The emotional impact of conflict often extends far beyond the visible destruction it leaves behind. For many individuals and families, the journey to recovery involves rebuilding confidence, restoring dignity, and finding hope after experiencing loss, displacement, and trauma.
Through the START Network-funded Start Fund Alert Emergency Response Project, the Youth, Adolescent, Reflection and Action Centre (YARAC), alongside its consortium partners, is providing critical psychosocial support services to conflict-affected women, men, and young people in Bassa, Riyom, and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State.
As part of a 45-day emergency response, the project is reaching 1,994 households, representing approximately 11,964 people, with interventions designed to strengthen emotional wellbeing, promote resilience, and support community recovery.
The psychosocial support component includes a range of activities aimed at helping individuals and families cope with the effects of conflict, including:
- Psychosocial support group sessions that provide safe spaces for healing and shared experiences.
- Gender-Based Violence (GBV) awareness and prevention activities to promote protection and reduce risks for vulnerable groups.
- Individual counselling and emotional support services for survivors and those experiencing psychological distress.
- Community engagement and referral pathways that connect individuals to appropriate protection and support services.
By creating safe and supportive environments for dialogue, participants are encouraged to share their experiences, rebuild social connections, and access the care they need to begin the healing process. These interventions not only address immediate emotional needs but also contribute to stronger, more resilient communities capable of recovering from the effects of conflict.
YARAC believes that sustainable peace is built not only through humanitarian assistance but also through restoring hope, strengthening mental wellbeing, and empowering communities to heal together.
This intervention is supported by the START Network through the Start Fund Alert Emergency Response Project and is implemented by Christian Aid, ActionAid Nigeria, JDPC, WOCCI, and YARAC in partnership with affected communities across Plateau State.