Alliance in joint visit with Christian Aid to people affected by communal violence in Nigeria
13 August 2012
Christian Aid joined forces with the Anglican Alliance to look at ways to build community cohesion at a roundtable of faith-based partners in Jos, Nigeria, a town which has seen outbreaks of inter-community violence over the past decade.
The roundtable was hosted by the Ven Noel Bewarang, director of Centre for Gospel Health and Development and a steering group member of the Anglican Alliance which brings together development, relief and advocacy work across the Anglican Communion.
It was part of a week long programme in the Nigerian cities of Abuja, Jos and Makurdi to look at ways of closer collaboration between the two organisations and build on their shared mission.
Jane East, country manager of Christian Aid and Sally Keeble, Anglican Alliance Director, heard at the roundtable from the multi-faith partners of peace-building initiatives which included early warning systems and exchange programmes that brought together young Christians and Muslims. The Christian Aid office sees one of the biggest challenges being in envisioning the church and other faith-based organisations to fulfil its development mandate, a task which is core to the Anglican Alliance mission.
The group identified five key areas for further work:
- Advocacy directed at church leaders and government
- Partnership working, especially to build strategic partnerships
- Capacity building
- Working with women in the community
- Developing programmes on grief and trauma counselling.
Umar Farouk Musa from Jama’atu Nasril Islaim, Jos, called for local models of Muslim/Christian engagement, and for economic empowerment to create a foundation for economic peace.
After the roundtable the group visited a camp for internally displaced people affected by the floods in Jos, and then a camp in the nearby town of Ryom for people driven from their homes in communal violence.
In the picture: Women and children affected by the communal violence in Plateau State at the camp for internally-displaced people at Ryom.