N’Djamena – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance have signed a USD 1.5 million partnership agreement to provide emergency humanitarian assistance for internally displaced persons in Chad’s Lac province.

The partnership will enable IOM to reach over 33 000 people internally displaced persons in the province with shelter, non-food items, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) assistance. This marks a continuation of USAID’s strong support to IOM’s crisis response in Chad’s Lac province.

“Humanitarian conditions in the Lac province are rapidly deteriorating and we are extremely grateful to continue our partnership with USAID to reach the most vulnerable groups”, said Anne Kathrin Schaefer, IOM Chad’s Chief of Mission.

This new funding allocation from the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance will enable IOM to continue providing lifesaving relief to 1,100 families displaced across the province through the provision of emergency and transition shelters as well as essential non-food items.

In partnership with local actors, IOM will also enhance IDPs’ access to basic social services including water and healthcare through the construction and rehabilitation of 200 latrines and 44 boreholes in major displacement sites in the Province.

IOM will also work with humanitarian partners to enhance the availability of displacement data in the Lac province, thus ensuring the appropriate targeting of the assistance and assisting other responders to maximize the impact of their projects. This will be conducted through site and village assessments which will provide valuable information on the needs of IDPs, and rapid biometric registration to inform lifesaving assistance.

Since 2015, Chad’s Lac Province has been engulfed in a protracted displacement crisis caused primarily by insecurity but also the effects of climate change and environmental degradation. As of March 2023, there were more than 255 000 displaced persons in 245 localities in the Province, consisting of three main groups: internally displaced persons (IDPs); those returning from displacement in other countries and former IDPs.

Despite the prevalence of severe humanitarian needs, the response in the Lac Province has been beset by heavy shortfalls in resource allocation. The 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan for Chad remained underfunded by USD 208.2 million throughout the year.

IOM is one of the leading organizations providing humanitarian assistance, transition and recovery support to internally displaced persons, as well as host communities. In 2022, IOM’s humanitarian programming provided WASH and shelter to 23 000 people in Chad.

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For more information, please contact Francois-Xavier Ada, IOM Chad’s Communication Officer. Email: fadaaffana@iom.int.