The Regional Stabilization Facility orchestrated a significant event in Dakar, which featured a screening of the film Ngarannam: The Homecoming. The film was produced by UNDP in collaboration with Nigerian filmmaker Kachi Benson, recipient of the Best Virtual Reality Film award for Daughters of Chibok at the 2019 Venice Film Festival.

Ngarannam: The Homecoming delves into the lives of communities in northeastern Nigeria affected by Boko Haram violence and the resulting widespread displacement. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, since 2009, over 2.2 million people have been displaced in the Northeast region of Nigeria, underscoring the magnitude of challenges that these communities face.

Following the film’s screening, special guests (including representatives from ICVA, the UN Coordination Centre, UNFPA, UNISS, UNODC and the Netherlands) participated in a dialogue to draw lessons from the project. The lessons learned will help guide future stabilization programming, explore innovative approaches, and identify ways to strengthen collaborations.

The audience shared valuable perspectives and formulated recommendations, emphasizing the need to consider mental health in programming, enhance the focus on social cohesion, and intensify collaborations with other UN agencies.

Blerta Cela, Director of the Regional Stabilization Facility, highlighted the crucial role of the film and the ongoing inclusive consultation process, stating, “The film holds significant importance, and we need additional initiatives of this kind to breathe life into human stories—powerful narratives that depict families returning to their homes and rebuilding their lives with hope and dignity. This event is part of a broader series of stabilization consultations conducted at the end of 2023 and continuing into 2024.”

To learn more about this event, refer to Moustapha Diakhité’s article and interview on West Africa Democracy Radio. 

You can also view the event’s video on social media platforms:

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For more information on the regional conversations, please follow this link.