WFP has been present in Chad since 1963. In 2011, WFP is implementing five projects in Chad, one of which is a multi-year country programme providing school meals to some 140,000 children in the western and central parts of the country. The four other projects are humanitarian operations (two emergency operations, one protracted relief and rehabilitation operation, and a humanitarian air special operation).
In response to an appeal from the Government of Chad, WFP launched an emergency operation in March 2010, through which WFP assisted more than 874,000 drought-affected people in the western and central Sahelian regions of Chad. Activities included general food distributions (730,000 beneficiaries), blanket feeding children 6-23 months (49,000 beneficiaries) and nutritional supplementary support to moderately malnourished children under five (59,750 beneficiaries) and moderately malnourished mothers (300,000 beneficiaries) through over 150 heath centres across the Western Sahel. This operation has been extended in 2011 and plans to assist 667,500 beneficiaries with the same activities.
In Eastern Chad, WFP provided emergency assistance in 2010 to more than 872,500 vulnerable people in eastern Chad. These included 261,000 Sudanese refugees, among them pregnant and nursing women and malnourished children under five years of age, as well as internally displaced people (IDPs), returnees and school children. Assistance will continue in 2011 for these populations, and WFP will add to current activities seasonal assistance to vulnerable host populations through blanket feeding for children under two and targeted general food distributions where identified needs arise. Expansion of coverage of health centres is also under way in Eastern Chad, where WFP currently reaches 32 health centres.
In Southern Chad, WFP operates a relief and recovery operation through which, in 2010, it provided assistance to some 72,000 people, including 67,000 Central African refugees and 3,595 malnourished children and mothers at nutritional centres. Assistance will continue in 2011, targeting 113,200 beneficiaries with the same activities.
In support of the whole humanitarian community in Chad, WFP also manages the UN Humanitarian Air Service with five aircrafts, providing an air link to 18 destinations throughout the country for both personnel and light cargo. Aircraft are based in N’Djamena, Abéché and Goz Beida.