Adré Children’s Feeding Program and Clinic Update - April 2026
Program Background
When war erupted in Sudan in April 2023, Darfur quickly became the epicenter of some of the conflict’s worst atrocities. What began as a power struggle between Sudan’s military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) spiraled into a brutal, targeted campaign of violence. The largely Arab RSF launched a hate-driven assault on Darfur’s historic ethnic African communities, including the Zaghawa, Fur, and Masalit people groups.
Map by Operation Broken Silence
Parts of Darfur are in famine. Refugees crossing the border into Adré, with nothing but the clothes on their backs and thousand-yard stares, tell stories of mass killings and starvation. Darfur has descended into ethnic cleansing, widespread rape, and total lawlessness under RSF occupation. Markets, farms, banks, and aid warehouses have been looted or destroyed.
In response, Operation Broken Silence is helping to support local heroes as they deliver emergency food and medical care to some of the most vulnerable refugee communities on the Sudan/Chad border. We’re supporting trusted Sudanese community leaders in two key areas:
The Adré refugee camps
The Tiné area
Below are important updates from the For You Children’s Feeding Center and Healthcare Clinic in Adré—both of which are refugee-led and privately funded by people like you.
April 2026 Overview
At the end of March 2026, the region witnessed an unusually sharp increase in temperatures, accompanied by outbreaks of measles and meningitis. Due to our limited technical capacity and the high risk of operating during contagious epidemics, we were compelled to close the clinic for 10 days as a precautionary measure.
Following vaccination campaigns carried out by health authorities and humanitarian organizations, operations resumed smoothly. Despite a slight drop in temperatures, the overall health situation in April remained stable across eastern Chad, with a noticeable decline in the previously high mortality rates. Compared to March, the general health situation improved; however, two suspected meningitis cases were recorded in our clinic at the end of April. Additionally, there was a rise in respiratory infections and common colds due to weather fluctuations, dust, and sandstorms.
Eastern Chad has become a major commercial hub due to cross-border trade between western Sudan and Chad. The entire region is under Rapid Support Forces (RSF) control and is administratively cut off from northern Sudan. This situation has negatively impacted refugees, as living and healthcare costs have sharply increased:
Shortage of medical personnel, particularly laboratory staff and physicians.
Increased operational costs due to high patient turnout, forcing us to reduce the number of patients received daily.
Interruption of the clinic’s water supply as a result of high consumption by refugees at nearby stations.
Delays from landowners in preparing construction materials needed to begin building a perimeter wall around the clinic.
With rising prices in Chad and the depreciation of the US dollar relative to our monthly operational budget, we had no option but to reduce expenditures across all budget lines. This has directly affected the daily patient turnout at both the clinic and the feeding center.
Departmental Activities
Total patient visits: 1,772 - Women: 53% Children: 24% Men: 23%
Total disease cases: 2,738
Most common illnesses: Respiratory diseases, urinary tract infections (schistosomiasis + syphilis), gastrointestinal diseases, three hepatitis B cases, and a slight increase in malaria.
General Medical Consultation: 616
Chronic Diseases Clinic: 370
Obstetrics & Gynecology Clinic: 81
Ophthalmology Clinic: 120
Dental Clinic: 60
Emergency & Short-Stay Department: 32
Nursing & Minor Department: 244
Laboratory Department: 1,079 patients, 2,343 tests
Awareness & Counseling Department:
Individual sessions: 16
Group sessions: 26
Topics included: measles, meningitis, childhood illnesses, polycystic ovary syndrome, common colds, and guidance on how to file complaints during medical visits.
Training Department: Only trainee follow-up was conducted; no group training sessions were held due to epidemic conditions and the department supervisor’s circumstances.
Feeding Center: Approximately 3,500 meals provided to children, staff, patients.
Current conditions in Adré
The situation Sudanese refugees face in eastern Chad is a protracted humanitarian emergency. People fleeing ethnic cleansing and famine face hunger and disease after arriving at one of the 30+ informal border crossings, many having walked for days carrying only what they could, including mothers and children weakened by hunger and trauma. The scale of this crisis is staggering:
The number of Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad has surged to almost 918,000 people.
87% of those registered are women and children, of which 25% are adult women.
Over 235,000 refugees are currently settled in the Adré area, more than five times the town’s original population.
13% have registered refugees specific needs, including people with disabilities, single parents, or those who are at-risk.
Source: UNHCR CHAD | CORE Sudan Emergency Situation (March 2026)
These heroes need your help
The needs in Adré are urgent and growing every week. Right now, it takes a minimum of $8,500 each month to keep the For You Child Feeding Center & Clinic running at minimal capacity. This covers everything from medical supplies and health awareness to hot meals for vulnerable children to basic medication for patients that couldn’t afford it otherwise.
These programs can expand with even more funding. Thousands are still waiting for care. Countless children go to bed hungry every night. You can help change that. In a place where hope is in short supply, your generosity means more than you can imagine.
Checks can be made payable to Operation Broken Silence with Adré written in the memo line and mailed to PO Box 770900 Memphis, TN 38177-0900. You can also donate stock and cryptocurrency while adding a note specifying your gift is for Adré.
Thank you for taking the time to receive this update. Please support us today.
Shareables
Short statements you can share online and with others. Simply copy and paste.
When war erupted in Sudan in April 2023, Darfur quickly became the epicenter of some of the conflict’s worst atrocities, sparking off a protracted humanitarian emergency for refugees in eastern Chad. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/adre-childrens-feeding-program-and-clinic-update-april-2026
Over 235,000 refugees are currently settled in the Adré area. Most are women and children. A small clinic and feeding center are saving lives, but they need your help to keep going. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/adre-childrens-feeding-program-and-clinic-update-april-2026
The small clinic in Adré continues saving and changing lives. Each week, the dedicated team works with compassion to deliver lifesaving care to Sudanese refugees, despite limited resources and growing demand. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/adre-childrens-feeding-program-and-clinic-update-april-2026
What does hope look like in a refugee camp? It looks like a child receiving her only hot meal of the day. A mother being treated for malaria. A community standing together. Help us keep hope alive. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/adre-childrens-feeding-program-and-clinic-update-april-2026
