Nigeria Hauwa Chiwar
Domestic violence is rampant in the community and mediating this is very challenging. However, teamwork helps me to overcome this.
I worked as a teacher for a year before I was hired to join the Mental Health and Social Support Unit in 2014, to work in Chibok as a psychosocial mobile member. My goal is to protect and promote the mental health and psychosocial well-being of the Chibok community. I currently work as a Team Leader of the same PMT in Maiduguri and I have now worked for more than 8 years in the humanitarian field.
My day-to-day as a Counsellor and Team Leader
I am a team leader and counsellor in a team of four. I provide lay counselling to people who need it, I also provide psychoeducation and GBV-related education such as awareness raising and identification.
What drew me to the humanitarian field
What inspired me to work in the humanitarian field was the horrific incident of the Chibok abductions. I was in Chibok Town in July 2014 when Boko Haram abducted 276 schoolgirls and the whole community was brought to chaos. So many people were affected directly or indirectly. Among the girls were my blood relatives, so I was personally very affected by the incident. Since then, I have taken part in activism to call for the release of the girls.
An experience that will stay with me forever
There are two experiences which particularly stuck with me throughout my career as a humanitarian. Once, I travelled to Bauchi from Chibok for training. When I was returning home, I was caught in a Non-State Armed Group (NSAG) attack which threw the whole community into confusion. A second experience that stuck with me was during a session with a Gender-Based Violence (GBV) survivor, they fell into a coma due to intense depression.
The challenges I face and how I face them
Domestic violence is rampant in the community and mediating this is very challenging. However, teamwork helps me to overcome this.
The Skills I Think Are Most Important In This Career
My ability to build trust in the people I work with is crucial to succeeding in this career, also being a versatile person is very important. I enjoy helping people to build their coping strategies and to bounce back. I also enjoy the successes I have recorded in terms of referrals made.
In my spare time, I enjoy reading, singing and taking care of my children. This helps me to relax and ease the stresses of work. My hope for Nigeria is that things will get better as soon as possible.