Across Nigeria, people and families are caught in a cycle that seems impossible to break. Whether it’s the weight of economic hardship or deep-seated social crises, these challenges don't just affect one person – they ripple out and put a strain on families and entire communities.
Tearfund and our local partners are working to change this by creating change from the inside out. Through a process we call Transforming Communities, local churches help their communities identify the resources they already have in order to create solutions to the problem of extreme poverty.
Churches also lead groups through Bible studies that help people rediscover their worth and show them how Jesus sees them. In doing so, they realise that God created them with unique gifts and the potential to create change.
The results are life-changing.
Restoring a community: breaking the grip of addiction
The community of Fwagul had long battled with the destructive impact of drug addiction. It was a crisis that tore families apart and cast a dark shadow over the future of the village and its resources.
But in 2022, the light began to break through the darkness. A Tearfund staff member visited the church in Fwagul to share a vision for transformation. He spoke about Livelihood Support Groups as a way for the community to come together to support one another.
Through a series of Bible studies led by Rev Canon Chukle, the local church’s pastor and a Transforming Communities facilitator, the group became a safe space for members to share their struggles with one another.
As they explored how Jesus saw them through the Bible studies, they started to realise their own untapped potential. The studies helped them look past the shadows of their environment and recognise the God-given gifts and skills they already had.
This spiritual breakthrough also led directly to practical benefits. Within the group, their focus moved away from their addiction and into learning valuable skills like carpentry, tailoring and small business management.
By focusing on what they could do together, the group began lifting themselves out of poverty, replacing a culture of isolation and hopelessness with community and shared purpose.
Today, Fwagul is no longer defined by its struggles – but by renewed relationships, stronger families, improved health and a standard of living, as they leave behind their harmful habits.
Thanks to Tearfund’s Transforming Communities and the Bible-based training, they have a newfound sense of purpose.
