Early in the morning in Mataya, Mrs. Katché Kodbe opens a small metal box. Inside are vaccines, basic diagnostic tools, and bandages. A year ago, she never imagined she would be treating animals and preventing disease outbreaks. Today, she is one of the first Community-Based Animal Health Workers (CAHWs) trained through the new VSF-Suisse engagement in Chad.
Her story reflects something bigger. VSF-Suisse is now officially working in Chad – a country where more than 40 percent of the population depends on livestock, yet where families face some of the harshest conditions in the Sahel.
Why Chad?
Chad hosts one of the largest livestock populations in the world. At the same time, pastoralist communities face mounting challenges:
- Water points dry up earlier every year
- Livestock diseases spread quickly without veterinary support
- Climate extremes force herders onto longer and riskier transhumance routes
- Conflicts over land and water intensify
- Hundreds of thousands of refugees increase pressure on fragile resources
This is exactly where VSF-Suisse can make a difference. With more than 35 years of experience working with pastoralist communities across Africa, we bring veterinary expertise, resilience building, and practical support to those who depend on livestock for survival.
What our new presence in Chad means in practice
Our first intervention started last year in Guéra Province, in partnership with SWISSAID. The goal is to strengthen resilience and reduce tensions in communities that share scarce resources.
We do this by:
- Constructing pastoral wells to secure access to water
- Establishing fodder banks to bridge critical lean seasons
- Training local animal health workers (CAHWs) to diagnose, treat, and report diseases
- Strengthening local structures so communities can lead long-term solutions
In short: VSF-Suisse brings hands-on veterinary and pastoral expertise to a country that urgently needs sustainable, locally anchored support.
What change looks like: The story of Mrs. Katché Kodbe
Mrs. Katché Kodbe, 40, was selected by her community to join the CAHW training. Before that, she often felt powerless as animals fell sick and families lost their income. Today she treats livestock, vaccinates herds, and identifies diseases early.
She works closely with the local NGO APESA and the government veterinary services, reporting suspected cases of disease outbreaks. Katché Kodbe now earns her own income, is highly respected in her community, and her work protects both the animals and the families who depend on them for their livelihood.
Her impact strengthens an entire community. And this is exactly what VSF-Suisse aims to scale across Chad: building local capacity, embedding knowledge, and supporting long-term resilience.