SOS Children in Chad
Chad, the fifth largest country in Africa, is mainly desert. It is rich in mineral resources (gold, uranium and oil) but is among the poorest of countries because of a weak infrastructure and the internal tension between the Muslim north and the Christian south. Average daily income per head is less than 50p (£46.60 in the UK). There is an expectation that, with the completion of the pipeline linking Chad's oilfields with terminals on the Atlantic coast, funds will be available for development projects.
The government made a plot of land available to SOS Children's Villages in the capital of Ndjamena. Construction work started in 2003, and in 2005, SOS Children's Village Ndjamena was completed. There are twelve family houses for 120 orphaned and abandoned children. In addition there is an SOS Nursery School for 50 children in two classes and an SOS Primary School for over 200 children in six classes.
There is also an SOS Medical Centre which gives regular medical check-ups and promotes preventative medicine in the local community. It can treat up to 5,500 patients a year.
Local Contacts
SOS Children in Chad
Villages d'Enfants SOS du Tchad, Quartier N'djari, Ndjamena, Tchad
Next Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo