If you want to zoom around Chad from the bird’s-eye point-of-view, get Google Earth. It’s a fantastic programme. (But, if it’s not possible, look at the pictures below.)
If you scroll about, you’ll see Breidjing Refugee camp, made up of approximately 30,000 Sudanese refugees, and Farchana refugee camp, with about 20,000 persons.
The top one is an image from Google Earth, which is the Farchana camp from about 2 km above, and the one below that same camp at ground level. From the UN-map below, you can get a sense as to where the refugee camps are located.
(NB: All of these maps, and frequent updates to the situation in Chad and other humanitarian projects can be found at 1) Reliefweb and 2) the MSF International site.
I don’t know about you, but I can’t think without a map. So, now that you have one, this is what I’m in for starting mid-January of 2008: The plan is that I’ll be stationed in Hadjer Hadid for about six months doing daily trips to nearby refugee camps (mostly Breidjing and Farchana, I think), and IDP (Internally Displaced People; Chadians who have fled violence in their own country) camps scattered around the area. Like most things in life however, and from what brief information I can gather, MSF is an on-the-fly fast-response medical relief organization, so even the best-laid plans can change dramatically and frequently. The MSF contingent is 8-9 expats, and about 50 national staff. Not sure about the size of the Mental Health Team contingent, or what the set-up will be. My mind is racing with possibilities.
