Abdulahi's story: fleeing violence from Boko Haram

As the largely forgotten crisis in the Lake Chad Basin continues, World Vision urges international donors at the Oslo Humanitarian Conference on Nigeria and the Lake Chad Region to take swift and sustained action. Acting now will minimise human suffering and mitigate economic and social devastation. 

Abdulahi's story sheds light on one of the approximately 17 million people affected across Niger, Chad, Nigeria and Cameroon; he is one of the 10.7 million in need of humanitarian assistance. Millions more have been forcibly displaced, or are trapped in hard-to-reach areas—more than half of them are children. Long-running violence incited by Boko Haram, and the military counter-offensive has forced millions of civilians to flee, impacted water access, caused food insecurity and malnutrition and increased child protection risks. The effects of climate change and dire poverty have exacerbated the crisis.

“This is a crisis of forgotten children." - Kathryn Taetzsch, the Lake Chad Basin Response Director.

This is a crisis of forgotten children. Not only have children been forced to endure atrocities of enormous proportions, but many are also suffering the effects of hunger and illnesses. Some children are traumatised and require psychological support as well as medical assistance. We are especially worried about those children who have been caught up between armed groups and are now held hostage or forced to fight. Children who escaped violence have been living in fear for years, frequently surviving in spontaneous settlements that often lack basic necessities. Many have been forced to abandon their educational studies and some may never have the opportunity to return to the classroom”, shared Kathryn Taetzsch, the Lake Chad Basin Response Director.