Empowering Community Security (ECOS)

The Empowering Community Security (ECOS) Project is implemented by Elohim Development Foundation (EDF) as part of the broader Collaborations to Improve Community Security initiative led by Karuna Center for Peacebuilding. Implemented in partnership with Neem Foundation and local civil society organizations, the initiative operates across Benue, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Katsina, and Zamfara States, strengthening community resilience through locally led peacebuilding and community security interventions.

Building on the achievements of the Protecting Our Communities Initiative (POCI), ECOS promotes sustainable peace by preventing resource-based conflicts, strengthening community security systems, and addressing complex challenges including farmer-herder conflicts, land-use disputes, climate-related pressures, violent extremism, and community insecurity.

Within the consortium, EDF leads implementation across Benue and Nasarawa States, working closely with communities, traditional institutions, government agencies, security actors, women and youth groups, and civil society organizations to strengthen grassroots peace infrastructures and promote sustainable conflict prevention.

EDF's Implementation Approach

EDF believes that sustainable peace is built by communities themselves. Through the ECOS Project, the Foundation strengthens the capacity of local actors to prevent violence, resolve disputes peacefully, and respond effectively to emerging security threats using community-owned systems and inclusive peacebuilding approaches.

Community Peace Committees (CPCs)

EDF supports the establishment and strengthening of Community Peace Committees (CPCs) as frontline community structures for conflict prevention and peacebuilding. These committees bring together respected community representatives to monitor local security trends, facilitate dialogue, coordinate peaceful responses to disputes, and strengthen social cohesion within their communities.

Community-Based Early Warning and Early Response (EWER)

A cornerstone of EDF's implementation is the strengthening of Community-Based Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) systems. Community members are trained to identify, document, and communicate early indicators of conflict—including resource disputes, displacement, misinformation, and other emerging tensions—allowing timely interventions before violence escalates.

Through these systems, communities establish stronger communication channels with traditional institutions, local authorities, and security stakeholders, creating coordinated responses that improve community safety and resilience.

Peace Ambassador Programme

EDF identifies, trains, and mentors Peace Ambassadors who serve as community peace champions. Representing diverse backgrounds—including women and young people—these ambassadors lead peer-to-peer learning, facilitate community engagement, promote peaceful coexistence, and support local peace initiatives that encourage dialogue and non-violent conflict resolution.

Reflective Structured Dialogue (RSD)

EDF utilizes Reflective Structured Dialogue (RSD) as a key facilitation methodology for addressing deeply rooted community tensions. Rather than encouraging debate, RSD creates safe spaces where participants share personal experiences, listen actively to one another, and build empathy across divides. This approach has proven particularly valuable in strengthening relationships between farming and herding communities, rebuilding trust, and supporting collaborative solutions to shared challenges.

Alternative Dispute Resolution and Community Dialogue

EDF facilitates inclusive dialogue and mediation processes that enable communities to peacefully resolve disputes over land, natural resources, and other local grievances. Using community dialogue, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) techniques, and locally led mediation, the project promotes consensus-building, strengthens relationships, and reinforces community ownership of peace processes.

Psychosocial Support and Lay Counselling

Recognizing that unresolved trauma often fuels recurring conflict, EDF integrates basic psychosocial support and trauma-informed lay counselling into its peacebuilding activities. This approach helps individuals and communities process the emotional impacts of violence while creating conditions for meaningful dialogue, reconciliation, and sustainable peace.

Stakeholder Coordination and Policy Engagement

EDF convenes multi-stakeholder platforms that bring together traditional rulers, local government authorities, security agencies, women and youth leaders, civil society organizations, and other key actors to strengthen coordination, improve information sharing, and promote collaborative responses to security challenges. These engagements help connect community-led initiatives with broader institutional peace and security frameworks.

Advocacy and Strategic Communications

EDF complements community interventions with strategic communications and advocacy that amplify positive peace narratives, counter misinformation, and promote dialogue through community engagement, media outreach, and public awareness campaigns. These efforts strengthen public support for peaceful coexistence and encourage wider participation in community security initiatives.

Project Locations

While the ECOS initiative spans five Nigerian states, EDF is responsible for implementation in Benue and Nasarawa States, covering eleven communities.

Benue State

• Apir

• Ortese

• Agasha

• Abinsi

• Agan

• Adaka

Nasarawa State

• Iwashi

• Doma

• Nasarawa Eggon

• Alogani

• Alagye

Across these communities, EDF works with local stakeholders to strengthen Community Peace Committees, establish effective Early Warning and Early Response systems, train Peace Ambassadors, facilitate Reflective Structured Dialogue, promote Alternative Dispute Resolution, and foster inclusive peacebuilding initiatives that enhance community resilience and social cohesion.

Impact Vision

Through the ECOS Project, EDF is helping communities transition from reactive responses to proactive, community-owned security systems. By integrating Early Warning and Early Response mechanisms, Reflective Structured Dialogue, Alternative Dispute Resolution, psychosocial support, community leadership, and institutional collaboration, the project is strengthening local capacities to prevent violence, manage conflict peacefully, and build resilient communities where security, social cohesion, and sustainable development can flourish.