Foundation Empowers Aid Workers with Financial, Mental Health Skills

Foundation Empowers Aid Workers with Financial, Mental Health Skills

By Auwal Ahmad, Gombe

The Migration and Development Impact Foundation has organised a capacity-building workshop in Jos, Plateau State, aimed at strengthening the financial resilience, wealth creation skills and mental health awareness of humanitarian and NGO workers.

The training brought together participants from Gombe State, Bauchi State and Plateau State, with organisers saying it was designed to address the financial instability and emotional pressures commonly faced by aid workers.

Speaking at the workshop, the Project Director, Mr Olalekan Sulaiman Tella, said the initiative was developed to support NGO workers who often experience income gaps after project implementation cycles end.

He explained that the programme is being implemented in two phases, with an earlier session held for participants from the South-east, while the current phase targets the North-east.

Mr Tella said Jos was chosen as the venue due to its accessibility and proximity to the airport, which made it easier for participants from neighbouring states to converge.

He said the foundation conceived the programme after observing that many NGO workers struggle financially during periods between projects.

“The programme is centred on caring for the carer,” he said. “Most NGO workers are engaged in project-based work, and once those projects end, many are left without stable income.”

According to him, the training is also designed to equip participants with practical skills that will enable them to create alternative income streams without interfering with their professional duties.

The workshop also placed emphasis on mental health and psychosocial wellbeing, which Mr Tella described as a critical but often neglected aspect of humanitarian work.

NGO workers constantly face traumatic and emotional situations while supporting vulnerable communities. Over time, such exposure affects their psychological wellbeing,” he said.

He added that the programme aims to help participants develop coping strategies and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

“We want them to be able to separate work-related trauma from their personal lives so they can remain productive, stable and emotionally healthy,” he added.