In Borota, a remote location near the border with Sudan, tens of thousands of refugees have settled in makeshift tents – thousands of colorful cloths precariously held up by wooden sticks as far as the eye can see.

The settlement is mostly comprised of women and children. They left their homes in Sudan with nothing but the essentials they could carry – including some clothing, food and some livestock.

In this settlement, refugees are especially vulnerable as they are in an isolated area, exposed to the elements and potential security risks, with no proper structures to provide basic services such as health and education.

Chad currently hosts the 4th largest refugee population in Africa, totaling 1.2 million refugees. During ECW’s mission in Chad, Executive Director Yasmine Sherif announced a $3 million First Emergency Response grant to support both refugees and the vulnerable host communities in the country. The ECW funding will support access to inclusive, quality education, the construction of protective learning environments and reinforce overstretched capacities in Chad’s education system.

ECW met and listened to the stories of refugees along the Chad-Sudan border as they voiced their concerns, needs and dreams for the future amidst crisis – a future that depends on continued education today.