ReliefWeb

1. WHO ARE WE?

Humanitarian organisations – including United Nations agencies, international non-governmental organisations and national non-governmental organisations - are working in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states to help the women, children and men who have been forced to flee their homes as a result of the conflict as well as the communities that host and support them.

We are about 2,000 Nigerians and 500 international staff in the three states.

2. WHAT ARE WE DOING?

We provide humanitarian assistance to people in need.
This includes protection services, food, shelter, water, medical care, education, latrines and many other forms of practical support that people need in an emergency to survive. We are guided in our work every day by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.

At the moment we are providing food to nearly 2 million people every month in the north-east. In 2017 we also provided health services to 3.3 million people, safe drinking water to 2.4 million people and education to over 1 million children in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

We also give information to communities so that people know what is going on and can make well-informed decisions.

3. WHY ARE WE WORKING IN NIGERIA?

The humanitarian crisis in Nigeria is widespread and severe, and it extends into Cameroon, Chad and Niger. In many emergencies, like this one in north-east Nigeria, governments invite humanitarian organisations to support their effort in responding to people in need.

Humanitarian organisations work in over 35 other countries responding to different kinds of crises, and also help people kickstart their lives afterwards.

4. WHO PAYS FOR THE ASSISTANCE WE PROVIDE?

International donors are funding the humanitarian work carried out by the UN and many NGOs in north-east Nigeria. In 2017 we received over $740 million from different countries.

Additional funds are needed to do everything we have set out to do for the vulnerable people of Nigeria, but there are humanitarian crises in many other parts of the world that also need to be funded and resources are limited.

5. WHO GETS OUR SUPPORT?

We provide emergency, life-saving assistance to all affected communities irrespective of caste, creed, religion or ethnicity. This means mainly people who have been displaced by the conflict, people living in communities that host displaced people and refugees.

We also provide support to people when they return home because we know that it can be very challenging to start your life after a long period of time away.

We believe that all Nigerians should live in safety and in dignity.