The Engaging Grassroot Actors for Growth and Empowerment (EnGAGE) project took off in the first quarter of 2023. A phase two from the Partnership for Peace (P4P) Project under the Local Action Fund (LAF) funded by Peace Direct which ran for 18 months (July 2021 - Dec. 2022).
We intend to deepen the gains of P4P project by adopting a new strategy of initiating an all-inclusive broad based conflict resolution platform and building of bridges along segregated, discriminated and unequal communities in Plateau and Kaduna states through awareness, confidence building initiatives, media platforms, dialogue and entrepreneurship programs. This will lead to an increased level of trust and understanding between Christians and Muslims, pastoralists and farmers, native indigenes and settlers, transit and host communities, women and the youth in Kaduna and Plateau states.
Presently, we are working with five (5) sub-grantees (our partners) as we call them across Kaduna and Plateau state within communities which are characterized as deeply divided on major issues and are vigorously and/or violently contested along the lines of complex ethnic, religious and political variables. By virtue of these complex web of existential challenges and seemingly intractable conflicts and instability, Kaduna and Plateau state can be rightly described as the most deeply divided states in Nigeria. In these states millions of people suffer from discrimination, segregation, inequality leading to diverse forms of polarization. This not only violates basic human rights, but has a wider social and economic consequence which perpetuate poverty, inequality and the lack of peace while worsening social tensions.
Kaduna and Plateau state have proved remarkably resistant to peacebuilding efforts aimed at reconstruction, reintegration, equality and reconciliation. Physical separation of communities has emerged as a short-sighted and counterproductive solution to identity-based violence.
The divided communities/cities in the two states demonstrate the important place of peacebuilding in these challenged states towards restoration of peaceful coexistence and an all-inclusive society.
Achieving peace in Kaduna and Plateau state is strategic in achieving peace in Nigeria as a geopolitical entity. Conflicts in Kaduna and Plateau state in the past have often snowballed into a national conflagration. Invariably, achieving peace in Kaduna and Plateau is achieving peace in Nigeria.
The rationale for EnGAGE looks at the prevalent poverty in households and unemployment or underemployment amongst the teaming Nigerian youth who are often used by politicians to perpetuate dominance in the political arena. The growing spate of insecurity, crime and violence have a direct link as either proximate causes or the consequences of poverty, unemployment and bad governance. These have pressured some Nigerians into taking up arms against the State and fellow citizens especially in cases of armed banditry, robbery and kidnapping. Other resultant effects of poverty and unemployment are the cases of prostitution which has contributed greatly to the unabating rise of human trafficking. Amidst these abysmal occurrences, is the hydra headed monster created by religious intolerance which is also exacerbated by the farmers-herders conflict across the country.
Though the government through various programs have tried to address these menaces, it has not been deliberate enough to target the most vulnerable who face the negative impact in the society. Thus, the following activities will address the first objective of the LAF-EnGAGE Project which is to tackle the root and proximate causes of violence in communities, thereby contributing to sustainable peace at the local, regional and/or national level.
ACTIVITIES UNDER OBJECTIVE 1
Community Entry, Sensitization and Stakeholders Mapping
All partners (sub-grantees) will carry out entry advocacies to community gatekeepers to ensure acceptance or buy-in of proposed intervention in identified communities.
Training on Peaceful Coexistence: Intra/Inter Dialogue Sessions and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
LEGASI will hold a Training of Trainers (ToT) to build the capacity of partners on conflict management and mitigation, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), Prevention/Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE).
Entrepreneurial Skill Development and Start up seed Grant for Identified Youth and Women
LEGASI and partners will work with the business community to provide training on identified business areas and seed grant to selected individuals (youth and women) to address the issue of poverty and unemployment which are linked to immediate causes or root of violence.
Community Peace Dialogue Forum (EnGAGE Peace Connect)
LEGASI and partners will facilitate and support platforms that will bring together beneficiaries to exchange information, share learning and discuss emerging issues within their communities and discuss early warning concerns and intervention approaches. This will also help to create platforms to bond the youth and women in communities divided by conflict and further entrench peaceful coexistence.
Trauma Counselling
Owing to past violent conflicts, women are increasingly serving as heads of households bread winners when male family members are killed due to violent conflict. Women are also vulnerable to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), which leads to significant physical and psychological trauma. Hence, towards building a resilient community, trauma awareness and healing sessions will be conducted for beneficiaries (youth and women) impacted negatively by conflict and harsh economic realities in target communities.
ACTIVITIES UNDER OBJECTIVE 2
LAF-EnGAGE program which is to strengthen greater networking, collaboration, joint learning, strategizing and advocacy
Training on Networking
Networking which creates useful linkages among community stakeholders and partners will be strengthened in the LAF-EnGAGE program. LEGASI will conduct training for all its partners on building alliances and collaboration. Partners will also cascade this training at the grassroots.
Forum for Linkages with strategic stakeholders (Linkage) x 4
As part of linkage creation above, both within the peacebuilding and entrepreneurial component of this program, LEGASI will organize multi-stakeholder’s forum to foster continuous interaction among LAF partners, State and non-State actors (Security and the Business Community).
Review/Reflection Meeting x 3
As part of promoting joint learning and strategizing for impact, LEGASI will conduct periodic review sessions that will bring all partners together to share their implementation experiences (learnings, challenges and recommendation) for improved programming. This activity will hold on rotational basis in each state and also serve as an exchange visit among the partners to allow for more learning and bonding.
Conduct Advocacies
LEGASI will carry out series of advocacies to Heads of Security agencies and the Business Environment/Community (BOI, BOA, other Micro-Finance Institutions) across the two states to strengthen collaboration in Early Warning and Response on the one hand and on the other hand, solicit entrepreneurial supports to small businesses that will be set up through the LAF-EnGAGE project.
Commemoration of UN International Days
LEGASI will commemorate specific United Nations recognized days with their themes to create awareness and garner public support and especially tasks the government on creating and implementing people-oriented policies for a better society. These days shall include:
- SEPTEMBER 21st, Commemoration of the International Day of Peace
- October 15th, International Day of Rural Women
- August 12th, International Youth Day