Life in war camps for displaced people and refugees can be brutal. In the African country of Chad, World Concern has kept 30,000 people alive for the more than two years. Many have escaped rebels who have killed their families and burned their villages.
Even though they are relatively safe now, they have almost nothing. They need clean drinking water, latrines, soap and hygiene training. Without these basic needs, children face preventable, serious illnesses.
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That's why we need your your help right now. We know that you can help us relieve suffering and save hurting children.
My name is Mattra. I am 30 years old. I have two girls, one boy - and no home.
Janjaweed militia men on horses killed my mother and father, burned them in their own hut. I had to leave my village. Then my husband went off with another woman. This war has cost me everything.
Until this war ends, I live in a World Concern displaced person camp. I work 30 hours a week for World Concern and do service in my camp, planting trees and digging ponds to collect clean rainwater to drink. In exchange I get vouchers to buy food and other necessities.
I have been so worried about my children. For many months they were sick with scabies. Their skin looked so bad. My friends told me it was witchcraft. I took them to the traditional healer but it did nothing.
Now I know what was really going on. World Concern taught me about hygiene. They said our dirty drinking water and dirty home was making my children sick. So I used soap to wash my children. I washed all of our clothes and boiled our bedsheets. When I did that, the scabies began to disappear! My children became healthy.
I teach others now about hygiene. And if my children or I am sick, we go directly to the health center in Goz Beïda. We are receiving medical care for free. We are healthy now, and I know now it has nothing to do with witchcraft.
I hope more people can receive help like I did.
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