Chad Relief Foundation Campaign

The Chad Relief Foundation (CRF) was initiated in April, 2007 by a group of people in Santa Barbara, California dedicated to improving the lives and prospects of the people of south Chad , with particular attention to the 50,000 refugees from the Central African Republic living in camps outside of Goré and Danamadji.  These are the forgotten refugees for whom there is no media attention, celebrity presence or geopolitical significance.  

Completed projects:

1. Wheelchairs (seated tricycles). About thirty refugees in the southern camps and an equal number of people in the surrounding villages have paralyzed or missing legs and could only move about by crawling. This project provided each of them with a seated tricycle enabling them to move about the area in which they live. Cost $10,500.

2 . Additional border structure. Refugees from the CAR tend to cross into southwest Chad at two points where tracks suitable for vehicles cross the border. The refugees must then wait at the border, sometimes for weeks, until the UN can send trucks to pick them up. In early 2008, one of these crossing points had a structure to shield the refugees from the sun and rain as well as latrines and a well producing potable water. The other crossing, near the tiny village of Bitoye, had no facilities. Refugees lived in the bush plain and simple. CRF financed the construction of a shelter, four latrines and well at a cost of $15,500. 

3 . Secondary school. Throughout refugee camps in Africa, the UNHCR provides only primary education. CRF joined with UNICEF, CARE and the Chad Ministry of Education to plan, finance and construct a secondary school, grades 7-9, in Beureh village, located between two refugee camps and in easy walking distance of both.  CRF's cost was $39,000.

4. Medicines. On each trip to Chad we try to hand carry medicines to the doctors in charge of health services in the camp. With help from Direct Relief International and AmeriCares we have been able to provide $28,000 worth of medicines to UNHCR and COOPI doctors in south Chad.

Projects underway requiring funds:

1. Protection of Women & Children. This project is intended to reduce discrimination and violence against women and children through improving understanding of gender roles and human rights, raising awareness of children's rights respecting abuse and neglect, educating both men and women about family planning, and reinforcing existing women's and SGBV (sexual and gender based violence) committees.  The first phase, training the trainers, as been funded by CRF ($4,800).  The remainder of the project will cost $27,000. 

2. Solar power for Beureh & Yaroungou health clinics. This project will provide solar power for light and refrigeration at the new health clinic at Beureh, which serves two refugee camps,and the health clinic at Yaroungou village, a former refugee camp from which the UNHCR has withdrawn.  Both clinics are more than 50 miles from the nearest grid. The cost is $13,000.

3. Sports complex (football field & track) at the Beureh school. There are no recreation facilities at the Beureh Secondary School constructed by CRF and UNICEF.  The school administration and the Parents' Association has submitted a proposal to construct a football field and track at the school and has also made a request for materials such as uniforms and footballs. The proposal has three phases - construction of the football field ($4,500), construction of the track ($1,400) and the provision of equipment ($1,300).

Projects in planning stages:

Other major projects being developed with NGOs in the Gore and Danamadji areas include: establishing a program of microfinance to enable individual farmers to buy oxen and plow units that would increase production by bringing additional land under cultivation, $10,000. Ten thousand impregnated mosquito nets for the local population in Gore, $70,000. Wheelchair/tricycles at Yaroungou, $16,000.