At the heart of the tragedy of the floods in Chad, the terrible story of thousands of families who lost everything in the floodwaters emerges. Among them, Gilbert Laoumbo and Zara, two emblematic characters who embody the distress and helplessness of the victims, but also the resilience and the will to rebuild despite the obstacles.
In the Boutalbagar district of Ndjamena, Gilbert Laoumbo, unemployed, finds himself facing the immense challenge of rebuilding his house, reduced to ruins by the floods of 2024. Despite his courage and determination, he lacks the financial means, leaving doubts about the reconstruction of his home. Each stone laid is an act of faith in the future, a fragile hope clinging to the heart of the storm.
On the other side of the city, Zara, hit hard by the whims of fate in the 1st arrondissement, finds herself in a dead end. Overwhelmed by the situation, she admits her inability to rebuild her home, overwhelmed by the bitter realization that any effort could be in vain in the face of the persistent threat of flooding. In her words filled with despair, resonates the silent cry of so many other victims who are struggling to find a semblance of normality.
The tragedy of the floods in Chad is not just about destroyed buildings, but reveals a harsh social and economic reality. The testimony of a senior Chadian executive underlines the urgency of allowing the population to access decent housing, worthy of the 21st century. The challenge is not only to rebuild, but to rethink housing in a sustainable and secure manner to prevent such disasters from happening again.
The Minister of Land Use Planning and Housing, Mahamat Assileck Halata, calls for preventive measures to be taken to anticipate future risks. The experience of the floods of 2022 and 2024 must serve as a lesson for more responsible urban planning, putting an end to the anarchic occupation of land exposed to natural hazards.
Beyond the staggering figures – more than 200,000 homes destroyed – lies the cry of distress of the victims in search of help, hope and solidarity. Calling for help from the authorities and the generosity of kind souls, they are firmly awaiting a gesture, a look, a support to recover from this devastating ordeal.
The story of Gilbert Laoumbo, Zara and so many other disaster-stricken families is a poignant reminder of the fragility of our existence in the face of the relentless force of nature. In the struggle for reconstruction, the portrait of a resilient humanity is also emerging, ready to rise again and support each other in adversity. Through the ruins of their homes, these women and men carry the hope of a better tomorrow, forged by solidarity and the desire to rebuild together a safer and fairer future..
In these dark moments, where distress rubs shoulders with dignity, where chaos mixes with resilience, the vibrant echo of humanity that refuses to bend under the weight of adversity emerges. And it is in these moments of truth that the greatness of the human soul is revealed, ready to face the storms and rebuild, stone by stone, the fragile edifice of life.