With more than 100 staff around the world, CIVIC is powered by people who bring insight, creativity, and deep care to their work every day.
In the weeks ahead, we’ ll be sharing short spotlights on colleagues from across the organization. These snapshots are a small way to recognize the talent, humor, and determination that drive our mission forward—and to offer a glimpse of the people shaping how we protect civilians in conflict.
In the village of Dikwa, in Northeast Nigeria, a group of civilians, mostly women and children, was rescued following military operations. My colleague Chitra and I arrived at the camp to assess their protection needs. What we saw was deeply troubling. Over a hundred women sat on the ground, side by side, holding each other for support, awaiting profiling. Nearby, children, visibly tired and hungry, waited in a separate line.
As a newcomer to humanitarian work, unsure of how to intervene, I hesitated. Chitra took my hand. “Empathize,” she said, “but don’t let it paralyze you. You need clarity to act.” With her encouragement, I walked to the military brigade to demand food, water, and better treatment for the civilians.
The Realities of Displacement
Having worked in zones affected by conflict for over a decade, I’ve witnessed the profound devastation displacement brings to people’s lives. In Northeast Nigeria, millions have fled their homes, caught in the crossfire between armed groups and government forces. On one side, insurgents claim to oppose the government but target civilians instead. On the other, the state’s attempts to ensure security frequently worsen the situation for displaced people.
The military’s distrust of civilians–viewing them as potential sympathizers of opposition groups–leads to curfews, travel bans, and denial of access to critical resources. With no access to farmland or jobs, families are forced to rely on humanitarian aid, becoming trapped in a cycle of dependency. For some, desperation leads to criminal activity, as young people, deprived of opportunities, turn to theft or violence.
At CIVIC, our mission is to protect civilians and reduce harm in conflict zones. At its core, my work requires me to become a good listener as I build trust with communities. Yet listening often reveals a harsh reality: the gap between what people desperately need and what we can deliver.
Our programs aim to empower communities through capacity building to self-protect. Unlike material aid organizations, our role isn’t to distribute food or supplies but to equip communities with the tools to advocate for themselves. Hearing someone say they have no food and knowing you cannot provide immediate relief is not easy. In those moments, I remember Chitra’s advice and focus on what I can do, as we work together with the community to find a solution.
When given the opportunity, communities know exactly what solutions they need. In one location, civilians couldn’t travel even a kilometer outside their garrison town without risking abduction. Although NGOs provided food items, they desperately needed firewood to cook their meals. During a dialogue session CIVIC facilitated, the community members spoke directly with security forces and asked for “firewood patrols”. The military responded by organizing daily patrols to escort thousands of civilians to collect firewood. This transformative solution came directly from community requests and had an immediate impact. It has since been replicated in nearly all remaining Local Government Areas.
Empowering Women, Empowering Communities
In many of these communities, it is women who step forward to organize solutions like firewood patrols, often while navigating immense personal risks. Many have lost their husbands and are left to shoulder the burden of providing for their families, forced into situations they would never have chosen. These women and girls frequently face forced marriages, abduction, or sexual violence, crimes often disguised as consensual acts, leaving them without access to justice.
If there is one lesson my work has taught me, it is this: empowering women transforms entire communities. When we support women, we strengthen their families and empower their children, who will grow to become tomorrow’s leaders. Supporting women is not merely about addressing their immediate needs; it’s about equipping them with tools to become self-sufficient.
I’ve seen this in action. In one community I visited, women were given small entrepreneurial support to start their businesses and become finally independent. In another, a participant in one of our capacity-building sessions shared, “I never believed I could sit in front of the military and ask for protection.” Historically, interactions with the military had been one-sided, with civilians feeling that they had no right to ask for what their community needed. For her, and many others, the act of speaking directly to the military was once unthinkable.
Small Wins Matter
Sometimes, even with the best tools, community engagement requires navigating deep divisions. In one meeting I facilitated, Christian and Muslim attendees instinctively separated themselves, sitting on opposite sides of the room. When asked to collaborate in group exercises, the tension was palpable. Christian communities accused their Muslim neighbors of complicity in violence. Muslims, in turn, felt unfairly blamed for the actions of extremist groups.
While a lot of progress has been made in some areas, tensions persist in certain locations. Minorities continue to feel overlooked, and while they may not directly voice their concerns, you can hear whispers of frustration, with rumors circulating that certain organizations are not giving them the attention they deserve. This is a common challenge in community engagement work.
It is always disheartening to see that solutions cannot be reached because of divides in the community, however, reconciliation cannot be rushed or forced. At CIVIC we understand that progress doesn’t happen overnight. Solutions aren’t always immediate; but even modest victories–a shared conversation, a collective decision–are worth celebrating.
For those new to this field, my advice is to stay grounded in your mission and trust the power of small, deliberate actions. Trying to tackle every problem risks losing focus on your organization’s goals, which ensure efforts remain effective in the long term. Over time, those small wins accumulate, and together, a meaningful change becomes possible.
