Mahadia, age 24, is a married mother of three in one of 2,400 households that are part of the Concern Worldwide’s Green Graduation Programme in Sila region, Chad. The program offers a number of supporting elements designed to enable individuals and families to meet their basic needs, strengthen their livelihoods, and improve their coping strategies on a sustainable basis.

In Chad, about 80 percent of the population depends on rainfed subsistence farming and livestock for their livelihoods—a way of living that is becoming more challenging as inconsistent rainfall leads to droughts and floods (Bahal’okwibale and Woldegiorgis 2023). For Mahadia and her family, who depend on rainfed crop production, their source of food and income became unreliable. Without an income, Mahadia could not access healthcare or afford to send her children to school.

“Our lives were very difficult,” she says. “We would just work on our farms, and we did not have much else to do. We were always dependent on the rains. When there was rainfall, we would go and plant, and if someone planted well, they would harvest and make some money from selling in the market. When there was no rainfall, we would stay like that. We did not have anything else to do to get money.”

Through the Green Graduation Programme, Mahadia received cash transfers, which she used for school fees for her two older children. When a Village Savings and Loans Association was established in the community and members received business training, Mahadia was able to save money and thus afford healthcare.

Mahadia also received training in climate-smart agriculture, learning about techniques such as conservation agriculture, which prevents soil degradation and increases soil fertility, and crop diversification. She now produces food in a way that adapts to the effects of climate change. “[Concern] has also given us a lot of training about hygiene and sanitation, about gardening. In my garden, I have planted watermelons, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peas. I usually sell these crops in the market, and the money I get helps my family,” says Mahadia. Finally, nutritional training has shown Mahadia how to provide healthier and more nutritious meals for her family by incorporating fresh vegetables and fruits harvested from their garden.

1. This case study was prepared by Concern Worldwide. The Green Graduation approach is implemented in programs across Bangladesh, Burundi, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Somalia. It is estimated that more than 320,000 people will benefit from the programs between 2023 and 2027. The Green Graduation Programme in Chad is funded by Irish Aid, with co-funding from the Whole Planet Foundation.