The ability to bounce back quickly from tough situations is important anywhere, but it is especially crucial in the context of refugees and displaced people dealing with incredibly difficult circumstances.

In partnership with the World Food Programme, AIRD is aiming to contribute to the strengthening of the resilience of populations living in the Ouadi Ouba area of Chad. The project aims to support vulnerable refugee and indigenous households through creating assets they can own and manage, while improving their livelihoods by addressing poverty and food nutrition. Building the resilience of these groups means they are able to have some autonomy over their lives, and they are able to contribute to the socio-economic development of their communities.

Initiated in September 2020, the overall objective of the project is to build resilience in the face of climate variability and other shocks related to the sub-regional socio-political environment, and to improve sustainable food and nutrition security in the Canton Koursigué and Troa south.

Specifically, the project aims to improve open-air wells for pastoral and non-seasonal farming activities, cordon off 65 hectares/26,000 linear meters with stones in the Koursigué / Ouadi Ouba site and on the Natika valley site, and provide 500 households with environmentally improved stoves for household cooking. Over a ten-month period from September 2020 to June 2021 the activities undertaken were; construction of two spreading sills, the set-up of stone bunds, the construction of six ducted wells and the construction of improved stoves.

Left: Cordoning off land with stones in Koursigué                    Right: Putting the final touches on a market garden well

The beneficiaries of this project are 1,196 households from refugee communities (50%) and from the host population (50%) around Ouadi Ouba and the Natika valley. They will also comprise groups and associations of agro-pastoralists.

It is hoped that the project will foster the development of agriculture through the putting up the right infrastructure, and protect the environment for current and future generations. Very importantly as well, living together and social cohesion between refugees and their host communities is an important outcome. This will be achieved through joint implementation and management of the assets.

Left: Showing off an improved stove type for home cooking.  Right: Construction of low walls and sill wings

Now completed, monitoring and evaluation of the project will be ongoing as we look to measure the results of this important initiative that will serve to positively build the socio-economic status of the local refugee and indigenous populations of this area.