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A new home brings restored hope

the story of Garba Modu

By UNDP NIGERIA

June 27^th, 2022

Garba Modu is from Bale, a small village on the outskirts of Damboa, Borno State. He is a farmer and a hunter who was forced to seek refuge in Damboa town after his family home and belongings were destroyed by the conflict that has plagued north-eastern Nigeria for over a decade.

Upon arrival in Damboa town, Garba and his family stayed in one of the Internally Displaced Persons Camps (IDP), just like thousands of people who have been displaced by the conflict. The camp is meant to serve as temporary shelters until the impacted community can return to their initial homes or resettle back into another peaceful location.

Despite Garba being grateful for a space in the camp, the influx of people has led to congestion and overcrowding, creating many difficult challenges for its residents. Frequent malaria, diarrhea, and cholera outbreaks are common, while the community battles harsh weather conditions with little protection.

Garba reflects on how his experience has made an impact on his mental health:

“Conditions in camp are tough and it has been hard to find work. We used to have a beautiful home in Bale and now every day I carry the burden of not being able to provide for my family “.

To respond to the growing needs of families in camp, 500 households living in the camp were given new houses constructed by the Borno State Government through the Regional Stabilization Facility (RSF). Garba and his family were among the selected beneficiaries to receive a home in hopes of rebuilding a new life.

The Regional Stabilization Facility, led by the Nigerian government and supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Germany, the European Union, United Kingdom, Sweden and the Netherlands, is geared towards rapidly scaling up efforts to improve the delivery of essential services, reduce insecurity, and reinforce social cohesion to strengthen the social contract. Across six target locations in north-eastern Nigeria, stabilization efforts are helping to restore normalcy and build back better in areas affected by conflict and instability.

Since Garba and his family received their new home, he has been able to start hunting and farming again to help carter for his family. To him, the government has given his family a pathway to recovery:

“This new house means a lot to me and my family, you can’t compare it with the life we had in the camp. Now my children have a conducive and clean environment to live and study in. We are at peace, and we feel safer,” said Garba.

The delivery of new homes has come as a great relief for Garba in his family. They now have a safe space to live in and Garba no longer has to worry about faulty shelter when it rains. He has also seen an improvement in his son’s health, which has allowed him to attend school more frequently and has also improved greatly since they moved in to the new house as while in the camp.

Stabilization activities aim to extend state presence by supporting security conditions, infrastructure, services, and livelihood opportunities conducive to peace, social cohesion, and development at local levels. Through these interventions, families like Garba’s are receiving sustainable support that will enhance their long-term recovery.