Chad: A daily quest for water

In the first quarter of 2024, the ICRC drilled four wells within the transit camp that run on solar power. All four are now operational, providing up to 140,000 litres of drinking water each day. “They provide enough to meet the needs of roughly 10,000 people, the equivalent of nearly 15 litres per person per day,” said Mamadou Aliou Sow. A fifth well is under construction, which will serve 2,000 more people. 

While those numbers may seem impressive, they only represent 10% of the camp’s population. There is still a long way to go. And the ICRC wells are also being used by people living in the town of Adré: proof that the water crisis is affecting the entire community, and that the ICRC’s action benefits everyone.

But our work is not limited to emergency measures, as Mamadou Aliou Sow pointed out. “Once we renovate Adré’s water supply system and its 240-m3 water tower, refugees and locals alike will be able to share that resource, which should help ease tensions between the two communities.”
Meanwhile, more than a hundred latrines have also been built to improve sanitation and prevent the spread of diseases. 

Aziza and Darassalam’s stories put a face on the ongoing humanitarian crisis that has shaken eastern Chad.

Behind the numbers are women fighting for their children, families struggling to survive without sacrificing their dignity. Water is more than liquid in a jug. It means health for a growing child, safety for a worried woman, rest for a mother so she can hold on for another day. It is – quite simply – the fundamental right to live with dignity.