Madame Anita, a widow and mother of three children in Grimari, the Central African Republic, struggled to provide for her family after her husband was killed during the war. Despite her efforts to make and sell local alcohol to feed and educate her children, heavy rains destroyed all the adobe bricks she had prepared to build a house.

Today, thanks to the USAID-funded project implemented by AIRD, she has received a plot of land and durable burnt bricks to finally build a safe shelter. For Anita, this home is more than just a roof; it is a new beginning and a sign of hope for her and her children.

Many internally displaced families continue to face vulnerability after years of crisis. While they aspire to settle permanently, they lack safe and decent housing.

As part of the second phase of the USAID/BHA-funded project (July 2024 – July 2025), AIRD has constructed 170 semi-durable shelters, including 21 specifically reserved for highly vulnerable people (widows, elderly persons, and people with disabilities).

Through this project, displaced families gain access to safer living conditions, fostering their integration into host communities. The initiative strengthens social cohesion and sustainably improves the daily lives of the most vulnerable in the Ouaka prefecture.