Promoting girls’ access and retention in quality primary and secondary education and women’s social and economic empowerment for inclusive and peaceful development in Tillabéri, Niger. (2021-2024)
Since 2021, RET Germany has been implementing a project aimed at promoting girls’ access and retention in quality primary and secondary education and women’s socio-economic empowerment for inclusive and peaceful development in the Tillabéri region, namely in 3 localities of Sakoira, Hamdallaye, and Tamou, and in 10 schools (7 primary schools and three colleges).
RET Germany is implementing the project in partnership with “Soutien aux ONG, SongES,” a local implementing partner in Niger that implements both the education component and the women’s empowerment component.
The project aims to increase girls’ access and retention in quality primary and secondary education and promote women’s social and economic empowerment by (1) increasing girls’ access and retention in schools and their transition to the next school grade. (2) Sensitizing communities on the importance of girls’ education and women’s empowerment through a community-based approach involving traditional leaders in campaigns. (3) Increasing women’s income generation through participation in women’s cooperatives and reinvesting a share of their revenues in girls’ education.
The project will reach up to more than 4,800 direct beneficiaries, including 900 out-of-school children, particularly girls; 2520 primary and secondary school children with a particular focus on girls, 174 education staff, 180 school committee members, 36 traditional and religious leaders, 30 members of women’s and youth association, and 1000 women cooperative members, reaching 34,000 indirect beneficiaries in three-year implementation cycle 2021-2024.
Education
RET will implement a holistic approach to create a conducive environment that facilitates access and retention of girls in school while integrating children into the basic education system in the targeted schools of the Tillaberi region, including:
· Setting up six accelerated learning centers equipped and provided with trained teachers with a target to enroll 900 out-of-school children, of which 720 are girls.
· Building the capacity of 174 education personnel in the “Child-Friendly Quality School,” including monthly psychosocial support for 95 education staff throughout the project.
· Promoting community participation and capacity through school committees in school management by identifying, establishing, training, and supporting community school committees of 90 members for the nine targeted schools to improve their performance in school governance with a particular focus on girls. Students’ committees will also be created, trained, and supported in school governance in target schools.
· Rehabilitating or/and constructing 20 classrooms in 9 target schools benefiting 1500 students in three years, nine blocks of hygienic, safe, accessible, and gender-separated latrines, water supply in all nine schools benefiting 6400 students and 174 teachers, fencing and greening them to benefit the entire school community, all these aiming at improving the schools.
· Providing new school furniture and/or repairs to fill the gaps based on the needs assessments, including training, and employing 18 young to repair school furniture. This includes the provision of individual study/learning kits to at least 2,080 vulnerable girls from all ethnic groups and menstrual hygiene kits to 2,390 girls, complemented by awareness-raising on sexual and reproductive health.
· Recruiting, training, and deploying 27 female teachers to support in delivering remedial lessons and exam preparation sessions for 2,025 girls.
· Setting up a mentorship system made of 54 trained women volunteer mentors while including them in women’s cooperatives for income generation.
· Establishing working income-generating activities at the nine schools.
Community sensitization
To reduce the cultural barriers to girls’ education, RET will conduct community sensitization and awareness-raising on girls’ education and women’s empowerment, including activities such as:
· Sensitize and mobilize 36 traditional and religious leaders on the importance of girls’ education and the prevention of early marriage.
· Developing and broadcasting 300 radio messages on three local radio stations, promoting girls’ education, prevention of early marriage, gender-based violence, and women’s empowerment.
· Developing and disseminating messages on girls’ education and female empowerment via radio by 30 local youth, women’s association members, and community leaders.
· Organizing 6 girls’ days and girls’ empowerment events (including theatre, sports, music, dance, etc.). in each of the nine target schools (2 days per year), to promote the education and development of girls.
Increase in women’s Income
RET will implement a set of activities to empower women, particularly mothers and families of vulnerable out-of-school girls, to meet the objective of economic empowerment while enabling them to support their daughters’ education. RET will implement a series of activities, including:
· Creating 20 women’s cooperatives and start-up grants to be given away for income-generating activities.
· Training and Participation of 1000 women members in cooperative management, business management, and technical trade training.
· Mentoring and business follow-up to capacitate 20 women’s cooperatives to become independent after three years.
· Facilitating access to microfinance loans for 20 women’s cooperatives to develop income-generating activities and connect them with potential buyers in Tillabéri and Niamey.
