From Displacement to Healing: Exploring Group-Based Recovery and Violence Reduction in Nigerian IDP Camps

Over a decade, violent insurgency in Northern Nigeria has displaced many people, leaving survivors with severe psychological trauma, loss, and community breakdown. Life in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps is characterized by overcrowding, limited mental health services, and recurring aggression, domestic violence, and social distrust. This project aims to conduct an exploratory study on the Group-Based Recovery (GBR) Initiative, a psychosocial intervention designed by our partner, Elohim Development Foundation, to promote healing and reduce violence through group counselling, peer support sessions, and guided dialogue to foster emotional recovery and rebuild social cohesion within displaced communities. With the support of this grant, our team will investigate the implementation of the GBR model, its preliminary impacts on psychological well-being, interpersonal aggression, and identify contextual factors influencing participant engagement. The study will engage with 120 displaced adults at the mega IDP camp, Benue State. The project will provide early evidence on the potential of community-based trauma recovery initiatives to break cycles of violence and strengthen social bonds. Conceptually, it contributes to understanding psychosocial mechanisms underlying peacebuilding in post- conflict settings. It will generate insights for policymakers on scalable, low-cost interventions that can promote resilience and recovery among vulnerable populations affected by displacement.