In the heart of Chad's humanitarian landscape lies the Fourkoulom refugee camp, a settlement that has become a refuge for thousands displaced by conflict and crisis. Amidst the challenging conditions, a narrative of profound resilience is unfolding, primarily driven by the displaced girls who are not merely surviving but actively rebuilding their lives.
The Lake Chad Basin is facing an escalating humanitarian catastrophe fuelled by environmental collapse and prolonged conflict. Climate change has destroyed traditional livelihoods, while violent non-state armed groups have driven massive displacement since 2015. The IOM reports over 225,000 internally displaced persons, with women and children disproportionately affected by vulnerability and violence.
In Foukouloum camp, in southern part of Lake Chad, where teenage girls face an acutely high risk of gender-based violence, a powerful shift is taking place. Indeed, supported by the EU, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) operates the Girl Shine centre, a vibrant sanctuary where displaced young women are discovering their voices and forging a future. Girl Shine both seeks to educate and keep girls safe, as well as empower them through activities. Here, girls like 14-year-old Yangou, who fled violence 2 years ago, build confidence, learn about their rights, and participate in activities that bolster their physical and mental health. Beyond the centre, IRC also actively engage with the broader community, particularly men, to challenge toxic mentalities and ensure lasting safety.
A network of resilience
Beyond practical measures, the Girl Shine centre nurtures deeper connections. Through shared stories, laughter during activities, and quiet conversations, a robust support network blossomed. They confide in each other, sharing fears and dreams, finding solace and advice.
As Yangou perfectly sums up: ‘Friendship is important because we share personal secrets, we support each other in difficult times and give each other advice’.
While dreams of independence fuel their future, the immediate challenge for girls like Yangou and Zara is achieving personal security, which is a prerequisite for any further progress. The IRC's protection programmes support this need by fostering a strong, community-led approach to safety. Lessons from the Girl Shine centre have become tangible tools for survival, forging a vital network of mutual aid that prioritises collective security over isolated risk.
Strategies for collective safety
For girls like Yangou, essential tasks like gathering firewood expose them to high risks of sexual violence in isolated areas. To mitigate this danger, they now employ a multi-faceted, collective safety strategy. They travel in groups for deterrence, recognising the power of shared vigilance. Their matching dresses, created in IRC sessions, function as a visible protective badge, signalling to the community that they are part of a vigilant network. Finally, each girl carries a whistle - a simple lifeline designed for rapid assistance and showcasing their commitment to mutual aid.
As the girls explain, ‘If one of us is attacked, she can whistle, and the others will rescue her.’
Empowerment and the future
Their dreams extend beyond mere survival, focusing on economic empowerment. Yangou and her friend Zara, inspired by the centre's support, are already selling goods like doughnuts and broth. They aspire to significantly scale up these efforts through new skills. ‘We’d like to do more income generating activities like pasta-making and sewing with machines’, they state, clearly linking their current entrepreneurship to their future goals of independence.
Women’s protection and empowerment are central to the programme at the IRC women’s centre in the Fourkoulom IDP camp. To create economic opportunities, the staff at the centre provides women and girls with materials, such as knitting yarn, to make fans, tableclothes, and other items they can sell at the local market. They encourage skills development by having the women work together.
Pierre-Yves, who oversees EU humanitarian aid in Chad, emphasises that the girls' courage proves a core belief:
‘The foundation of any lasting recovery is protection.‘ Pierre-Yves adds that once protected, ’the community can transition from being recipients of aid to architects of their own sustainable development.’
Chad faces a critical, multi-layered crisis, with 7 million people in need of aid in 2025. The country, already challenged by poverty, low development, and climate hazards, is struggling with a mass influx of Sudanese refugees, chronic instability in Lake Province, and severe food and nutrition insecurity. To address this overwhelming need, the EU committed over €165.4 million in 2024 and early 2025 to partners, providing essential funding for life-saving interventions, protection, food assistance, and emergency treatment for undernourished children.
Since 2017, EU funding has enabled IRC Chad in Lake Province to realise this vision by both strengthening local health facilities and establishing safe spaces where women and girls can access critical recovery services, including psychological support, which empower women and girls to regain control of their lives.
