Bardai, in the far north of Chad, is very isolated and extremely difficult to reach by road. MAF pilot Greg Vine recently flew UNICEF, members of the Ministry for Social Services, and CARE International there for meetings with local leaders.
CARE International have a number of programmes in Chad to support children affected by fighting. These children are primarily child soldiers but include others who have been used in capacities such as manual labour, spies, and sex slaves. The programmes provide a means of rehabilitation for the children into normal society and reinstate them into school or work, depending on their ages.
The government agreed to UNICEF assisting in stopping the use of minors in these capacities, and helping those already affected to be rehabilitated. They asked UNICEF to visit the town and assess the situation in Bardai.
Greg reports:
"I accompanied the team to their meetings with local leaders including government officials, police and health workers, where their plan was outlined and support of the leaders and community requested.
The team were well received and following an extended period of question time the local leaders supported the plans to establish a programme for these children."
MAF partners with over 1000 organisations, flying across challenging terrain to reach communities that might otherwise remain cut-off due to impassable or non-existent roads.