The violence caused by the insurgency of the Islamic State of the West African Province (ISWAP), commonly known as Boko Haram, in North-Eastern Nigeria has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions of people, and damaged the country’s economy. Formal education has been targeted, leading to the deterioration of the education system.

After a needs assessment operation in 2018, Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Nigeria opened its first Country Office in Abuja. We are now present in Borno, Adamawa, and Taraba States, assisting forcibly displaced individuals and local communities through improving access to quality education, health interventions, socio-economic empowerment, and psychosocial support.

In Borno and Adamawa States, JRS Nigeria focuses on education by supporting schools and reinforcing the professional capacities and livelihoods activities of teachers. The Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) aims to allow forcibly displaced out-of-school children to acquire the missed academic competencies. The Youth Empowerment and Livelihood programs (YELP) provide opportunities to host communities and IDPs to acquire skills such as tailoring and livestock rearing, as well as psychological support.

With our Farmers Field School (FFS) and Farmers Business School (FBS), host communities and women affected by Boko Haram’s violence receive training on improved farming techniques and access to income opportunities.

With the support of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United States Department of Population Refugees and Migration, JRS assists Cameroonian refugees in Taraba State with education, protection, psychosocial, and health services