The Goz Beida bureau was opened in 2011 following the Darfur Crisis. LWF Goz Beida supports host and refugee communities in various projects spanning Income Generating Activities, infrastructure development and shelter, energy, environmental protection and agriculture.
Thanks to its 30 employees and tireless advocacy work the bureau was able to help more than 3500 beneficiaries and secured more than 900 acres for agricultural activities.
The Goz Beida region was selected for the implementation of the pilot project Seeds for Solution. This project aims at increasing Self-Sufficiency in refugee and host populations through a durable, enhanced and shared agricultural production.
In 2014 the LWF was able to secure more than 3000 acres from land owners, allowing more than 1800 local and refugee beneficiaries to access farmlands.
The LWF also contributes to the good health of livestock through vaccinations campaigns and veterinary care, supports communities’ health with sanitary tests on carcasses and helps farmers and local authorities through the census of animals.
These actions, combined to trainings and awareness campaigns, contribute to the public health and support this traditional Income Generating Activity.
LWF has at heart to train and include beneficiaries at all stages and in all aspects of its programs. The Goz Beida bureau helps organizing committees and trainings on various topics, from sustainability to peaceful coexistence, to farming.
Since 2011, the LWF has been in charge of the Vocational Training Centre and offers as varied trainings as woodwork, masonry, electricity, mechanics, saponification-dye and sewing. The strength of the educational program lies in the follow-up and organization of more than 400 laureates in workers’ groups. These groups facilitate job search and allow for a better exchange of competencies.
The influx of refugees has rendered these fragile ecosystems even less resilient. In order to alleviate the burden and to palliate the exhaustion of farmland and deforestation the LWF is implementing an environmental protection strategy.
In 2014, the Goz Beida bureau has trained more than 800 people and organized 17 awareness sessions on environmental protection. LWF has also set reforestation areas, distributed enhanced ovens and installed machines for the fabrication of combustible bricks, further reducing the need for wood.
Goz Beida Beneficiaries
The influx of refugees seeking safety in this region close to the border with Sudan has put an unprecedented burden on communities, infrastructures and ecosystems.
In order to help host and refugee communities in living together peacefully and in sharing scarce natural resources, the Goz Beida bureau develops an integrated strategy. Following LWF conception of humanitarian development, LWF Chad understands livelihood as system of interdependent domains.
For example in Goz Beida the strategy is implemented through vocational trainings, agricultural development, livestock care and environmental protection. All together these activities contribute to the peaceful coexistence and self-sufficiency of populations.
Kada, leader of one the 19 producers groups, expresses her gratitude and insists that LWF, in addition to the all the help already provided, truly supported her group in developing their agricultural production.
"When we set up our group, we received tools, seeds and training to cultivate our land. And despite the delay in the last agricultural campaign the harvests were good", she says pointing the bags stacked up behind her, "and this is just for one group !"
"This year we started on time, and now it's up to us to show what we are capable of. God willing, we hope that the warehouse will be full, and if WFP needs food to distribute we'll help them !" she adds laughing
In this newly built warehouse of 48 square metres 9 beneficiaries, of which 3 women, welcome the LWF team. Their are all part of the warehouse management committee and represent farmers groups.
With a seriousness punctuated by laughters the members explain their struggle and success in setting up their agricultural activities with the LWF. They also express their gratitude towards the LWF teams and funds, exlpaining that the new warehouse is helping them protecting their harvest and better handle shortages and demand.
Yassine (left) and Hamit (right), part of a workers guild, pose in front of the LWF office in Goz Beida. Both participated in a masonry training organized at the LWF Vocational Training Centre in 2013 and have since developed their business with 7 refugees and 6 other locals, including 2 women.
"We decided to join the masonry training because there is work in this field, the region is developing and being organized in a workers' group helps us find jobs and bargain better. We already have had big jobs like the building of a fence at the Seeds for Solution site of Koutoufou or the painting of the UNHCR bureau. Thanks to the group we can help our families better, but we still put money aside with every job, for tougher times."
Mariam, 55 years old, mother of 7 has lost her first husband and has since remaried. She is one of the group leaders at the Koutoufou site welcoming .... groups. She explains that the LWF' help has greatly improved their production and their revenus: "We are very happy, we have a bigger protected space, we have tools and we
