Since 2004, Terre des hommes (Tdh) has been operating in IDP camps in West Darfur, providing assistance to victims of conflict. UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) has mandated Tdh as Team Leader in charge of camp coordination.


Solutions proposed by Terre des hommes

Psychosocial – Tdh promotes the child protection system through a psychosocial approach by setting up child friendly spaces. Hundreds of children benefit form centres’ support, have facilitated access to education and participate in recreational activities animated by local educators which have been trained by Tdh.

Camp Coordination - Tdh is in charge of services’ coordination; dissemination of needs related information; and adequate & adapted solutions within the camps. The Foundation organises local committees composed of NGOs’ representatives operating in the camps, local leaders and community representatives including mothers. Tdh also cooperates with governmental social structures deployed in the camps. Awareness campaigns and information dissemination on child rights, hygiene, prevention of fires, water contamination etc. are organised in regular basis.

Shelter construction and maintenance - Tdh provides necessary material and support for shelter construction and maintenance to the most vulnerable IDPS and newly arrived ones. Tdh has constructed his strategy on community participation and enhances the use of local material available in the field.


Results achieved in 2008

Psychosocial – Tdh runs 15 child friendly spaces for young children in 2 camps and 6 teenagers’ centres in 3 camps. A total of 3'710 children benefited form psychosocial activities organised in the centres. 840 extremely vulnerable children have been followed-up individually through Tdh social workers’ team. More than 120 individuals – animators, teachers, social workers – have been trained by Tdh.

Camp Coordination – 100% of IDPs, namely 57'000 individuals, have access to camp coordination activities. The awareness campaign promoting health and hygiene have benefited a total of 1’000 IDPs.

Shelter construction and maintenance – through community participation, Tdh realised the construction of 2’015 shelters benefiting approximately 12'000 IDPs.


Challenges to be taken up

The security conditions in Darfur are very volatile. Thus, the NGOs face considerable difficulties at implementing their projects and activities. The access to several sectors is not possible, and the international organizations constitute a permanent target of threats and attacks. The security situation remains very precarious for both: international community and the population living in the camps.
Nevertheless, given the important number of children in need and the results obtained so far, Tdh is extending its activities in another camp (4 in total). 23 child friendly spaces and 8 teenagers’ centres are foreseen to be operational in 2009.


STORY - Sharghania and bamboo against the rain

Having a protected space to live in is one of the fundamental human rights. Despite the support of the international community and NGOs, the IDPs situation remains very difficult, especially in terms of sheltering.

In close collaboration with the IDPs community, Tdh launched in 2008 the «Kournouk» project in the three camps the foundation is operating, in the surroundings of Geneina, nearby the Chadian border. «Kournouk» describes a traditional construction in Darfuri region made form a bamboo frame and sharghania panels (straw). The shelters offer a protection against sun and sand, and create a private space, a protected « own place » for IDPs families.

The beneficiaries contribute them-selves during the construction. Tdh supplies the necessary material and technical support to the construction teams’ members. Furthermore, they receive incentives for the worked furnished allowing them to guarantee substantial income for their families. They also strengthen the self esteem and gain additional competencies permitting further access to the labour market.
Tdh relies very much on the community participation: families, neighbours and friends happen to join very often the “Kournouk” teams. Through its leaders, the community participates at the selection of teams and even of families-beneficiaries which are the most vulnerable ones within the camps. More often, these families are composed of single mothers, elders, disabled individuals belonging in general to the bottom scale of the social hierarchy within the camps. This way, the collaboration of Tdh with the concerned community allowed to offer more then 2'000 decent shelters to the most vulnerable families.