Sila Province

While progress on education services and refugee inclusion has been made, several challenges persist. Infrastructure remains insufficient, particularly in some refugee sites. Teacher shortages affect national schools, though refugee sites are relatively well-staffed. Access to schools is generally not a challenge within refugee sites, but distance continues to be an issue in host communities. Gender disparities remain a major barrier; however, awareness campaigns have significantly improved girls’ enrollment rates in refugee sites. Nevertheless, these centers remain underfunded, as highlighted in the PDP 2025–2029. In Goz-Beida, one non-formal education center has recently closed due to a lack of funding.

• Opportunity: Invest in classrooms, teacher deployment, and inclusive curricula that reach both refugee and host community children. 

Sila Province has 134 health centers, 3 district hospitals, and 1 provincial hospital, as outlined in the 2025–2029 Provincial Development Plan (PDP). However, the province continues to face significant challenges in human resources for health. The current ratios remain well below national and international standards, with 1 doctor for every 35,912 inhabitants, 1 state-certified midwife for every 117,998 inhabitants, and 1 nurse for every 21,179 inhabitants.

Despite the ongoing efforts of technical and financial partners, health and nutrition indicators remain below WHO benchmarks. The service utilization rate stands at only 14%, 21% of deliveries are assisted by qualified personnel, and 32.4% of children aged 0–59 months suffer from chronic malnutrition. These figures underscore the urgent need to strengthen the health system’s capacity and accessibility across the province. 

Opportunities:

• To achieve the PDP’s objectives for 2029, priority should be given to improving health post coverage, providing essential medicines, strengthening maternal and child health, and investing in mobile and community health services. 
• Active technical and financial partners provide continued support for health and nutrition programs. A development investment via the World Bank’s ResiTchad Project is upgrading facilities (surgical blocks, incinerators, consultation rooms, etc.).
• Community engagement and political support in planning and implementation of health activities. Presence of a local health training school to strengthen the health workforce.

The economy of Sila Province is primarily based on agriculture, livestock breeding, and trade. In addition to these main activities, beekeeping, fish farming, and pottery are also practiced, though on a smaller scale. Agricultural production remains moderate, particularly for cereals—the population’s staple food—with yields ranging between 800 and 1,000 kg per hectare, compared to an optimal yield of 1,200 kg. The province benefits from fertile land that is well-suited for diversified agriculture.

Sila is also a favorable zone for livestock breeding, supporting camels, sheep, goats, donkeys, and horses adapted to the province’s dynamic, mobile pastoral systems. The low prevalence of animal parasites further enhances the potential for livestock development. Trade is active and interprovincial, with key markets in Tcharow, Goz-Amir, and Kerfi. Before recent crises, Kerfi market attracted traders from Chad, the Central African Republic, and Sudan. Commercial exchanges also extend to Abéché and Sudan, reflecting Sila’s strategic economic position. Overall, the province possesses strong development potential.

However, climate change has intensified environmental variability, leading to irregular rainfall patterns and increased inter-community tensions. In response, significant efforts have been made through various development programs to strengthen economic and environmental resilience and promote peaceful coexistence. Key initiatives include infrastructure development, surface water management, agricultural support, and environmental protection, implemented through projects such as ResiTchad, Agribusiness, PARDERCA-INTPA, RESPECCT, and Resi Sila.

• Opportunity: Scale up climate-smart agriculture, promote agro-processing and small-scale enterprises, and strengthen women’s cooperatives and microenterprises. Expand vocational training and youth employment pathways for both refugee and host communities to foster inclusive and sustainable growth.

Population growth from recent displacement has added pressure on already fragile natural resources and services. Communities face challenges related to deforestation, water scarcity, and limited waste management, particularly in and around displacement-affected areas. Despite these challenges, local communities — both host and refugee — have shown resilience, solidarity, and organizational capacity. Through community-based structures and mixed refugee-host committees, they have taken a proactive role in managing tensions, promoting peaceful coexistence, and negotiating access to land and natural resources, particularly in areas around Goz Beïda, Djabal, and Zabout settlements (World Bank, 2018). These community-led initiatives highlight the strength of local engagement and the capacity of communities to foster social cohesion and collective solutions to shared challenges.

Only 0.3% of the population is covered by formal social safety nets, leaving vulnerable groups without basic support. Community-driven mechanisms of support and cooperation continue to play a vital role in providing informal protection, reducing social tensions, and helping vulnerable households recover from shocks. 

• Opportunity: Build on existing community structures and experiences to expand community-based protection and peacebuilding initiatives, promote reforestation and alternative energy solutions, and support targeted cash or public works programs. Such approaches not only strengthen the resilience of both host and displaced populations, but also reinforce local leadership and peaceful coexistence.