From Refuge To Renaissance: Edo IDP Camp Produces Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers

By AUGUSTINA McSOLOMON-OGHAKPERUO

IN Edo State, a quiet revolution is unfolding at the Home for the Needy (HfN) IDP Camp in Uhogua, where survivors of Boko Haram insurgency and herder-farmer violence are turning displacement into opportunity.

Once founded in 1992 for orphans, the camp now shelters over 3,000 internally displaced persons, offering them food, healthcare, and free education from primary to tertiary levels. Under the leadership of Pastor Solomon Folorunsho, HfN has produced more than 85 graduates in medicine, pharmacy, law, engineering, and other fields.

Among its success stories is Amos Ishaku, who graduated with First Class honours in Chemical Engineering from Edo State University, earning multiple awards and later securing a fully funded PhD scholarship at the University of Illinois, Chicago. Others like Blessing Moses, now a qualified nurse, and Obadiah Philemon, a graduate who teaches in the camp, are giving back to the community that nurtured them.

Despite limited funding, food shortages, and classes sometimes held under trees, the camp’s model shows how education and mentorship can transform trauma into resilience. Residents not only pursue degrees but also serve in teaching, healthcare, and community initiatives.

“Every child on the street has the potential to be a doctor, lawyer, or innovator,” said Folorunsho. “With the right support, we can turn despair into hope.”

From tragedy has emerged triumph, as children once fleeing war are now shaping a future filled with promise.