Tchad

With Clément Girardot, journalist & assistant director

Over a year into Sudan's civil war, refugees from Darfur continue to flood into Chad, driven by the escalating conflict and its dire consequences, including famine and the collapse of essential services. Chad, already one of the world's poorest countries, has taken in nearly 600,000 Sudanese refugees out of a total of 1.8 million.

Approximately 150,000 refugees are enduring harsh conditions at the spontaneous site in Adre, awaiting relocation to newly constructed camps in eastern Chad's arid landscape. Some refugees from Geneina, located just 40 km away, still face death threats and fear infiltration by the Janjawid militias, notorious for their current and past involvement in ethnic cleansing against non-Arab communities.

The new Farchana refugee camp is situated next to an older camp from the Darfur War (2003), which has evolved into a small town. Despite the trauma and hardships, new refugees are preparing for long-term settlement, building brick houses next to their tents where possible. While there is a school for younger children, many remain unenrolled. Some women have opened small shops at the market but, overall, income-generating opportunities are scarce.