The challenge
Years of insecurity in North-East Nigeria have shattered local economies. Farms and businesses were destroyed. For many young people in Konduga, there is simply no legitimate route to an income — and that absence is itself a danger, leaving them exposed to exploitation by those with money to offer.
What we are doing
Thirty young people — at least 40% of them young women — are completing vocational apprenticeships in tailoring, catering and ICT and phone repair, working with experienced local craftspeople. They begin under supervision and progress steadily to running their own businesses, keeping a growing share of what they earn until they keep all of it. Each graduate receives the tools to start.
Around this, eight community workshops bring more than 200 residents together to strengthen collective resilience, and a quarterly dialogue platform creates structured conversation between community members and local authorities on shared safety concerns.
Our approach
Participants were not chosen by us. Community Targeting Committees — traditional and religious leaders, women’s group representatives, youth leaders and local officials — identified them against transparent criteria, with the process explained openly to the whole community so that support was seen as fair.
What success looks like
| 30 young people trained and equipped | 40% minimum participation by young women |
| 200+ community members engaged | 3 community dialogue sessions convened |