Young women in Farchana refugee camp, near the Sudanese border – There has been increasing unrest in Chad that has escalated into a generalized conflict over the past 15 months. From 2004 onwards, some 200,000 refugees have been living in 12 camps that line the border. The burden of having to seek refuge in a strange and hostile environment takes a heavy toll on women, their children and the other family members in their care. Some ICRC programmes help women recover their means of production by providing them with seed, tools and agricultural materials.