Northern Cameroon Initiative (NCI) / Programme d’Appui à l’Initiative Communautaire (PAIC)

in the Far North region of Cameroon. Funded by the United States Agency for International Development's Office of Transition Initiatives (USAID/OTI), the program focuses on stabilizing communities affected by the Boko Haram/ISWA crisis. NCI shifted its focus in February 2018 from deterring violent extremist recruitment to helping targeted communities withstand violent extremist threats. The program has four sub-objectives: helping returning internally displaced persons (IDPs) resume life in their communities of origin, increasing youth engagement, preparing communities for reintegration, and promoting exchanges of experiences and planning for community reintegration among local and regional leaders and authorities. To intensify program efforts on the ISWA crisis in the Lake Chad Basin, NCI opened a satellite office in Logone et Chari in 2019. NCI's activities are centered in the Far North region, where the program seeks to support Cameroonian-led initiatives to advance the reintegration of ex-Boko Haram/ISWA affiliates. The program's efforts aim to promote community stability and resilience in the face of violent extremist threats. NCI's approach involves working with local communities, leaders, and authorities to develop and implement strategies for reintegration and community development. The program's implementation is guided by a focus on community-led initiatives and partnerships with local stakeholders. NCI's activities are designed to be sustainable and long-term, with a focus on building the capacity of local communities to address the challenges posed by the Boko Haram/ISWA crisis. By supporting community-led initiatives and promoting exchanges of experiences and planning, NCI aims to contribute to the stabilization of the Far North region and the advancement of reintegration efforts. In 2020, the program underwent a rapid closeout due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. All long-term technical assistance (LTTA) USN staff and the deployed USN short-term technical assistance (STTA) staff departed Cameroon on April 1. The program's Chief of Party and Operations Manager managed closeout activities remotely, while the remaining TCN LTTA staff member coordinated the final project closedown efforts. During this period, the program cleared 0 activities with a value of $0, and all remaining staff were transitioned off the program.