Northern Ghana, a mosaic of ethnic identities and diverse traditions, has long been both a symbol of coexistence and, at times, a flashpoint for exclusion. Among the most marginalized are the Fulbe, often viewed through the lens of suspicion, stereotype, and misunderstanding. Under the SING III Project, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and implemented by STAR-Ghana Foundation, some local organizations stepped into this space, championing Fulbe inclusion as a cornerstone of peacebuilding.

Through their collective efforts, the Fulbe began to find new footing in communities where they were once sidelined.

Operating in Sissala East and West, SAVE Ghana took a direct approach to addressing the alienation and discrimination faced by Fulbe communities. The organisation used storytelling sessions, community forums, and radio sensitisations to dispel myths and humanise the Fulbe in the eyes of other ethnic groups.

“Inclusion of the Fulbe and others is not just about equity,” Dintie Tayiru Sule, Executive Director of SAVE Ghana, explains. “It’s about security. When people feel part of the system, they protect it.”

For community leaders and stakeholders, the transformation is palpable.

Bridging Divides

In North East, the Young Peace Ambassadors (YPA) focused on youth and intergenerational dialogue, believing that trust could be rebuilt by creating space for Fulbe voices, especially younger Fulbe.

The Fulbe, traditionally marginalized and excluded from community life, are now more integrated than ever. Iddrisu Hamidu, the leader of the Fulbe community in Karaga, reflects on how far they’ve come. “In the past, if your cattle destroyed someone’s farm, before you even got there, they would have already beaten the young Fulbe boys and destroyed our wives’ cooking utensils,” he said.

“Now, they call us peacefully to inspect the damage and we report to the committee. That’s a significant change we’re seeing thanks to this project.”

Hamidu proudly shared that his two daughters are married to Dagomba men—something once unthinkable. “Previously, our wives and children were barred from fetching water at boreholes. Now, they go freely, without discrimination.”

This change is also visible in shared cultural activities. “We attend weddings together. Our women now cook with Dagomba women at ceremonies. There’s real social integration.”

In one compelling moment, a Fulbe youth named Hudu shared on a local radio programme:

“I am Fulbe, and I’m a student leader. People think all Fulbe are herders or don’t go to school. That’s not true. We are diverse too.”

YPA deliberately included Fulbe youth in peace rallies and school engagements. For the first time in many communities, Fulbe and non-Fulbe youth co-created peace messages, marched side-by-side, and publicly denounced violence.

Baba Kamaldeen, Executive Director of YPA, recalls the early days: “There was no cordial relationship between the Fulbe and the farming communities. Homes were burned, animals killed, and tensions were high. But through our association with STAR-Ghana we began implementing cooperative strategies—radio advocacy, community workshops, and capacity-building for conflict monitors.”

Since then, the project has expanded from four (4) to ten (10) target communities. Traditional leaders, police, assembly members, and community members now engage together in resolving disputes. “We’ve seen a drastic change in the way people approach conflict,” Kamaldeen shared. “Our organization has become a referral point for issues around farmer-herder clashes.”

“When we wear the same shirt and march together, it shows we are one,” said a student in Nalerigu.

This visibility challenged stereotypes and positioned Fulbe youth as equal contributors to peace.

Rewriting the Narrative

In the Upper West Region, the Social Initiative for Literacy and Development Programme (SILDEP), implemented perhaps one of the most comprehensive Fulbe integration strategies under SING III. Their approach included radio jingles, town hall meetings, Fulbe-specific community dialogues, and the formation of Community Anti-Violence Response Teams (CARTs) with Fulbe membership.

“We now understand their culture and vice versa,” says Katara Batong, a local leader. “We used to see them as different. Now, there’s even intermarriage happening. That wouldn’t have been possible without this project.”

For Fulbe leaders like Dicko Sulleimani, the transformation is both personal and profound. “Before, we felt rejected,” he says. “Now, the Sissalas invite us to meetings. We talk, we share meals, and we learn from each other. There’s mutual respect.”

He adds, “Now that we understand each other’s cultures, how can we hurt one another? Peace has found a place in our hearts.”

A resident from Kuplima expressed that the greatest change was being able to speak in front of her husband and community leaders, which had never happened before.

“The Fulbe women were never invited to meetings. Now, we all sit together. We all contribute. Because of SILDEP, I sat with my husband in a meeting. We discussed security. That day changed everything,” Samari Zanabu, she said.

SILDEP’s work reframed Fulbe as allies in security, not threats — and this shift was community-driven.

Toward Lasting Inclusion

Together, these five organizations wove a new narrative — one in which Fulbe communities are not fringe players, but active contributors to community resilience and peace.

As Frederick Yenbaar Nuuri Teg, the Project Manager for SING III at STAR-Ghana Foundation, said, “Peace is not just the absence of conflict. It’s the presence of fairness, of visibility. The Fulbe communities now have that visibility.”

And as Amina Yurilim Abdulai, Project Officer at SING, observed, “The story of Fulbe integration wasn’t a side effect of our work — it became central. When the excluded are empowered, everyone becomes safer.”

From Wa West to Pusiga, Tamale to Sissala, the SING III Project’s Fulbe integration efforts have planted seeds of trust, cooperation, and mutual respect. While challenges remain — including lingering stereotypes and structural inequalities — these community-led, partner-driven interventions have moved the needle.

The story of Fulbe integration under the SING III Project is not just a story of peace — it is a story of dignity, identity, and belonging.