This project, implemented between 2021 and 2024, is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented in partnership with “Soutien aux ONG, SongES”.
Protect and Empower Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Agadez, through Gender-based Violence, Child Protection, and Community-based Protection – Niger. (2023)
The Agadez region is considered an intersection for multiple migration flows. Historically, the region has been an important route for migrants wishing to reach the Maghreb and European countries via the Mediterranean Sea and for north-to-south movements. The mixed migratory flows are due to people leaving their country of origin for persecution, socio-economic, or security reasons. According to the Nigerien authorities, these migrants exert social pressure on the host population of Agadez, which impacts the already limited resources and peaceful coexistence. During the first half of 2018, more than 2,000 asylum seekers arrived in Agadez. Most notable was the influx of Sudanese Zaghawa and Massalit asylum seekers from Darfur through Libya between December 2017 and February 2018.
As of June 2021, there has been a noticeable increase in new arrivals in Agadez, linked to the rise in Sudanese expelled from Algeria who cannot return to their country of origin and/or people seeking asylum in Niger due to the deterioration of the situation in Libya. The difficulties mentioned above do not facilitate the economic and social integration of refugees and asylum seekers and sometimes lead to discrimination against this population, which remains mainly under the protection of the UNHCR.
To strengthen social cohesion, community engagement, and promoting peaceful coexistence, RET in Niger, in partnership with the UNHCR, has been implementing a project since January 2023 to ensure that 2,625 Sudanese refugees and asylum seekers living in the “Transit Humanitarian Center” of Agadez can live free from abuse and violence.
RET’s intervention are inclusive and primarily consider a community-based approach. The activities focus on the following:
- Gender-based Violence (GBV)
Through several activities, RET aims to sensitize People of Concern (PoC) about Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention and services. RET is improving awareness of existing GBV management structures and care mechanisms, restoring and empowering existing community structures to prevent and respond to GBV survivors in tandem with strengthening understanding of GBV issues and themes. Additionally, RET plans to mark international days by training, informing, and sensitizing communities on GBV. RET will organize “Discussion Forums” to improve the community’s knowledge.
RET works to “Prevent Sexual Exploitation and Abuse” (PSEA) as part of a plan based on three axes. First, through training sessions, RET will strengthen the capacities of humanitarian and state actors working with refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons to prevent and respond to SEA. These training sessions will equip participants with the skills to effectively prevent, identify, and respond to SEA.
Second, the trained humanitarian and state actors will organize community awareness sessions to promote collective responsibility to prevent Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) among the affected communities. These sensitization activities will help to create a safe environment for refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons. Moreover, RET will ensure that each child and adult survivor of violence, exploitation, and abuse has access to quality, safe, and confidential services and offer adequate support and quality assistance (medical support, psychosocial support, legal aid, social reintegration assistance -economic and school) promptly. By adopting “Zero Tolerance” to SEA, RET aims to provide a safe and secure environment for refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons.
RET will focus on providing practical and comprehensive care to individuals at risk and survivors of Gender-based Violence (GBV). To achieve this, RET is working to ensure that individuals at risk and survivors of GBV receive comprehensive care that meets their needs. Through providing dignity kits and managing GBV cases, RET aims to help survivors restore their dignity and provide them with the necessary support to overcome the trauma associated with GBV.
- Child Protection
RET plans to establish procedures and coordination mechanisms to promote “Child Protection and Rights” and strengthen “Identification Techniques” and “Case Management” of the “Determination of the Best Interests of the Child (DIS) Panel Members.”
RET aims to establish and/or strengthen existing “Child Protection Community Structures” and enhance the capacities of Child friendly area staff and the “Child Protection and Education” (CPE) members on child rights and protection themes, raising awareness among communities on child protection and restoring /strengthening Child friendly area. The activities will include identifying and preventing potential risks to children and promoting their safety and well-being.
- Justice
RET aims to provide protection services to people with specific needs by identifying Persons with Specific Protection Needs (PSPN), conducting a risk assessment, and providing them with appropriate tailored assistance. RET also plans to raise awareness about the needs of PSPN among stakeholders and communities to ensure that their rights are protected and respected.
- Community Mobilization
RET plans to strengthen peaceful coexistence between communities by implementing the following measures:
- Building the community’s capacity for peaceful coexistence by organizing community dialogue sessions.
