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Emergency Trust Fund for Africa
News article10 October 2019

In Niger, displaced communities are building their future, together with their homes

In Niger, displaced communities are building their future, together with their homes
UNHCR

The project “Renforcement de la résilience institutionnelle et communautaire dans la région Diffa”, launched by UNHCR and the European Union in 2017, is an original and innovative project that strengthens the nexus between humanitarian interventions and development operations, by providing to the displaced and vulnerable beneficiaries the opportunity to learn how to build their own houses. The general objective is to create an environment which is favourable to entrepreneurship, training, and direct and indirect employment throughout the region of Diffa.

The project has already obtained excellent results in revitalising the local economy, deeply affected by the Boko Haram conflict in the region of Diffa, Niger. It does so by strengthening capacities in terms of resource mobilisation and encouraging investment in the local economy of the region. The project supports the ownership of the locally elected authorities of the process of urban planning including the creation of land parcels, as well as legal land ownership for displaced and host populations.

Legal access to land for housing is fundamental for vulnerable displaced and host beneficiary households: thanks to the interventions, up until march 2019, 1022 Refugee Housing Units have already been installed on the Urbanization sites, to provide temporary housing for beneficiaries engaged in construction of their houses.

Thanks to the project funded by the EU, more than 1000 people now have access to training and skills in various construction techniques; local authorities are supported in managing urban development; much-needed public water provision systems in the 7 target communes are now strengthened. Beneficiaries proudly report that the regular salary enables them to cover the basic needs of their families, and that they are no longer dependant on humanitarian aid.

The project is not only helping to give a house and a job to vulnerable people, but, more importantly, is giving hope, dignity and faith in the future.

Details

Publication date
10 October 2019
Region and Country
Niger
Thematic
Strengthening resilience of communities
Partner
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Programmes in the region