Two weeks in Chad in early October became the most memorable experience in my 20 year fund-raising career. Watch the video for a brief tour of a camp in Eastern Chad.
I joined a small group visiting Djabal and Gaga refugee camps in Eastern Chad and an IDP settlement in Goz Beida. We then traveled south and visited Gondje, Dosseye and Moundou camps.
I came away with some vivid memories. The three teenage brothers whose parents had been killed in Darfur, one of the boys skillfully played a beautiful guitar like instrument he had made, each talked about his life and the importance of education.
I became increasingly aware, in the course of this brief mission, of the many millions of lives that have been saved and protected over the past 59 years thanks to the work of UNHCR. In visiting these camps, I was overwhelmed by the fact that although the number of displaced people can sometimes appear so vast, each is a very real person with his or her own story of both tragedy and hopes and dreams.
The support we provide for UNHCR's work on humanity's front-lines is vitally important. This holiday season consider making a gift to a refugee family through our annual Star Appeal.