- Strengthening the capacity of community structures on various related themes, including identifying and solving protection problems and strengthening their ownership over the process by piloting community projects.
- Providing material and equipment in-kind support to the community protection structures.
- RET aims to strengthen complaint management mechanisms by setting up complaint collection boxes in villages, organizing meetings with community leaders, and building their capacity to manage complaints effectively. RET will provide training and support to community leaders to ensure that complaints are adequately collected, addressed, and resolved promptly and effectively.
Protect and Empower Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Maradi through Gender-based violence Prevention, Child Protection and Community-based Protection – Niger. (2023)
As of November 30, 2022, the Maradi region hosts more than 113,411 refugees traveling in the area. More than (76,702) refugees coming primarily from Katsina State and Zamfara in Nigeria are settling in host villages in the region. In 2021, Niger experienced a major cholera epidemic, with Maradi being the epicenter. The resurgence of cases in 2022 serves as a reminder of the need for vigilance in the region. The regions targeted for this project represent 3 out of the seven affected areas at high risk of Cholera resurgence.
Since January 2023, RET in Niger, in partnership with UNHCR, has been implementing the project to improve the living conditions of 4,365 People of Concern (PoC) to UNHCR residing in Chadakori, Garin Kaka, and Dan Dadji Makaou, as well as internally displaced persons. RET will implement various activities focused on child protection, preventing gender-based violence, supporting individuals with specific needs, and promoting peaceful coexistence. RET will enhance the legitimacy, effectiveness, and reliability of community protection mechanisms, which are essential in preventing, mitigating, and anticipating risks to safeguard fundamental rights.
RET’s intervention will be inclusive and primarily consider a community-based approach. The activities will focus on the following:
- Gender-based Violence (GBV)
RET aims to prevent gender-based violence (GBV) and strengthen response services for people of concern through several initiatives, including strengthening the community structures for GBV prevention and response, promoting awareness of GBV themes, and implementing socio-economic integration activities for at-risk youth.
RET also has a comprehensive plan to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), including strengthening the capacities of actors involved, conducting community awareness sessions, and providing support and assistance to survivors.
RET will focus on supporting social and economic integration, identifying and managing GBV cases, and distributing dignity kits to GBV survivors to ensure effective and comprehensive care. Through a community-based approach, RET aims to provide GBV survivors with the necessary services and support to heal and rebuild their lives.
- Child Protection
RET will train panel members on child rights and protection, identification techniques, and case management to establishing best practices and procedures for children. They will also collaborate with the ICRC to search for and reunite separated and unaccompanied children.
RET plans to establish a “Child Protection Task Team” and “Child Protection Community Structures” and strengthen them by enhancing the capacities of staff and members and raising awareness among communities.
- Justice
RET aims to provide protection services to people with specific needs by identifying Persons with Specific Protection Needs (PSPN), conducting a risk assessment of these beneficiaries, and providing them with appropriate assistance. RET also plans to raise awareness about the needs of PSPN among stakeholders and communities to ensure that their rights are protected and respected.
- Community Mobilization
RET plans to strengthen peaceful coexistence between communities by implementing the following measures:
- Building the community’s capacity for peaceful coexistence by organizing community dialogue sessions.
- Strengthening the capacity of community structures on various related themes, including identifying and solving protection problems and strengthening their ownership over the process by piloting community projects.
- Providing material and equipment in-kind support to the community protection structures.
- RET aims to strengthen complaint management mechanisms by setting up complaint collection boxes in villages, organizing meetings with community leaders, and building their capacity to manage complaints effectively. RET will provide training and support to community leaders to ensure that complaints are adequately collected, addressed, and resolved promptly and effectively.
Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion of Refugees and Displaced Persons in the Diffa Region – Niger (2023)
The Diffa region is affected by the insecurities in the Lake Chad Basin, including armed groups’ criminality and military operations. The recurrent crises in the region since 2013, have negatively affected the security, and aggravated humanitarian needs. In 2021, new attacks in the region forced displacement of the population and further destabilized security.
A survey conducted in Niger by DREC/CNE in 2021 amongst 6,325 refugees’ in Diffa surveying their intention to return to their home country Nigeria showed that 68% favor returning to Nigeria, of which 81% prefer an immediate return. The massive displacement of refugees, returnees, and IDPs since the Boko Haram attacks has profoundly changed the socio-economic fabric of the Diffa region. Many members lost their livelihoods due to the evacuation of populations from the islands of Lake Chad, which are the region’s economic lifeline. Additionally, cross-border trade between Niger and Nigeria has been significantly reduced, and there has been a drastic reduction in the use of fertile lands for agricultural production, such as the shore of Lake Chad and the edge of Komadougou, due to insecurities.
