“Sometimes, it feels like the world isn’t made for people like me,” said Shiminenge, her voice steady with the gravity of her words. In Gbajimba, north-central Nigeria, the 32-year-old maneuvers daily life in a camp for displaced individuals that offers little room, security, or accessibility for those living with disabilities.
Around her, tents stretch across dry, uneven ground. Paths become muddy and difficult during rain. Toilets and water points are beyond her reach without help. Yet, every morning, she confronts the same obstacles, determined not to vanish in a place that was never designed for her.
Shiminenge is one of over 480,000 people displaced by intercommunal conflict in Benue State. She fled her village in Guma in 2018 and has since resided in a camp for internally displaced persons in Gbajimba. Like many, she left with little more than the hope of safety.
But her journey started long before displacement.
At just nine months old, her parents were informed she would never walk after a diagnosis that shaped her life’s path. Growing up with a mobility impairment required constant adjustments and early understanding of navigating the world without accessible support.
Today, life in the camp adds another layer of daily challenge: inadequate shelter conditions, no accessible sanitation, and a barely navigable landscape.
Speaking ahead of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December, she said, “In the camp, every step outside my tent is a struggle.” It’s not just physical obstacles; it’s the feeling of invisibility and being forgotten in a place where survival is already tough.
Barriers to services and dignity
The sense of invisibility Shiminenge describes is shared by many with disabilities in displacement settings. They are often among the most marginalized within internally displaced populations, facing unique obstacles to shelter, healthcare, sanitation, and essential services.
In these environments, inaccessible infrastructure and limited support heighten risks of neglect, exclusion, and abuse. As these barriers build, they exacerbate the difficulties of displacement and put the rights and dignity of people with disabilities at greater risk.
Despite these limitations, Shiminenge did not give up. Resourceful and determined, she began selling mosquito repellent in the camp, earning a small income while helping protect others from malaria.
Her resilience turned into advocacy. She helped form a disability association in Gbajimba, uniting 18 other individuals with disabilities to push for mobility aids, fair resource access, and more inclusive facilities.
Camp upgrade
In August 2024, a team from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) visited the camp to assess living conditions of displaced persons. After years of feeling unseen in a crowded place, the visit felt different. “For the first time here, I felt someone was listening,” she said.
Responding to the association’s requests, IOM, with support from the Benue State Emergency Management Agency, led a total camp redesign to ensure the specific needs of people with disabilities were addressed with dignity and respect.
As part of this redesign, nearly 4,000 upgraded emergency shelters were constructed in Gbajimba, each built to withstand the region’s seasonal rains and offer safer living conditions for displaced families.
The redesign introduced a dedicated section for people with disabilities, offering disability-friendly toilets, accessible water points, and kitchens designed for ease of use.
Throughout the area, gently sloped ramps and communal social spaces were added, enabling residents to move independently and participate more fully in daily camp life.
“These changes mean more than convenience; they give us a sense of dignity and belonging,” she said.
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