Assisting Conflict-Affected Families in Chad 

As the relationship between Sudan and Chad continues to deteriorate and internal conflicts cause even greater insecurity, CRWRC continues to intervene on the behalf of thousands of internally displace people (IDPs).

Having gained relevant experience in Darfur, Sudan over the past three years and Chad in the last year, CRWRC recently established a project in Eastern Chad. Focusing on three of the largest refugee camps in Eastern Chad– Gouroukoun, Gassire and Ganashour –CRWRC will provide aid to 18, 000 individuals (3, 600 households). The project began in June 2008 and will run through December 2008.

CRWRC is partnering with six agencies in Chad and Sudan, forming The Global Relief Alliance (GRA). The group of relief and development agencies combines their resources and expertise to address large-scale urgent needs in the area. The six agencies are:
• World Concern (WC)
• Food for the Hungry (FH)
• MAP
• Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC)
• World Relief (WR)
• Medical Teams International (MTI)

Displaced families have lost both their assets and their means to make a living. They live in crowded camps where the provision of clean water, sanitation, food, and health care are erratic and insufficient. The project endeavors to meet families’ immediate food needs while helping them become less dependent on humanitarian aid.

CRWRC is providing food aid to 13, 000 people. Around 10, 000 people receive food for work on restoration projects. 600 families with special needs –approximately 3, 000 individuals - receive food without being asked to work. In order to avoid jealousy, 25 percent of the work force comes from outside the IDP community –from families who host the refugees.

Food for work sub-projects include reforestation, water-retention, fertilization, and soil conservation –foundations for providing long-term food security.

CRWRC is also providing animal-care training to 5, 000 people. The knowledge and skills attained by these beneficiaries will empower communities to keep their livestock healthy while increasing the overall food production.

Rather than directly distribute food in payment for work, the Alliance will issue market vouchers instead. Workers will then go to the local market and use their vouchers to purchase food. In order to ensure this approach worked, the Alliance held many meetings and collaborated with merchants, local authorities, other agencies and most importantly the beneficiaries themselves.

The use of vouchers proved to be a great success. Beneficiaries negotiated directly with food sellers, ensuring a fair price. Local merchants received more business, which boosted the local economy. And 2, 000 vulnerable beneficiaries found market employment as a result of the new system. Furthermore, the Alliance also avoided becoming an unfair competitor to local food sellers. Other agencies in the region are now visiting our fairs to learn how they might use this method in their own work. Everyone involved in the process has expressed their appreciation for this approach.