OUR MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE
At Intercommunity Development Social Organisation (IDS Nigeria), capacity development is at the core of our approach to sustainable change. We strengthen the skills, systems, and confidence of individuals, community structures, and institutions to lead their own development.
- Staff and Humanitarian Capacity Development
We invest in our team and frontline workers through continuous training on humanitarian principles, Do No Harm, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), safety and security, Financial management, Leadership, Education in Emergencies, and Disaster Risk Management, ensuring high-quality, accountable program delivery in fragile settings.
- Institutional and Organizational Strengthening
IDS builds the capacity of local NGOs, community-based organizations, traditional institutions, and local government structures on project management, financial accountability, safeguarding, protection mainstreaming, gender and disability inclusion, and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL). We mentor partners to become resilient, compliant, and donor-ready.
- Community and Grassroots Capacity Building
We have trained over 10,000 community members including female activists, youth leaders, farmers, and Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) groups. Through our Farmer Field Schools (FFS), peacebuilding dialogues, and civic education sessions, communities gain practical 5. skills in climate-smart agriculture, conflict mediation, disaster preparedness, financial literacy, and democratic participation.
- Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion
IDS has over a decade of experience in preventing and transforming conflicts at the community level. We train and mentor female activists, youth leaders, traditional and religious leaders, and community mediators to lead dialogue, early warning, and non-violent conflict resolution, strengthening trust between IDP and host communities and promoting inclusive peace processes in Our work extends to strengthening democratic conflict resolution during Nigeria’s elections. IDS prevents and mitigates election-related violence by training peace ambassadors and monitors, promoting non-violent political engagement, countering hate speech and misinformation, and fostering collaboration between communities, traditional leaders, and security agencies to ensure peaceful, credible, and inclusive elections.
- Food Security and Livelihoods
We strengthen agricultural productivity and household resilience through Farmer Field Schools (FFS), E-Farm, climate-smart agriculture, Water-Smart innovations, and Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA). Our programs support smallholder farmers, especially vulnerable women and youth, with improved inputs, skills, and market linkages to restore livelihoods disrupted by conflict and climate change.
- Climate Action and Landscape Restoration
In partnership with IHE Delft Institutes for Water Education , University of Nigeria Nsukka, and other research institutions, IDS pioneers climate adaptation through the Lake Chad Summer School, Water-Smart innovations, and community-based landscape restoration. We empower communities to mitigate climate change, manage water resources sustainably, and restore degraded ecosystems, including areas impacted by the 2024 Alau Dam flooding in Borno State.
- Disaster Risk Management (DRM):
IDS enhances community preparedness and response to floods, droughts, and other climate-induced disasters. We conduct risk assessments, strengthen local early warning systems, and train staff and communities on safety, security, and emergency programming to ensure timely, life-saving action.
- Education in Emergencies (EiE)
In partnership with our donors, IDS has established 57 Temporary Learning Spaces (TLS) across IDP camps and host communities to sustain learning during emergencies. We are committed to empowering parents and caregivers to support learners’ education in humanitarian settings, providing learning materials, teacher training, and psychosocial support.
- Protection, Gender and Disability Inclusion
Protection and inclusion are cross-cutting in all our interventions. We promote the rights and dignity of women, girls, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups. With support from partners like Urgent Action Fund, we train female activists, prevent gender-based violence (GBV), provide referral pathways, and ensure all facilities and programs are accessible and inclusive.
- Food Security and Livelihoods
We strengthen agricultural productivity and household resilience through Farmer Field Schools (FFS), E-Farm, climate-smart agriculture, Water-Smart innovations, and Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA). Our programs support smallholder farmers, especially vulnerable women and youth, with improved inputs, skills, and market linkages to restore livelihoods disrupted by conflict and climate change.
At IDS Nigeria, we work at the intersection of the Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) Nexus and long-term sustainability — delivering innovative, locally-led solutions that restore dignity, build resilience, strengthen social cohesion, and leave no one behind.