Improved Living Conditions for People in Southern Chad

Chad, a landlocked country in Central Africa with around 18.5 million inhabitants, is facing growing poverty affecting nearly half of its population. The southern regions – particularly Logone Oriental, Mandoul and Moyen Chari – located near the borders with the Central African Republic and Cameroon, are confronted with severe challenges.

Almost 60% of the population in these provinces live below the national poverty line and suffer from high levels of food insecurity. This situation is exacerbated by the fragility of communities, limited local development, and declining humanitarian aid. Furthermore, the massive influx of refugees places additional pressure on already inadequate resources and infrastructure, worsening living conditions and increasing the risk of conflict.

In response to these structural and acute crises, there is an urgent need for an integrated response that combines humanitarian assistance with long-term development initiatives, while also including conflict prevention and measures to promote social cohesion.

The NexSud project seeks to respond to the challenges faced by target populations by addressing their specific needs. The project aims to:

1. Strengthen communities' resilience to recurring shocks
2. Improve skills in natural resource management, agricultural production and economic opportunities
3. Enhance local capacities to prevent, manage and transform conflicts

NexSud builds on the achievements of a previous project that sought to improve living conditions for both local and displaced populations in the same regions. It aims to consolidate and expand the impact and sustainability of that earlier intervention.

The project is implemented by a consortium led by Caritas Switzerland, together with Initiative Humanitaire pour le Développement Local (IHDL) and Association pour la Promotion des Libertés Fondamentales au Tchad (APLFT).

NexSud will bring several positive changes for the target groups. They will benefit from improved access to protection services, including legal and medical support for survivors of gender-based violence. They will be better prepared for disasters thanks to emergency resources. Economically, they will have more opportunities through training in sustainable agriculture, access to innovative technologies, and improved financial services. Finally, by engaging in local governance and conflict resolution, communities will strengthen social cohesion and foster a more stable environment.