OU secures funding for supporting conflict-affected children

The Open University (OU) has been awarded £172,000 to lead an ambitious new research initiative titled The ‘ART’ of Finding Hope: Indigenous Art Methods (I AM). This pioneering project aims to provide urgent mental health support to children and young people in Niger and Chad who have been deeply affected by the ongoing Boko Haram insurgency.

Building on earlier research funded through the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) from 2021 to 2023, the I AM project emerged from close collaboration with local communities. That previous phase revealed a critical gap in the region's mental health and education responses, which were often culturally disconnected and inadequate for children dealing with extreme trauma. In response, stakeholders - including children themselves - called for interventions grounded in local cultural practices. The I AM project answers that call with a participatory approach centred on Indigenous Art Methods.

The OU will partner with a transdisciplinary, international team comprising UK-based researchers, indigenous artists, community educators, and - crucially - children and young people in Niger and Chad. Collaboration is deeply embedded into the project’s ethos, with local communities not only contributing to but co-creating workshops and resources tailored to their own lived experiences. UK researchers provide technical expertise and help ensure global dissemination of findings through peer-reviewed publications and policy engagement.

The project aims to deliver tangible, lasting impact, developing resilience and hope among children through culturally rooted workshops, producing a guidebook for wider application, and ultimately helping conflict-affected youth re-engage with education. These outcomes contribute directly to multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), including Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), Quality Education (SDG 4), Gender Equality (SDG 5), and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16).

Aligning closely with the OU’s Open Societal Challenges framework, the I AM project exemplifies the University’s mission to use research for public good. It addresses urgent global problems through inclusive, community-led innovation and creates scalable solutions that respect and elevate Indigenous knowledge.

Dr Margaret Ebubedike, UK project lead, commented: “This work is about more than recovery - it’s about hope, dignity, and giving children the tools to reclaim their futures in ways that honour who they are, whilst respecting their unique experiences.”

Through initiatives like I AM, The Open University continues to demonstrate its commitment to collaborative research that actively engages those at the heart of the issues being explored, ensuring that the work has real-world impact across global communities.

Read more about Dr Ebubedike’s work in this area