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Chad: A Failed State with Refugees in Despair

August 10, 2011 by

[HTML1] Mr. Bill Felstiner, President of the Board for Chad Relief Foundation (CRF), shares the work being done to help refugees who are numerous and barely surviving in Chad.  Mr. Felstiner describes Chad as a failed State due to its corrupt and despotic government that provides virtually no services for its people including a lack of schools, medical services and infrastructure.  Refugees in Chad are faced with extreme poverty, Chad being the fourth or fifth poorest countries, leaving the refugees with little hope.

Due to the work of Chad Relief Foundation and its NGO partners, children and adults enjoy not only improved health facilities and resources, solar light and a new school, they also enjoy the much needed resource of fun.  CRF has built soccer fields, a requested project by the refugees, male and female alike.

In addition to its recognition for the necessity of recreation and respite from the severe and daily problems facing the refugees, CRF has also focused  on providing solar light for rural health facilities.  The use of kerosene is highly dangerous as well as expensive.  Solar lighting now facilitates medical care when it is needed, day and night.  (Enjoy our prior episode with Claude Dorais and Unite-to-Light who talks about providing solar light in areas of extreme poverty.)

CRF is deeply interested in developing education for the Chad refugees.  Not only does education provide hope for the future, but also aids in delaying, if not completing stopping, female “circumcision,” marriage and child birth at ages where the body is not yet able to endure the associated physical demands.  (Listen to our prior episode with Teri Gabrielsen and Africa Schools of Kenya to hear more about the impact of education on female cultural issues.)

According to Mr. Felstiner, progress is being made although slowly.  Chad is a State that could be prosperous with agricultural and oil and mineral resources that could lift it from its current despair.  However, the political environment is not yet conducive due to extreme corruption.

Please visit Chad Relief Organization to determine how you or your organization can participate.  Let others know about this show, and visit our Facebook discussion for this episode.  Join us again next week.

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About Robin Eschler

Robin L. Eschler, the founder of Social Impact Marketing, started her career in developing foundational marketing strategies for companies of all sizes, from Fortune 500 to individual entrepreneurs and local businesses. She has developed and implemented international campaigns to launch high tech products and services and guided new business owners to successfully navigate the difficulties of growing a business.

Her life-long passion for helping others led her into nonprofit work for over a decade. Early on, she recognized the need for nonprofits to adapt to a rapidly changing world in which technology dominates and for-profit business practices are central to success. Her determination to help social causes in a sustainable way led to her creation of the Women's Radio show Socially Conscious Investing.

Impact investing in for-profits with a mission of social change such as the fight against extreme poverty is a blossoming business sector around the world. With the economic decline, it's clear that Wall Street requires change. Social impact investing addresses that need in a way that provides financial and social ROI.

As the Host of Socially Conscious Investing on WomensRadio, Robin's goal is to educate people about the growth of social impact investing and social venture. Interviews are conducted with socially conscious business experts including foundations and nonprofits, social venture investment firms, micro-loan organizations, investors, educators, authors and social entrepreneurs.

This show's mission is to help change the world through sustainable business practices that contribute to the economy, combat poverty, end hunger and provide better lives to all.

Twice, Robin has been recognized and received the highest honorary award that Rotary International gives, the Paul Harris Award, for service above self. Her community work has included developing local programs for disadvantaged populations such as foster children, troubled teens, and people with disabilities.

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