A five-day training of trainers workshop on trauma healing and safe spaces has been concluded in Zonkwa, Kaura LGA, Kaduna State, with over 50 community leaders, women, youth, and faith actors trained to become trauma healing facilitators and safe space companions.
The training was organised by Christian Rural and Urban Association of Nigeria with funding from TetraTec.(SPRiNG)
Trauma Healing Consultant, Mr Boniface Agbo, explained that the sessions were designed to help participants understand trauma as a wound of the heart and mind and to provide them with practical skills for healing.
Agbo highlighted that the first sessions focused on laying foundations of trust, confidentiality, and empathy.
According to him, the field visits were also key to the workshop, adding, “we didn’t just sit in the classroom but engaged participants launched safe spaces, selected listening companions, and started feedback channels, including WhatsApp groups for real-time support.”
He said: “People felt safe to share their pain because we created an atmosphere of respect. Without that, no real healing can take place.
“Without addressing these inner wounds, our communities cannot truly experience peace.”
Also, Mr Magu Zakka, Lead Consultant, who facilitated several sessions, said the training was rooted in participatory methods that allowed people to open up about personal struggles.
Zakka noted that officers from Primary Healthcare Centers, the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) desks of the police and civil defence, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) joined the sessions.
He said: “This ensures that community members are not left alone, but have professional institutions backing them up.
“We used exercises like the River of Life and the Empty Chair to help participants process grief and anger and through storytelling and forgiveness, they discovered strength to move forward”.
On his part, the Project Coordinator, Mr Michael Agon, noted that beyond training individuals, the project prioritized sustainability.
Agon said that the field visits formed a critical part of the program explaining that safe spaces established in Chenchuk, Kpunyai, and Mifi-Attakar, participants set up safe spaces, identified listening companions, and introduced community feedback mechanisms, including WhatsApp-based support.
He said: “These safe spaces managed by trained listening companions, will ensure that healing continues long after this workshop.”
“The workshop condensed five days of learning into practical steps while participants began with foundation-building activities on trust, confidentiality, and empathy.
“Subsequent sessions focused on healing practices, listening skills, anger management, and safe space facilitation while xercises such as Listening Triads, the Pebble-in-Shoe activity, and the Contaminated Glass simulation were used to illustrate the burdens of trauma and the possibilities of renewal”.
Mrs. Hauwa Luka, a participant from Kaura, described the training as life-changing, adding, “the impact of one of the exercise like writing a letter to my late brother helped me release grief I had carried for years and I left the session lighter.”
Another beneficiary, James Musa, a youth leader from Zangon Kataf, said he learned the value of listening without judgment.
“The listening triads taught me patience especially when people want to be heard but now I know how to create that space for others,” Musa said.
Mrs. Sarah Yakubu, a women leader from Mifi-Attakar also testified to the usefulness of the training.
“For the first time, I feel confident that I can guide others in our community toward healing.
“We now have a safe space where women and young girls can share their pain without fear,” she said.
The workshop also engaged local institutions such as Primary Healthcare Centers, the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) desks of the police and civil defence, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). This was aimed at reinforcing community support systems and ensuring coordinated care for trauma survivors.
Despite its success, facilitators noted some challenges, including the short timeline, participant selection gaps in some communities, and limited resources for follow-up mentoring.
They recommended longer training sessions, stronger participant targeting, and increased coaching support for listening companions to consolidate the progress made.
CRUDAN has been hailed as a replicable model that bridges trauma healing with peacebuilding. By combining faith-sensitive practices with globally recognized trauma frameworks, the initiative is offering a pathway to resilience and reconciliation in Southern Kaduna.
