Rebuilding Hope After Return: Umar's Family Starts Over in Banki

After spending years as refugees in neighbouring Cameroon, Umar Hassan and his family have finally returned home to Banki in North-East Nigeria. As they rebuild their lives after years of displacement, support from UNHCR and Islamic Relief Australia's Refugee Zakat Fund is helping them meet their immediate needs and take the first steps towards a more stable future.

When Umar Hassan returned home to Banki after years as a refugee in Cameroon, seeing his children smile brought him comfort. Yet behind those smiles lay uncertainty. Like many refugee returnees, Umar and his family came back with very little, unsure of how they would rebuild their lives after years away from home.

For years, conflict in North-East Nigeria forced thousands of families to seek safety across the border in neighbouring Cameroon. Many found refuge in Minawao refugee camp in Cameroon’s Far North Region, where they were protected but faced an uncertain future. Parents worried about their children's wellbeing while holding onto the hope that one day they would be able to return home.

Together with his wife and children, Umar returned to Banki in Borno State after years in exile. The return was not easy. Their home had been damaged, food was scarce, and the family lacked the resources needed to restart their lives.

“We were happy to come back home,” Umar recalls. “But when we arrived, we did not know where to begin again.”

“As parents, we worried a lot,” he adds. “The children were happy, but we were thinking about food, shelter, and how to take care of them.”

With support from Islamic Relief Australia’s Refugee Zakat Fund, UNHCR provided cash assistance to refugee returnee families rebuilding their lives in Banki. Between January and March 2026, the assistance reached 359 refugee returnee households, benefiting more than 2,200 individuals who had returned from Cameroon to Banki, Borno State.

“The assistance helped us get the basic things the children needed,” Umar says. “It gave us relief and helped us get back on our feet.”

The family used the support to purchase food, household items, and other essential goods as they adjusted to life back home. Across Banki, many returnee families are rebuilding from almost nothing, striving to restore a sense of normalcy and reintegrate into their communities. For parents like Umar, timely cash assistance can make a critical difference during the challenging first months of return.

Today, Umar and his family are slowly rebuilding their lives, reconnecting with their community, and looking towards the future with renewed hope.

“We are grateful to be back,” he says. “Now we want to build our future here.”