;y/forced marriage and victims/relations of military/boko haram/CJTF abuses using religious perspective.
A resource person/facilitator, Hajiya Falmata Umar Abdulkadir who is also the former President , Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FAMWAN), Borno state added that the training workshop was organized to acquaint the participants with religious message in peace , forgiveness, reconciliation, human rights and courage as it relates to reaileunce and focusing on a new leaf in life.
While Hajiya Ya Kime Gado, a Resource Person and Psychosocial Support Expert dwelt in confidence building along with Dr. Mohammed Abdullahi who is also a Peace Building Expert as facilitators emphasized on what and how the victims transversed through thick and thin to survive during the insurgency including their mothers, wives and husbands arbitrary arrest and detention.
They also elaborated on the need to build confidence level of the participants in their resilience to enable them overcome stigma and forget their past experiences as well as how the victims could strengthen resilience among victims of early/forced marriage and victims/relations of military/Boko Haram/CJTF abuses through self confidence and self esteem.
Dr. Mohammed further explained that the workshop prioritized and deliberated interactively also on the need and importance of the participants acquainting themselves as victims and survivors with the basic strategies and principles of leadership and communication in managing materials, businesses and coordinating people and resources among others.
Some of the beneficiaries expressed appreciation and gratitude for being lucky to be participants at the workshop and exposure, while few others who spoke in Hausa and Kanuri dialects, thanked the Allamin Foundation director, management staff, resource persons and facilitators for their support and encouragement.
In jubilation and excitement at the end of the training programme, each of the participants went home with cash support of N30,000 apart from transport allowances given to each of the beneficiaries to and from home.
Highlights of the training workshop included group photographs, presentation of cash support, transport allowance and questions and answers session.
