Caught Between Conflict and Floods: Displaced Communities in Niger Look Ahead to a Brighter Future

The new water system provides safe drinking water to the population and contributes to improving hygiene and sanitation and to reducing illnesses such as diarrhea. This further addressed the conflict between local communities and herders for the limited resources.

This support is a great step towards rebuilding the displaced livelihoods on the site. With violent activities still going on in some of the villages, their dreams of returning to their homes are placed on hold. Only a few kilometres away lie their former lives, yet it appears so far away.

"Since we left, we are not thinking of going back because the floods are not likely to stop, and there is insecurity. It's very isolated and dangerous," says Boulama.

"We had many activities. We were fishing, raising livestock, and farming. We had all the necessary infrastructures, a health centre, an elementary school, a kindergarten, our community radio, the town hall, and even a youth training centre. There was also a market. It was a bustling area. Our biggest dream is to have all these infrastructures back," he adds.