Top development groups in the Niger Delta: A primer

News about the Niger Delta region is often dominated by the activities of militant groups, kidnappings, attacks on oil pipelines, energy companies and other social vices, which has made the region vulnerable but has also attracted a lot of attention from development organizations. Here is a list of some of the organizations working to tackle human development challenges facing the region. Afterschool Center for Career Development The Afterschool Center for Career Development is a local nongovernmental capacity development organization “committed to inspiring, investing and engaging young people as well as facilitating growth opportunities for young persons in transitional stages of their lives.” The organization recently partnered with PIND to launch the Business Linkages Program, a market development project for poverty reduction among youth in the Niger Delta region. Cuso International Cuso International is an international organization with a mission to foster inclusive partnerships to eradicate poverty through equitable and sustainable development. The organization has committed to train 12,000 youth on entrepreneurship in the Cross River state of the Niger Delta region between 2014 and 2019. They also provide seed grants to beneficiaries of the training. As of August 2016, about 2,394 people had undergone the training, which is focused on equipping youth with business management skills. Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta The team at PIND work in partnership with local and international organizations to implement different programs focused on economic development, capacity building, and peace initiatives in the Niger Delta region. The nonprofit organization has worked with West African Development, International Youth Foundation, Centre for Development and Population Activities. Some of the initiatives set up by PIND include The Niger Delta Development Forum, created to foster collaboration and information sharing among public, private and civil society organizations; NDLink, which is aimed at leveraging the power of the internet to unite stakeholders in the Niger Delta; and Partners for Peace, which focuses on promoting peace-building programs and initiatives. FHI360 In 2010, FHI360 launched a health focused project called the “Niger Delta AIDS Response” (NiDAR Plus), which was aimed at strengthening health systems in Niger Delta communities and primary health centers. The project was funded by Shell Petroleum Development Company. The organization continues to implement different programs focused on tackling human development challenges in the region and across Nigeria. GRM International GRM International — Palladium has a vision to “develop and deliver solutions that create positive impact for communities, businesses, societies and economies.” Niger Delta Partnership Initiative Foundation NDPI is a nonprofit funded by Chevron and headquartered in Washington, D.C. The organization focuses on “strategic planning, project funding, partnership development, and raising the international development community’s interest in and support for poverty alleviation and peace in the Niger Delta.” Most of its programs are implemented in partnership with PIND and other local organizations in the Niger Delta region. Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria PPFN was established more than 25 years ago to provide family planning services in the Niger Delta region and across Nigeria. With funding support from the UNDP, the Global HIV/AIDS Initiative, Pathfinder Nigeria, and IPPF’s Japan Trust Fund, the organization works closely with NGOs and the Nigerian government to deliver services and providing technical guidance on policy development and implementation. UNICEF UNICEF has implemented different programs aimed at improving the lives of vulnerable children and women in the Niger Delta region. One of its projects, which is in partnership with European Union, is the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project aimed at curbing open defecation while boosting water and sanitation in four Niger Delta region states: Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Rivers. During a recent visit to the Rivers state government, Wilbroad Ngambi, the chief of the UNICEF field office, reiterated the organization’s goal to protect women and children in the Niger Delta region. United Nations Development Program UNDP launched the Niger Delta biodiversity project in 2011 to help local communities, oil and gas companies and the government work together to improve biodiversity management in four states within the region. United Nations Population Fund UNFPA has implemented several projects aimed at improving livelihoods in the Niger Delta region. A recent activity is the distribution of reproductive health kits to primary health care centers in Cross River state. UNFPA has contributed about $34 billion to maternal health in Nigeria, according to a recent report in the Vanguard, a local media company that covers the Niger Delta region. Is there an organization working in the region that’s missing from this list? Please share any additions in the comments below. Devex delivers cutting edge insights and analysis to the leaders shaping and innovating the business of development. Make sure you don't miss out. Become a Devex Executive Member today.