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From Hardship to Hope: Hakuna Moussa’s Struggle After Floods
Koundoul, Chad - in August 2024, the residents of the Gabriel District in Koundoul, Chad, woke up to a feeling of helplessness. Torrential rains poured on the town, turning the streets into rivers and washing away everything in their path. Houses were flooded, crops submerged, and hundreds of families were left homeless overnight. Among them was Hakuna Moussa, a 48-year-old bricklayer and father of 12, whose life was turned upside down in a few hours.
Before the disaster, Hakuna led a modest but stable life. Conducting his work as a bricklayer and small seasonal agricultural jobs, he managed to provide for his family. But the floods destroyed everything: his house, his livestock, his working equipment, and along with them, his only source of income.
“When the rains came with the floods, they washed everything away: my poultry for farming, my house, my working tools. Without a roof over our heads, we had to take refuge in Koundoul high school. It was very difficult.”
Hakuna and his family took the difficult decision to abandon their home, which was becoming unsafe due to flooding. Like other villagers, several of them took refuge in the Koundoul secondary school to escape the bad weather.
Completely demoralised and deprived, he no longer knew how to feed his family or provide for their future. He tried to find somewhere else to live, but the situation was very difficult. Finding food or even blankets was proving to be a real challenge… But just when all seemed lost, a glimmer of hope appeared.
Humanitarian aid was quickly mobilised to support the victims. Thanks to an initial contact with the Chad Red Cross and then with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Hakuna and his family received vital assistance. Approached by IOM humanitarian teams, he was quickly reassured by the information he received.
“First of all, I want to thank IOM. They brought us here, to the centre. IOM provided us with emergency shelter, blankets, mats, cooking utensils and hygiene products. The assistance provided by IOM has had a considerable impact on our lives. It has been of great value to me and my family,” he says gratefully.
Today, Hakuna is trying to rebuild his life, although uncertainties remain. While he is relieved to see his children safe under a roof, he wonders about the future. Will they be able to find somewhere to live once they leave the camp? Will he be able to go back to work to support his family?
“I hope to receive assistance to rebuild my house and regain a stable source of income. Thank God and thank you to IOM and its partners, as for the moment we have shelter, and we can think about long-term solutions.”
Hakuna Moussa knows that it will be a long way to rebuild, but he is no longer alone.
Like Hakuna, thousands of people and families were displaced by floods in Chad in August and September 2024. Behind these disasters, disrupted families and disrupted lives, IOM and other humanitarian partners are providing essential support and assistance to these communities to enable them to recover and look forward to a more stable future, offering them vital resources, temporary shelter, as well as support in rebuilding their lives and livelihoods.
