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Sudanese Refugee Children in Chad
by Paul Daly, RDC

The latest fighting in eastern Chad between rebel and Government forces is of concern to UNHCR because of its impact on the camps in the region. The ongoing violence in Sudan’s western Darfur region has uprooted two million Sudanese inside the country and driven some 230,000 more over the border into 12 refugee camps in eastern Chad, according to the refugee agency. (UNHCR)

Djabal camp in eastern Chad hosts over 15,000 refugees from Sudan's war-torn Darfur region. Among them are almost 5,000 children aged 6 to 14. (Ibid)

UNHCR say that attendance at school camps is inconsistent due to a shortage of qualified teachers, a lack of school supplies and the fact that many children are overwhelmed by household chores. (Ibid)
Last year Christian Children’s Fund (CCF) conducted a survey of 1,580 children, 22 focus groups and 19 structured one-on-one interviews in four of the largest camps in north eastern Chad: Iridimi, Touloum, Mille and Kounoungo. The survey was funded by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (BPRM). The survey found “that life is tough in these camps for children, even dangerous especially for girls; opportunities for normal childhood activities almost nil; a 7 to 10-hour workday is the norm for 35 percent of the children; more than half of the children find food scarce; educational opportunities are available but grossly overcrowded; and kids are still having nightmares about what happened to them and their families in Darfur.”

Despite all the challenges that these children are facing, they are incredibly resilient according to Sweta Shah, Child Protection Program Coordinator for CCF. “They may still have nightmares about what they experienced in Darfur or hide in their tents when planes fly over their camps, but they continue to smile. People think that these children are just victims … that they can’t do anything for themselves. They continue to have hope and take initiatives in their community. Some youth, who felt there were not enough English language classes, organized their own classes with volunteer teachers. CCF and UNICEF are providing these groups space to start these classes. They just inspire me.” (Ibid)



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