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Holländske Djoen Besselink är expert på psykosocialt förhållningssätt i katastrofinsatser och han är en av 20-talet medlemmar i Svenska kyrkans humanitära pool, som med kort varsel kan åka till katastrofområden.

När han senast åkte till Tschad mötte han en grupp kvinnor i det flyktingläger vi stödjer där. Kvinnorna berättade för honom om den utsatthet de lever i även i lägret, bland annat kan de råka illa ut och bli överfallna när de måste gå och samla ved. Genom att organisera sig i grupper ger dessa människor också varandra styrka. En annan utsatt grupp är de handikappade. Djoen pratade exempelvis med en pojke som fått en rullstol av ACT-alliansen. Men när det regnar och blir lerigt och svårt att ta sig fram måste han ändå förlita sig på stöd från sina kamrater.

ACT-alliansen identifierar vilka grupper i ett flyktingläger som är utsatta på olika sätt och ger stöd till dem. Det är aldrig fullt tillräckligt som Djoen konstaterar, men besöket i lägret blev också ett kvitto på att stödet faktiskt räcker långt.

Down in the east of Chad the local Chadian women from the village of Tirti have come together to welcome the project officers from the Lutheran World Federation and their visitors. The visitors are the LWF representative, the funding education officer, and an external evaluator from the Church of Sweden. These women are part of a women focus group of LWF and come together on an almost daily basis. Groups like these are formed to easily provide information, to sensitize the women on all kinds of subjects (HIV/AIDS, Gender Based Violence), to support them in starting small Income Generating Activities, and to provide psychological support.

Kvinnor både ger varandra och får stöd av ACT-alliansen i Farchana Camp, Tschad. Foto Djoen Besselink

In this region almost all people are Muslim, which is the same as the religion and culture of most refugees in this region coming from the Darfur region in Sudan. When a village chief is informed all the women will dress appropriately to receive guests and we are free to talk to them. Even towards me, a white European male, the women are very friendly, open, and patient. We talk about their ways of surviving, their children and education, their ideas for the future, and the challenges they have. Women are targeted while gathering fire wood in this region and even though organizations pay attention to this, the occurrence rate is still too high and makes me shiver.  I feel that during our discussions I find myself empowered by their respect, resources and strength.

I Moula Camp, Tschad, har ACT-alliansen gett handikappade flyktingar från Centralafrikanska republiken rullstolar för att underlätta deras liv i lägret. Foto Djoen Besselink

In the south of Chad, close to the border with CAR, there are places with people who fled the country and sought refuge in this green region of Chad. Moula camp is one of those places. The camp is coordinated by the Chadian government agency CNARR and in addition the camp is supported by several International Non Governmental Organizations. The camp consists of numerous groups consisting of vulnerable people, who came together to strengthen their influence, power, life and hope. One of the groups is a group of people with physical challenges. The strong boy in the picture is physically challenged and cannot move without the mobile he has gotten from LWF. When it rains the ground is so muddy that the mobile cannot move an inch. Fortunately the community, which is a strong and beautiful one, helps and supports the most vulnerable ones in the camp. Hence, when it rains, he will get pushed or other people will help with the activities he is bound to do.

Although they have a need for more creative and income generating activities, the vulnerable groups within the camp are identified, selected, and supported by the UN and LWF. It feels that it is never to a fully satisfactory extent, but it sure does help when this boy shows appreciation of the things that have been done for him. I hope that in the future, he can walk around, even when it rains.

Djoen Besselink, ingår i Svenska kyrkans humanitära pool

Djoen Besselink och sudanesiska flyktingar i Farchana Camp, Tschad. Foto Anna Garvander

Läs mer om Svenska kyrkans internationalla arbete och vårt stöd i Tschad till utsatta flickor i flyktinglägren:  Farligt att vara flicka på flykt