Top 5 Learnings from Chad: What I Want You to Know

My recent iACT trip to the Chad-Sudan border was the first time I have returned since 2019. I went to reunite with old friends and our refugee-led teams, witness our programs in action, and listen to stories – both from longtime camp residents and those newly displaced. While much felt familiar — the pace, the heat, the unpredictability — what I experienced moved me deeply. Here’s what I want you to know:

iACT meeting with educators, both men and women, in Refugee Camp Alacha. (April 2025)

1. The Needs Are Vast, But Refugees Are Ready to Lead

Sitting in circles with different groups across Refugee Camp Alacha, I was deeply moved by the clarity and courage with which people shared their stories. In line with our community-led approach, we showed up to listen, not to lead, and the community responded with openness and urgency.

They spoke of food insecurity, lack of healthcare, inaccessible education, and the overlooked needs of orphans, the elderly, people with disabilities, women, and children. But this wasn’t just a list of challenges, it was a call to collaboration. People understood the scale of what they were naming. They weren’t expecting miracles from one organization. They were offering partnership. As one woman explained:

“We know the needs are large, but we are ready to partner. Little by little, with our contributions and your contributions, we can find solutions.” 

That spirit of shared responsibility and action stayed with me. The solutions are not only possible, they’re already in the room.

"Life for women in Camp Alacha feels impossible." - Refugee Community Member

2. For Women and Girls, Life Feels Impossible

“Life for a woman in Camp Alacha feels impossible,” one woman told us. And everywhere we turned, her words rang true. Many women are alone, their husbands either killed or still fighting in Sudan. They shoulder the full weight of survival, with monthly food rations that barely last two weeks.

Pregnancy brings more fear than joy. The camp hospital is ill-equipped for even basic complications. “We feel fear when someone becomes pregnant,” another woman said quietly.

Daily survival tasks — fetching water, collecting firewood, searching for work — fall on their shoulders, often with the help of their children. Each of these requires leaving the relative safety of the camp, exposing them to real danger. Again and again, we heard stories of women and girls being harassed, assaulted, or worse while gathering firewood outside the camp.

Some women, facing an unbearable choice between hunger and survival, said they let “men do what they want” in exchange for a bit of money to feed their children.

These are not isolated stories. They are the daily reality of women in Camp Alacha – lives marked by resilience, yes, but also by relentless risk, sacrifice, and fear.

Meeting with girls and boys who attend a community-led home-based preschool in Refugee Camp Alacha. (April 2025)

3. Beyond Food, Children’s Safety and Future Matter Most

Camp Alacha has just four primary schools for over 8,000 children within a population of 56,000. The classrooms are overcrowded and many children are turned away. Caregivers, forced to search for food, water, and income, often leave their children alone during the day, filled with worry about their safety.

Without structure or supervision, children roam the camp and nearby areas. Some beg in local markets. Others follow their older siblings into the mountains. They swap stories of war instead of songs or games. They are, in practice, losing their childhood. One parent told us:

“Our children should be in school. We are losing the foundation of our next generation.” 

4. Love and Kindness Power Our Work

As our Project Coordinator, Al-Fateh Younous Haroun, said so beautifully: “We do our work with love, with kindness, with care.” And it’s not just words, I witnessed it every day. Our Sudanese refugee team in Chad is the most compassionate, respectful, and genuinely human group I’ve ever worked with. They don’t just show up, they listen deeply, make space for every voice, embrace differing opinions, support one another, and build real connections. Their leadership is rooted in empathy, and their work is a masterclass in kindness.  

iACT AMPLIFi storytellers and US team members in Refugee Camp Djabal. (April 2025)

5. Community-led Programs Remain Overlooked

iACT’s Little Ripples preschools and Refugees United Soccer Academies reach thousands of children, often more than any other programs in the camps. And yet, our refugee-led teams are excluded from INGO coordination meetings, and the impact of their work isn’t reflected in official Chad humanitarian reports.

In a sector where “localization” is the buzzword, iACT community-led programs should be the standard. Our programs are not only community-led, they are community-grown, trusted, and deeply impactful. It’s time our refugee team members are fully recognized for the remarkable work they do. They are educators, mentors, and leaders who are building safe, supportive spaces where children can learn, play, and grow.

Recognition alone isn’t enough. They deserve a seat at the table in coordination, and the resources to scale their work. Together, with our refugee colleagues, we are going to be taking bold action to make that happen.