On the 6th of June 2023, The LEGASI team received a warm welcome by the 30 women from mostly Hausa and Adara tribes in Kasuwan Magani who were beneficiaries from the Partnership for Peace (P4P) project. Stepping into their midst felt like entering a world where Hausa and Adara traditions had teamed up with laughter and sisterhood. The women then shared touching stories of their experiences before and after receiving support. Many of them had faced the loss of loved ones—their husbands, and sources of income, and their circumstances were similar. One of the courageous women, Hafsat Musa, broke down in tears as she recounted the tragic story of losing her husband. He had been killed in the farm on a Friday, a week after the crisis that had severely affected their community.

“The children and I were so worried as he went out and didn’t come back that day. After a couple of days, we received the news that he was killed on a farm. We were devastated. All hope was lost for me and my children. We were plunged into a world of helplessness. My children were out of school and we were living from hand to mouth. At that point, I never thought my life was going to have any meaning again until I got to be a beneficiary of the support provided by your organization. Now, two of my children are now in school and I make a living as a petty trader.”

She expressed her immense gratitude for the positive impact this has brought to her life, as she is now part of the Women Peace Committee. The committee called Fellowship of Grace, aka ‘Alheri Zumunci’ was formed after LEGASI visited the community in the aftermath of the violent attacks that racked the community. Despite their different tribal backgrounds, these women have learned to live in peace and unity, supporting one another. However, they did voice concerns about theft, drug abuse and rape in the community. To address these issues, plans were made to involve religious and community leaders in finding solutions. Through the Peace Direct livelihood support, the Alheri Zumunci women have seen improvements in their living conditions through trading, farming and other small-scale businesses.