Mercy Corps has supported 200,000 internally displaced persons (IDP) in Borno State, who returned to their communities, with opportunities to start life anew.

The restoration and renewal project is funded by the European Union (EU) under the Borno Package, according to the 2021 Borno Maida Early Recovery Report, gleaned by The Guardian in Maiduguri, yesterday.

“The livelihood restorations and urban renewals are to scale up social cohesion and resilience of the IDP returnees in Bama and Gwoza,” said the report.

The report also lamented that the 13-year insurgency led to economic, social and climatic shocks of the returnees.

“Rural livelihood restorations are to be improved in an ecological sustainable way,” it added, noting that households headed by women could also take advantage of agricultural market opportunities to raise their income,” it noted.

According to Mercy Corps, the opportunities are in afforestation, food security, waste management and urban renewal.