The latest population trends and statistics show that forcibly displaced populations are settled primarily in “Sayam Forage Camp” and outside the camp in unmarked sites in the Diffa region. According to the latest official figures published by the Nigerien authorities, an estimated 250,590 people, including 130,023 Nigerian refugees, 81,464 internally displaced persons, 35,491 returnees, and 3,612 asylum seekers of other nationalities are currently residing in the Diffa region.
Since January 2023, RET in Niger has been implementing the project “Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion of Refugees and Displaced Persons in the Diffa Region,” aimed to reduce the vulnerability factors amongst the targeted populations through the creation of socio-economic opportunities for refugees and displaced persons in the Sayam camp and the surrounding sites.
The project aims to enhance the economic well-being of 320 People of Concern (PoC) by strengthening agricultural activities and building the capacity of beneficiaries. Additionally, the project aims to support the development of income-generating activities (IGAs) and fish farming, which will provide the beneficiaries with an alternative source of income. Finally, a “savings and credit structure” will be developed to enable PoCs to access financial resources that will allow them to strengthen their economic activities. These measures will ultimately help PoCs to become self-reliant and improve their livelihoods.
- Development of Market Gardening
RET will provide small market gardening tools and seeds to increase the production capabilities of ten groups practicing market gardening at Camp Sayam. To optimize their output and protect the environment, RET will advance interactive discussions on market gardening production methods, product preservation, processing, and compost creation based on organic waste and bio-pesticide.
RET will also support the groups in obtaining business documents (NIF) and developing the group’s administrative documents (Status and Internal Order Regulations). Throughout the project’s lifecycle, RET will work with the state’s technical services to monitor and assist the various producer groups.
- Support for fish farmers in the production of aquaculture feed
RET will build the productive capacity of fish farmers’ groups to become more independent and strengthen the existing system for manufacturing fish food. The goal is to provide them with the necessary skills to produce more feed and sell the surplus, allowing them an additional resource.
- Strengthening Income Generating Activities
To strengthen existing Income Generating Activities (IGAs) and/or promote new IGAs, RET will build the capacity of 30 refugees from the Sayam camp and 20 internally displaced people from the Diffa and Mainé sites.
The IGA members will be trained in IGA management, including basic concepts of entrepreneurship, marketing, costs and pricing, cash management, and loan management. In addition to the business aspects, they will benefit from training in essential life skills to cope with social and psychological constraints. They will also benefit from training sessions on the management of the family budget and financial education. Finally, they will receive cash grants to develop their IGAs.
- Village Savings and Credit Associations (AVEC).
To further enhance profit optimization and foster social cohesion among PoCs, RET will encourage all beneficiaries to participate in Village Savings and Credit Associations (AVEC). AVECs are groups of 15-30 members engaged in savings, credit, and social assistance activities. These associations promote financial inclusion by providing access to basic financial services, usually out of reach for certain members excluded from the formal financial system. A preliminary assessment of the target population will be conducted, followed by information and awareness sessions and community mobilization efforts. RET will support drafting the statutes and internal regulations for groups, establishing offices, and training their members. Ongoing training and monitoring will be provided throughout the project cycle to ensure the success of these groups.
Protect and Empower Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Tillabery through Gender-based Violence, Child Protection and Community-based Protection – Niger. (2023)
The security situation in the Tillaberi region, Niger, continues to deteriorate due to its proximity and borders with Mali and Burkina Faso. The entire area is unsecured, causing a volatile and unpredictable threat to vulnerable people residing in the Tillaberi region. Frequent attacks on civilians and military personnel, kidnappings, livestock, and vehicle thefts, improvised explosive devices, forced displacement of populations, extortion, and school closures mark the insecurities in the region. The Tillabery region’s economy relies heavily on agriculture, livestock, fishing, and small-scale trade.
The 2022-2023 humanitarian needs overview report reveals that approximately 2,592,537 people in 13 departments are at risk of food insecurity. Health emergencies also affect vulnerable populations, including 30,878 people, amongst are children and pregnant and breastfeeding women who are facing limited access to essential social services, as well as the prevalence of diseases such as measles, meningitis, malaria, and cholera.
