NHF post-project visit
August 21, 2025. Murmushipdf Community Outreach
How Murmushi’s Empowerment Program is Changing Lives in Conflict-Affected Adamawa
In Adamawa State, where years of conflict have left many young people with limited opportunities, Murmushi People’s Development Foundation (MPDF) has introduced a new model of empowerment that is offering adolescents hope, skills, and a chance at self-reliance.
The initiative formed part of the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund (NHF)-supported project on promoting the well-being of conflict-affected boys, girls, and adolescents through access to quality child protection and education services. Implemented between March 2024 and March 2025, the project was jointly delivered with the Centre for Peace and Population Livelihood Initiative (CPPLI), with CPPLI handling child protection while MPDF implementing the education component. This included informal learning, capacity-building, WASH interventions, and adolescent empowerment.
An Innovative Model for Sustainable Empowerment
An Innovative Model for Sustainable Empowerment
MPDF recognized a recurring challenge with traditional empowerment schemes where beneficiaries often sold off their starter packs, abandoned their trades, or lacked the resources to set up shops. To address this, MPDF introduced a more sustainable and accountable model:
- Rented, equipped shops: Adolescents worked from furnished shops stocked with basic tools to practice and grow their trades
- Starter packs for individuals: Each adolescent also received personal kits to support independent practice
- Mentorship and oversight: Committees, including master trainers, were set up to provide mentoring, monitor progress, and manage conflicts
- Cooperative registration: Businesses were registered as cooperatives, giving beneficiaries legal status, certificates, and access to banking and savings opportunities
- Shared shops for related trades: Hairdressing and makeup services were combined into shared spaces, maximizing resources and attracting more clients.
This model aimed to guarantee at least one year of sustainability, while providing committed adolescents with the foundation to independently renew and grow their businesses
Signs of Progress
While some beneficiaries dropped out due to marriage, schooling, or lack of interest, many others are thriving under the program:
- In Gombi: A young woman trained in makeup expanded her skills by learning hairdressing from a peer. She now confidently serves clients in both trades, boosting her income and prospects.
- In Michika: Sadiq, a young refugee from Cameroon, lost most of his group’s barbing tools to theft. Instead of giving up, he saved money, gained support from his grandfather, and purchased a new clipper. Today, his shop is back in business, and his resilience stands as proof of the program’s impact.
- In Mubi: The hairdressing and makeup shop stood out for its organization and reinvestment in new tools, demonstrating ownership, seriousness, and a strong commitment to sustainability.
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