Sudanese refugees find socioeconomic integration from exile and build a new life in Chad

Amina Mahamat Abchanab, a 35-year-old mother of seven, arrived at the Kounoungou camp 19 years ago with her mother. "I was only 16 when we arrived in Kounoungou (Eastern Chad). It's here that I got married and had my children. I had the chance to start a new life far away from home. No one wants to leave their home unless they are forced to," she explains.

Like her, thousands of families were welcomed to Chad by the government with support from the UNHCR, which provided them with assistance and legal protection upon their arrival in the context of forced displacement.

The decision to leave Sudan for Chad was difficult but necessary for Abchanab's family, who had to separate. "My father wasn't ready to leave Sudan, even though the country was at war. He didn't want to abandon the fields and livestock he owned, as they were his main source of income," she says.

As the situation deteriorated in Sudan, 18 months later, her father, Mahamat Abchnab, finally joined his wife and children at the Kounoungou camp. The family was reunited, and a new life began.

Over time, the family adapted to their new host environment. They settled in the existing Kounougou camp, where houses were made of packed earth, and Wednesdays were bustling market days.

Adoum Fadal Haroun, a refugee in Chad since 2006 and a trained teacher supported by UNHCR, also engages in trade to make a living. "Being a refugee is neither a fate nor an end in itself. Anyone can be a refugee, but living far from home remains a challenge," argues the teacher and father of three.

With the support of UNHCR, Haroun opened a shop in the camp market where he sells ready-to-wear clothes. "We need to buy food, clothes, and pay for healthcare in case of illness. All of this requires money. It's a duty for every head of the family, not just for a refugee," he explains with a compassionate look.

Every refugee woman should work. There is so much to do. It takes courage and hope

The refugee women in the Kounougou camp are also examples of empowerment. Amina Mahamat Abchanab has been selling "Djabana" (local coffee) in the camp for two years to support her children, as her husband is bedridden. This activity generates a daily profit of 2,000 CFA francs. "Thanks to this activity, I support my husband and children by meeting certain family needs," she says.

Beyond selling coffee, this place has become a melting pot, fostering exchange and coexistence between customers, consisting of both refugees and locals. According to Amina Mahamat Abchanab, "hope lies in what we do every day and our ability to move forward."

She hopes to expand her cafeteria and open a shop next to it. "Every refugee woman should work. There is so much to do. It takes courage and hope," she adds.

Following the example of Amina, Kadjidja Abakar Issakha defied prejudices to sell grilled meat at the Kounoungou market, a trade predominantly seen as male-oriented. But with her determination, she gradually found her place in this profession.

"A woman should not be in the butchery business. Many people have said that to me," she says, before emphasizing that no woman should be ashamed of engaging in income-generating activities to take care of herself and her family.

Today, she sells a grilled lamb daily and earns a profit of 5,000 CFA francs. "I buy food when my husband faces financial difficulties. I buy clothes for the children, not to mention my own needs," she explains.

Like Amina and Kadjidja, many refugee women in Chad have successfully integrated into agricultural, commercial, and pastoral sectors with the support of cash-based interventions (CBI) from UNHCR.

Government affirmative support for people forced to flee their homes

The Governement of Chad has made significant progress in area of international protection, with the enactment of Law No. 027 on asylum on its territory on December 31, 2020, and the signing of its implementing decree on April 25, 2023.

Issues related to access to formal employment, land acquisition, or naturalization, which had remained stagnant for several years, may see progress with the advent of this law.

"In the past, a refugee trader couldn't access credit from a microfinance institution or buy a shop in the market. But now, if my means allow it, I can afford it according to the current legislation," testifies Adoum Fadal Haroun, a trader in the Kounoungou camp in the Wadi-Fira province.

Chad, through its hospitality, ranks fifth in Africa among countries that host the most refugees relative to their total population. However, this ranking is likely to change due to the situation in neighboring Sudan, from where many refugees continue to arrive.