In the parched lands of eastern Chad, Zabout refugee camp is a haven for more than 50,000 people who have fled the violence in Sudan. But life here is far from easy. For many families, survival feels like an unending battle against hunger, loss and despair.
Sudan’s brutal civil war broke out in April 2023, triggering a massive humanitarian crisis. The conflict has devastated critical infrastructure, displacing millions and leaving more than 25 million people in need of urgent help. Widespread violence, including targeted attacks on civilians, has forced families to flee their homes, leading to severe shortages of food, water, shelter and healthcare.
Hope is breaking through
Thanks to the Scottish Government’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund, hope is beginning to break through. Tearfund, working with our local partner PEDC, is providing life-saving support to 1,500 of the most vulnerable households in Zabout camp – reaching about 9,000 people with food assistance and supporting communities to rebuild lives of dignity and peace.
Fatna’s story: ‘An endless series of suffering’
‘Back home in Sudan, we were shopkeepers. We had everything we needed, and our children went to school,’ says Fatna, a mother with three children in the camp. ‘But here, we have nothing. Even buying a pair of shoes for the children feels impossible. Most days, feeding them is an act of grace.’
Fatna and her family fled Sudan’s brutal conflict, leaving behind their home and livelihood. Despite their best efforts – such as planting a field to grow food – their crops were destroyed by floods. Now, life in Zabout camp is a daily struggle.
‘It feels like an endless series of suffering,’ she says. ‘Our children go hungry on a regular basis, and we feel destitute and deprived of almost everything.’
Fatna's family has been hit hard by the consequences of displacement. Tearfund’s project will provide cash assistance to enable them to meet their urgent needs and regain a sense of dignity and stability.
Youniss’s story: ‘We just want the means to provide for ourselves’
Youniss once supported his family through farming and delivering water to schools in Sudan. But when violence swept through his hometown, he and his family fled for their lives.
‘Here, everything is different,’ he says. ‘I want to work, but I have no tools, no equipment, no land. Last year, the land offered to us was six hours away on foot, and even if we could farm it, the floods would have destroyed everything.’
Now, Youniss relies on sporadic aid to feed and clothe his six children. ‘The most urgent thing for us is cash support to start a small business. Food runs out. Clothes wear out. But if we had the means to work, I’d be able to provide fully for my family again and we would regain our dignity.’