General information

About the mission

Launch date: 2004
Local staff : 129
Expatriates : 18

Key facts

Population: 10 million inhabitants

Human Development Index: Ranking 170 out of 177

Humanitarian context

Although the Darfur conflict is now in its fourth year, instability at the Sudan-Chad border has increased steadily throughout 2007. The Chadian and Sudanese governments continue to engage in a war between opposing rebel groups. The humanitarian situation of the 230,000 Sudanese refugees spread among a dozen camps along the border, and of the native population, is becoming increasingly precarious.

The crisis in Darfur remains a major destabilising factor, but the country is also facing internal problems both on a political and humanitarian level.

There is strong opposition to President Déby's regime, which has endured several attempted coup d’états led by the rebels, the last of which was in February 2008.

Throughout 2007, violent inter-ethnic clashes and incursions by armed groups continued in the east (particularly south of the Abéché-Adré main road), in addition to the clashes between the rebels and the army. This led to further displacement of people to camps - more than 80,000 extra displaced people were recorded in 2007 - and it prevented some 90,000 already displaced people from returning to their villages. Although the inter-ethnic clashes have eased off since the start of 2008, the Chadian army still faces fresh attacks from the rebels, most recently in June 2008.

The deployment of the European Union Force (EUFOR), which aims to stabilise the region and to ensure the security of refugees and displaced civilians, has already been delayed due to strong criticism by rebel groups of its large French component.

Political instability makes the work of humanitarian organisations very difficult in the east of the country, and there are frequent temporary suspensions of activity due to insecurity. In the west, the Kanem region which borders Nigeria is considered to be one of the most vulnerable areas of the country. Located in the Sahel region, the region suffers a high level of chronic malnutrition. In order to deal directly with this problem, Action Against Hunger intends to launch a nutritional survey from now until the end of the summer and use the findings to present a case to its institutional funding partners, asking for funding to develop programmes.

Action Against Hunger in Chad

Since 2004, Action Against Hunger-USA has been working in Chad to guarantee food sufficiency and improve hygiene conditions for the refugees in the Darfur camps. In July 2006, Action Against Hunger-France continued its programmes by carrying out surveys into the vulnerability and movements of the Chadian people, while maintaining aid to refugees in northeast Chad. This enabled new programmes to be launched that assist displaced populations in southern Chad. In mid-2007, Action Against Hunger ended its food security monitoring programmes in the refugee camps in the northeast  in order to deal more efficiently with the massive influx of displaced people in the southeast, particularly in the Dogdoré camp, where the organisation has come to play a key role.

Dogdoré region (southeast Chad)

• Distribution of seeds for market gardening
• Continued support for market gardening (training of market gardening groups, training for farmers, etc.)
• Development of a micro-garden pilot project
• Creation of workshops for transforming market garden produce
• Expanding the distribution of improved cooking stoves
• Establishing nurseries
• Training/technical supervision of households for better development of their income-generating activities
• Monitoring the economic and food situation, as well as the movements of the population

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

• Repossession, maintenance and rationalisation of the water distribution network
• Renovation of water points
• Drilled-wells
• Distribution of rainwater collection kits
• Distribution of non-food kits (plastic tarpaulins, blankets, jerry cans, soap)
• Support for the individual construction of family latrines
• Hygiene promotion sessions
• Group training for those who use and repair the water points

Mental Health

• Promotion and adaptation of a women's refuge centre
• Income-generating activities set up
• Children's activities set up
• Breast-feeding promotion sessions
• Training of a female community representative for each village
• Awareness-raising sessions in the villages

Nutrition

• Nutritional monitoring

Goré and Maro region (south Chad, CAR border)

An assessment of food security and water and sanitation needs has just been carried out in the CAR refugee camps in southern Chad. A campaign of nutritional surveys needs to be carried out in order to get a more precise picture of the situation in the refugee camps.

Funding

Private donations

ECHO, OFDA (American Cooperation), UNHCR, PAM, UNICEF