Counselling, Darfuri refugee camps, Chad

Our volunteer psychotherapists teach lay counsellors to give support to Darfuri refugees living in Chad who have fled the genocide in Darfur. Over 250,000 Darfuris live in squalid camps, traumatised by the violence they witnessed, scared of the Chadian authorities, and frustrated by their inability to return to their homes and their normal lives.

Partnering with the international charity, CORD, the N4A team began giving trauma counselling training to men, women and youths in Farchana and Gaga refugee camps in 2009.

Thousands of men, women and children who have fled the genocide in Darfur continue to re-live their nightmares in refugee camps in Chad. Few receive any counselling or psychological support. Their suffering and grief continues, as they struggle to make sense of what has happened to them.

A survey by the International Medical Corps found there were only 208 physicians, 38 pharmacists and 1, 381 nurses in all of Chad. There is a massive extra burden imposed of medical professionals by the ongoing war and the influx of refugees from neighbouring Sudan.

They are already overwhelmed by the need for basic emergency healthcare, and the psychological needs of traumatized people are low on the scale of priorities.

Refugees from war and genocide often suffer from depression and experience flashbacks, nightmares, disturbed sleep, and lack of concentration and feelings of low self-esteem, with a risk of suicidal impulses. Additionally, due to the atrocities they may have experienced, many find it hard to struggle through even the simplest daily tasks.

Basic counselling is vital to the hundreds of thousands of Darfuri refugees living in camps in Chad who have experienced untold atrocities. Being able to share their stories and move forward is vital to their recovery. We aim to address this need, creating a self-sustaining environment for peer counselling. We intend to replicate a programme, which trains lay people in post-trauma counselling.

To prepare for training in the camps in Chad, our team worked extensively with Darfuris in the UK, and with experienced psychologists in the UK and the USA who have worked in Africa. The project is constantly monitored on the ground by our local partner CORD. The expert trainers, including one psychiatrist, aim to carry out two training trips a year working with an estimated four groups of 40 counsellors.

Once the basic training sessions have been completed over a two year period, the beneficiaries will be qualified both to give counselling and to train others, allowing a cascade effect as coping skills and relaxation techniques are handed on. At the end of the two years, the initial group of trained counsellors will be ready to train others. We will then be able to replicate the project in neighbouring camps. Whilst the counsellors are in training, they will be able to offer some basic therapy to fellow members of their community.

Our partner on the ground, CORD, works with 80, 000 Sudanese refugees in Eastern Chad, and it offers people the chance to set-up small businesses, providing materials and training. CORD has also trained 450 refugee teachers to work with more than 20, 000 children in the IDP camps. With CORD’s help, we will have access to a suitable location and logistics such as Internet, a vehicle and translators.

The success of lay counsellors will be monitored throughout the two-year training period, with the assistance of our local partner. In depth interviews will be carried out at the end of the training to assess the trainees’ confidence and aptitude in providing assistance to the community. We will continuously assess how well the trainee counsellors have provided the psychological assistance as needed.