Dana Adam is a single mother of three (3) children and her family represent one family household of hundreds in the Ngarannam community that were displaced from their homes due to extremism. Ngarannam is located in Northeast Nigeria in the State of Borno. The community was attacked and destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgency in 2015, causing Dana and hundreds of others to flee, leaving everything behind to live in a camp for internally displaced people(IDP) for over eight (8) years.
Dana recalls what happened, “We were attacked by Boko Haram but we fled and stayed in Muna Camp”. Fortunately, the Nigerian Government, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and its partners, were able to develop a sustainable solution for Dana and the Ngarannam community by rebuilding their homes.
The initiative is a project under the Regional Stabilisation Facility, which is generously funded by its partners Germany, the European Union, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. With the goal of bringing back a state of normalcy, one of the core focuses of the program is to establish conditions for people to return and stay. Sustainable housing is imperative for Dana as she needs shelter for her three children. Widowed just three months ago, she is the sole provider and caretaker for her family.
“Cholera was the cause of my husband's death. After the death of my husband, I have been the one taking care of my children for almost three months now.”
Dana’s household situation is not uncommon. Many women of the Ngarannam community are single/widowed mothers who have become the sole income providers for their families. With this in mind, the RSF program specifically allocated 20% of the homes built to single and widowed women-led households.
Dana and women like her are delighted to return to their community and get their life and livelihood back. She states, “Now we are back to our village which was built and we are excited and delightful. Right now we are living in peace. That alone is an achievement to me.”
The life of Pusam Modu and her family were forever changed when they were attacked in their community of Ngarannam by insurgents of the Boko Haram extremist group. They fled to the capital of Borno State, Maiduguri, where they remained for 8 years inside a camp for internally displaced people. Pusam shares her story. “The insurgents attacked us and we fledto Maiduguri. We lost everything.”
Recently, Pusam and her family were able to return to their community and rebuild their life in the place they call home. She represents one of hundreds of families in the Ngarannam community who returned to their homes.
Women play a key role in Ngarannam. They support their families as business owners and farmers which helps their community prosper. Pusam, mother of 7, has a shop in her new house and helps with selling goods inside their home marketplace. Her contribution to her family plays a part in providing them with a sustainable livelihood.
Upon their return to the community, the Borno State Government helped set the community up for success by providing each household with 100k naira, food including corn, rice, and vegetable oil, and household items such as mattresses and plastic mats. In addition, 250 households received business starter grant support and 250 households received agriculture grants to support their future food supplies..
The Nigerian Government, UNDP and its partners made sure that when rebuilding the Ngarannam community, it was done in a way that would create pride and ownership, allowing families to sustain themselves on a long-term basis while setting a model example for Africa and the World to follow.
Pusam represents one of many families of Ngarannam that have been able to live a better life since her return to the community due to the sustainable measures put in place. The resources that Pusam and her family received allow them to further their livelihood opportunities. “Our life is far better than before. We are happy to be back home in peace,” she states.
Prior to the attack on Ngarannam in 2015, Falta Yerima was a businesswoman in her village. Ngarannam is located in Borno State in Northeast Nigeria and is one of many communities that were attacked by the Boko Haram insurgency. Residents were forced to flee and live in a camp for internally displaced people for almost a decade. After recently returning back home, Falta plays a key role in the sustainable long-term development of her community. “Life in the camp was a tough one but we are happy to be home” she shares.
A wife and mother of 8, Falta is one of the women leaders on the stabilisation steering committee. She is the head of a team of traders who run their own shops and represents their interests on the committee. The group is responsible for fostering community dialogue and promoting peace and unity.
“We had a meeting yesterday and we spoke about water. We also spoke about our children’s education,” she explains. Her voice is a vital piece to ensuring the community continues to thrive.
Falta’s leadership in Ngarannam is one of the ways the Nigerian Government, along with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has prioritised collaboration with the community. Empowering residents to participate and be a part of their own recovery was a critical way to establish a relationship with open communication developing a sense of trust between the government and its people. The result was an increased confidence in the state.
Studies show that 72% of households are feeling an increased sense of security since the community rebuild, and 89% satisfaction with government performance.
To respond to the challenges faced by the Ngarannam community and others like it, the Regional Stabilisation Facility (RSF) was created with the goal of long lasting security, infrastructure, and livelihood for its beneficiaries. By providing security and empowering the community with a voice in the rebuilding effort, trust was restored and a state of normalcy was brought back to this community. Falta states, “From the camp, you brought us home, you gave us a new life, we are grateful. We are excited we got homes for our children.” The rebuilding efforts of RSF in the Ngarannam made a lasting impact, not only on Falta and her family, but on the community as a whole.
© 2026 UNDP NIGERIA
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