Protecting our Communities Initiative (POCI)
Department
Peacebuilding
Duration
2019 – 2024
Funder
Karuna Center for Peacebuilding
Location(s)
Benue, Kaduna and Zamfara States, Nigeria
About Project
The Protecting Our Communities initiative addressed the lingering conflicts centred on crop farmers and cattle herders in communities in Kaduna, Zamfara and Benue states. Realising the critical but often overlooked role community members- especially women and youth- can play in dissuading conflicts through non-violent means, the initiative aims to bridge the gap in community engagement, thus contributing to the overall goal of improved civilian security.
The project built the capacity of communities to reduce violence by training and mentoring local facilitators to lead cattle and crop farmer association members, women, and youth in problem solving dialogues; training a broad cross-section of community members to collaborate in a proven model for community-based early warning-early response; and equipping communities to respond effectively to the spread of hateful rumours and stereotypes over social media.
Overall, the project had three (3) objectives:
- To develop the abilities of women, youth, and cattle and crop farmer association members to more effectively advance their security interests.
- To engage grassroots community members in contributing to violence prevention.
- To use strategic methods to advocate for government and security agency actions on cattle and crop farmer conflicts that are shaped by grassroots experience and priorities.
The POCI project was implemented in eighteen (18) communities across six (6) Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Kaduna, Zamfara and Benue states.
Our Approach
Early Warning Early Response System (EWERS)
Neem Foundation’s Early Warning and Early Response System (EWERS) employs a community-driven approach to identifying, preventing, and addressing potential conflicts.
How It Works:
- Team Formation: Communities nominate Response Teams comprising youth leaders, women’s groups, CBOs, traditional leaders, civil society representatives, security agencies and where necessary, other heterogenous groups such as Farmers and Herders.
- Training: Teams undergo intensive training to identify conflict triggers, utilise mobile reporting tools, and collaborate for timely responses.
- Incident Management: Reports are submitted via a mobile app, validated, and referred to appropriate responders. Teams respond within a short time, with continuous monitoring until resolution.
- Monthly Reviews: Teams meet monthly to assess trends, share lessons learned, and adapt strategies. Stakeholders provide ongoing guidance and oversight.
Sustainability: By the end of the project, communities assumed full responsibility for managing the EWERS platform,
Reflective Structured Dialogue (RSD)
Neem Foundation employs RSD to facilitate meaningful, inclusive conversations among conflicting groups. RSD creates safe spaces for dialogue, enabling participants to share perspectives, and collaboratively explore solutions to pressing challenges.
Key Features:
- Mutual Respect: Encourages empathy and understanding among participants with differing views.
- Structured Approach: Facilitates discussions guided by trained facilitators to ensure productive and goal-oriented outcomes.
- Sustainable Peace: Builds trust and relationships, laying the foundation for lasting community cohesion.
RSD has proven instrumental in addressing farmer-herder conflicts, fostering intercommunal understanding, and creating actionable pathways toward peaceful coexistence.
