Sadly, Africa is the home of conflict and violence. Almost 70% of all conflict-based displacement occurs in Africa. Nigeria is at the forefront when it comes to the impact of terror. The Global Peace Index rates Nigeria as the most terrorised country in Africa and the third most terrorised in the world. Violence is fast spreading across the country, North-Eastern Nigeria remains the epicentre. The Penumbra Foundation in conjunction with the African Contemporary Institute of Design and RUBAN Office have been working on resilience strategies for inhabitants of areas in close proximity to conflict zones.

After two years of research and ethnographic embedment, a program of accelerating socio-economic development in a vulnerable northern Nigerian community has been orchestrated. The process will involve the building of a Masjid, a School and communal location for fetching water that will provide a synergy of education, faith and economic development all at the same time. Various economically empowering strategies have been designed into the very building process of the project. The project is therefore much more than the physical infrastructure as it tends to create a more socio-economically sustainable economy even if the physical infrastructure seizes to exist. The site is strategically chosen based on socio-spatial analysis to provide the best physical and social access to the most people with the most need for it. The facility is also designed for a circular economy, the very process of the project will begin to usher in the socio-economic change for the people. Construction has started already with the workers assembled, site cleared, soil samples taken and analysed, and a borehole is already coming in place to aid the project. Circular economy strategies are continued to be deployed towards the project. This has brought the cost of the project from nearly £100,00 to £65,000. Land and labour worth £30,000 have also been secured through development measures. This further brings the estimated cost to £35,000. Please contact the foundation if you want to help out in any good way. Funds and skills in Architecture, Planning, Accounting, Economics and Development Studies are further solicited for volunteer work.