Since January 2023,RET in Niger, in partnership with the UNHCR, has been implementing the project to improve the living conditions of 21,000 People of Concern (PoC) to UNHCR including 70% of refugees and asylum seekers and 30% of internally displaced persons in Tallabery Barey (Ayorou), Ouallam and Abala refugee camps, as well as internally displaced persons. RET will implement various activities focused on child protection, preventing gender-based violence, supporting individuals with specific needs, and promoting peaceful coexistence. RET will enhance the legitimacy, effectiveness, and reliability of community protection mechanisms, which are essential in preventing, mitigating, and anticipating risks to safeguard fundamental rights.
RET’s intervention will be inclusive and primarily consider a community-based approach. The activities will focus on the following:
- Gender-based Violence (GBV)
Through several activities, RET aims to sensitize People of Concern (PoC) about Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention and services. RET is improving awareness of existing GBV management structures and care mechanisms, restoring and empowering existing community structures to prevent and respond to GBV survivors in tandem with strengthening understanding of GBV issues and themes. Additionally, RET plans to mark international days by training, informing, and sensitizing communities on GBV.
RET works to “Prevent Sexual Exploitation and Abuse” (PSEA) as part of a plan based on:
First, through training sessions, RET will strengthen the capacities of humanitarian and state actors working with refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons to prevent and respond to SEA. These training sessions will equip participants with the skills to effectively prevent, identify, and respond to SEA.
Second, the trained humanitarian and state actors will organize community awareness sessions to promote collective responsibility to prevent Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) among the affected communities. These sensitization activities will help to create a safe environment for refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons. Moreover, RET will ensure that each child and adult survivor of violence, exploitation, and abuse has access to quality, safe, and confidential services and offer adequate support and quality assistance (medical support, psychosocial support, legal aid, social reintegration assistance -economic and school) promptly. By adopting “Zero Tolerance” to SEA, RET aims to provide a safe and secure environment for refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons.
Third, RET will focus on providing practical and comprehensive care to individuals at risk and survivors of Gender-based Violence (GBV). To achieve this, RET is working to ensure that individuals at risk and survivors of GBV receive comprehensive care that meets their needs. Through providing dignity kits and managing GBV cases, RET aims to help survivors restore their dignity and provide them with the necessary support to overcome the trauma associated with GBV.
RET works to ensure that communities are engaged in gender-Based-Violence prevention and protection actions through the development of safe spaces for women and girls led by trained community relays. By setting groups of male activists, RET aims to promote positive masculinity and eliminate violence against women and girls. RET also aims to restore, train, and equip GBV committees to effectively respond to gender-based violence.
RET plans to ensure that people at risk and survivors of GBV are protected and given a comprehensive and effective care. RET will work with specialists to update GBV prevention and response procedures ranging from medical, legal, psychosocial support to other necessary services. RET also plans to provide effective care to GBV survivors by identifying GBV cases through community relays, establish vigilance committees, and using the GBV Information Management System to collect and share data. RET will support GBV survivors providing them dignity kits.
- Child Protection
RET will train Determination of the Best Interests of the Child (DIS) panel members on child rights and protection, identification techniques, and case management to establishing best practices and procedures for children.
RET aims to establish and/or strengthen existing “Child Protection Community Structures” and Child friendly area including the implementation of VSLA and life skills programs. The activities will also include identifying and preventing potential risks to children and promoting their safety and well-being. RET aims also to raise
- Justice
RET aims to provide protection services to people with specific needs by identifying Persons with Specific Protection Needs (PSPN), conducting a risk assessment of these beneficiaries, and providing them with appropriate assistance. RET also plans to raise awareness about the needs of PSPN among stakeholders and communities to ensure that their rights are protected and respected.
- Community Mobilization
RET plans to strengthen peaceful coexistence between communities by implementing the following measures:
- Building the community’s capacity for peaceful coexistence by organizing community dialogue sessions.
- Strengthening the capacity of community structures on various related themes, including identifying and solving protection problems and strengthening their ownership over the process by piloting community projects.
- Providing material and equipment in-kind support to the community protection structures.
- RET aims to strengthen complaint management mechanisms by setting up complaint collection boxes in villages, organizing meetings with community leaders, and building their capacity to manage complaints effectively. RET will provide training and support to community leaders to ensure that complaints are adequately collected, addressed, and resolved promptly and effectively.