In northeast Nigeria, children are not spared from conflict. At only nine years old, Yagana was already the target of an extremist group. “They told my brother that they would kill me if I didn’t wear the hijab. I was so scared. I locked myself in my house for several days before I ran away,” she said.

Yagana stayed in hiding for three years with relatives in another village. When she finally decided to return home, the reunion was short-lived, as “the death threats started again immediately.” The girl ran away again.

“A year later, when I returned, a self-defense group had been formed. I decided to join them to protect myself and my family,” she explained. For four years, Yagana performed small chores for the group.

After a childhood shaped by fear, Yagana finally left the armed group. Funded by UNICEF, our project to support children’s socio-economic reintegration associated with armed groups into their communities strives to provide new life opportunities for children like Yagana. The project also offers psychosocial support to help them cope with their trauma. “I have fewer nightmares. Hearing similar experiences has made me feel better. I didn’t know that other children had gone through the same things I had,” she said.

With training in perfumery and financial support, Yagana is now starting her own perfumery business. “Before, when I needed money, I used to ask my mother for it, but now I can provide for myself and my whole family. I am already training three people and will soon involve others, especially displaced people. It’s a new start,” she said.