Written by Rakiétou Hassane Mossi
In response to the Lac Chad Basin crisis, CARE Niger is working in the region on protection, water, hygiene and sanitation, livelihoods and food and nutrition security. It is in this perspective that I went to Diffa to exchange with the community and understand the current situation. My name is Rakiétou Hassane Mossi and I have been working for CARE Niger since July 2015.
In 2013, the region of Diffa, in eastern Niger, experienced the arrival of the first Nigerian refugees. The situation deteriorated further with the first attacks on Niger's territory in 2015 and the development of a complex and mixed displacement situation. There are currently more than 250,000 internally displaced persons in the region, including over 108,000 refugees, about 129,000 internally displaced persons and less than 15,000 returnees. The majority of people lives in the cities and in makeshift shelters or has been hosted by the local population, while just over 12,000 people are living in a camp.
Since 2015, Niger has been hosting internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Diffa region. The situation is extremely difficult, not only for refugees, but also for the local population. They lack shelter, protection, food, water and are fearful of further attacks. The official number of displaced persons in Diffa is 129,015 (Government of Niger, October 2017). However, the situation has become more complex with insecurity in the region of Tillabéry. In January, further attacks resulted in the internal displacement of more than 500 people. There is a major risk that the situation will deteriorate further (UNHCR, January 2018). Humanitarian assistance is doing its best but it is not enough. Of the $ 65.8 million needed, only 7.2 million were mobilized, or 11 percent.
Halimatou sitting in her compound (Photo Credit: CARE Niger)
Under the hot sun of Djambouroum, 72 kilometers away from Diffa, I met Halimatou, 29 years old and mother of four girls and one boy. Halima was caught up in a fire. Her entire body is burnt but she does not let that prevent her from working. CARE helped with 32.500F (61.10USD) per month for three months: "Before the intervention of CARE, we were extremely in need." Halima would like to provide for her family and for that she thinks that a loan to start over and improve her business could help her.
Amina with one of her daughters (Photo Credit: CARE Niger)
I then went to Mainé Soroa, 70 kilometers from Diffa. I discussed with another woman, Amina, 28, is the mother of two daughters. Her husband abandoned her because she asked him to return to Maïné for treatment when she became ill. His phone calls were becoming rarer until today she has not heard from him and it's been almost a year since the birth of their daughter. Amina now lives in a straw hut surrounded by neighborhood garbage and without a fence. Her family, who themselves struggle to eat, give her something to eat when they can. Thanks to CARE's intervention, Amina was able to eat without worrying about the next day for three months. But today she returns to precariousness.
Aissata in front of her house (Photo Credit: CARE Niger)
Ten steps from Amina, Aissata, 38, proposed to put on her back the daughter of Amina who kept crying to allow us to finish our interview quietly. She was listening attentively and at a certain moment, unable to restrain herself, she tells us that life is not easy since they left Nigeria. Intrigued, we wanted to know more. Aissata is the mother of nine children. Insecurity has completely turned their lives upside down. Today, she is forced to fry donuts and send her 16-year-old daughter, Aichatou, to sell them on the street and at the market. She manages to do this small business thanks to the little that her husband brings home and also the help of 32.500F (61.1 USD) that CARE gave them during the past three months. She would like to regain her lost dignity and to grow her business.
Djibrilla in his garden (Photo Credit: CARE Niger)
The next day, with a team from Diffa, we went to Nguigmi, 120 km east of Diffa towards the Chad border. There we met Djibrilla. He is 38 years old and father of three children. He thanks CARE because thanks to its intervention, he has been able to improve his market gardening production. His wish is to be able to fence his garden to avoid the risk of meeting with snakes, he also wants to have a well not far from the site of gardens to solve the problem of water. The gardeners of this market gardening site must wake up at 4am in order to draw water and take them to the gardens. Such is the case of Bintou.
Bintou with her daughter and some of her grandchildren (Photo Credit: CARE Niger)
Bintou, 50, is a grandmother of 7 who live with her, as well as her daughter. During the attacks, they lost track of her son-in-law, which is why her daughter, who is seriously ill, and her children are dependent on her. A charitable soul gave her a piece of land to install her straw hut and be able to live there with her family. She has lost all to the point where they can do days without eating. Thanks to CARE's intervention, she manages to do a little bit of market gardening and feed her family with it. The little income she has does not suffice her, let alone feed nine people. Her wish is to be self-sufficient in food and provide shelter to better protect her family. She seeks to recover her dignity. I asked to see Bintou's home, she invited me without hesitation. There, I saw the state of her daughter and where they lived. My heart sinked and I had to gather all the fibers of my body to not cry in front of them.
Many of those fleeing the crisis live in conditions that I will not wish even for my worst enemy. They have lost all and live in high-risk places. We must help these people recover their dignity and peace of mind.
For more on our work in Niger, click here.