BY MUSA IDRIS UMAR, JUNE 21, 2025 | 02:03 PM

In a powerful celebration of resilience and creativity, the Tales for Resilience photo exhibition recently concluded in Maiduguri, Borno State, offering a poignant glimpse into the lives of displaced women and youth.

Led by Co-Development Hub in partnership with UNHCR, this initiative marked World Refugee Day by showcasing compelling visual stories crafted by participants from IDP camps and host communities.

'We are not just showing the challenges we’ve faced. We are showing where we are now — farmers, tailors, mobilizers, and photographers,' Salamatu Adamu, an IDP said.

These words, echoing through Prime Lodge Hotel, encapsulated the spirit of the exhibition.

Over two days, attendees engaged with photo stories created by women and youth, reclaiming identity and agency.

'The idea is to let people who have faced challenges tell their own stories,' said Abdulkadir Ahmed, DSR Project Lead at Co-Development.

The initiative trained 36 IDPs, mostly women, in photography, videography, and trauma healing, impacting 186 lives directly.

Salamatu Adamu, 19, displaced by Boko Haram, shared how the project changed her life.

'This training helped me a lot, especially with my mental health. I found strength to cope and heal,' she said.

Zainabu Yohana, a 37-year-old mother of six, plans to start a photo shop and use social media to advertise her business.

The exhibition revealed participants' past traumas, present strength, and future dreams.

Abubakar Muhammad, 21, displaced from Bama, said, 'Before, I thought photography was just snapping pictures. Now, I know it’s about telling our stories.'

Abubakar Mohammed Modu, 25, from Muna Ethiopia camp, added, 'I used to sew and sell caps. Now, I know what I can do with my voice.'

The photographs defied hardship, capturing moments of hope, dignity, and resilience.

Mohammed Bukar Umara, CEO of Co-Development Hub, emphasized the project's legacy lies beyond the exhibition.

'The vision is to support them by integrating them into creative storytelling networks,' Umara said.

Participants will receive mentorship, resources, and community support.

The Tales for Resilience exhibition left behind more than compelling images — it left behind a movement. A new generation of citizen storytellers is emerging, defined by purpose and creativity.