Build homes for Christians displaced by violence in Nigeria

31 March 2023

Thousands of Christians displaced from over 150 villages in north-eastern and central Nigeria

“We have been without a home for nearly 10 years now,” said Ibrahim. He has been living in camps for displaced people since his village in northern Nigeria was destroyed by extremists in 2013. He shares a small shack with his wife, their children and some orphans they are caring for whose parents were killed in similar attacks.

Christians in Nigeria’s North and Middle Belt have been enduring terrible anti-Christian violence. In a typical attack, homes and churches are burned, crops and food stores destroyed, and those who cannot run away fast enough are killed.

At least 10,000 Christians have died in violence like this since 2015 and huge numbers have been made homeless. Many live in dreadful conditions and the danger continues.  “We don’t have anything,” says Ibrahim. “Even soldiers are afraid to get into my community now.”

You can help Nigerian Christians have a home again

With your support, Barnabas Aid can help families affected by these attacks. Where it is safe, whole villages that are charred ruins now can be rebuilt. Our project partners in Nigeria are ready to build seven Christian villages: three in Kaduna state and four in Plateau state. That is approximately 175-350 houses.

The homeless Christians can make mud bricks for walls, but they have no money for the roofing materials. All they need is timber, zinc roofing sheets and nails.

Your gift can purchase these simple materials to help our brothers and sisters return to the lives they once had.

Christian families have been forced out of their homes, often with nothing but the clothes on their backs. They can’t provide for their children

A village-owned brick-making machine would help the rebuilding go faster than making bricks by hand. It would also enable the Christians to make bricks during the rainy season which is just about to start.

A simple three-room house – a living space with two bedrooms – costs £566 ($700; €644)  to roof.

Please pray that our Nigerian brothers and sisters can rebuild their lives swiftly. If you’re able to give a gift to help, thank you.

Christian villages are often the target of attacks by extremist groups. They have lost their livelihoods and are too poor to build new homes. Can you help?

$6 could provide a roofing sheet to be used to roof a house.

$22 could buy enough roofing nails to roof a 3-room house for a family.

$294 could buy enough zinc roofing sheets to roof a 3-room house for a family.

$730 could provide enough timber for a 3-room house.

$1,047 could supply all the materials needed to roof one 3-room house entirely.

$1,665 could provide a brick-making machine for one of the villages. Each village needs one machine – seven in total for the villages being built.

Related Countries

Nigeria