What if Ramat hadn’t been given this chance?
UNICEF and its partners support the reintegration of children in conflict with the law.
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Under the watchful eye of his instructor, Ramat carefully smooths a plank of wood.
His movements are slow, deliberate, and persistent, as if trying to erase the scars of a recent past.
Before rediscovering his passion for carpentry, Ramat went through a nightmare.
One afternoon in March 2025, while walking with a friend in the neighborhood, a teenage girl approached him, flanked by two women. Suddenly, the girl shouted: “That’s him! That’s him!” pointing straight at Ramat. Within minutes, a crowd gathered, and the police arrived.
Ramat, barely 15 years old, had just been arrested.
Despite repeatedly insisting that he didn’t know the girl and had never interacted with her, he was detained for three days at the police station.
Life in detention was long, the food was awful, and the conditions were very harsh. Fortunately, I didn’t get sick like some of the other kids.
To his dismay, Ramat was later transferred to Klessoum prison, located on the outskirts of N’Djamena.
“The prison guards kept asking me the same question: ‘Did you assault that girl?’ I told them it wasn’t me. I never did anything to her,” Ramat says calmly.
Just as everything seemed stuck, a breakthrough occurred thanks to a partnership between UNICEF, the Chadian Bar Association, and the High Court of N’Djamena. This collaboration made it possible for the young boy to appear before a judge in a mobile court hearing, accompanied by a lawyer. Through this initiative, Ramat regained his freedom and was immediately transferred to the National Centre for the Reception, Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Vulnerable Children (CNARREV).
Life here is different. I feel good. We eat well, we learn trade, and we play with friends. I haven’t seen my family yet, but I hope to soon.
Ramat chose carpentry and put all his heart into it.
I already knew how to make tables, benches, and chairs. Now I’m learning even more. My dream is to become a cabinetmaker.
Like Ramat, 96 children have been released from prison through this program. They are now learning a trade and hoping to reunite with their families to start a new life.
CNARREV’s mission is to educate, protect, and facilitate the psychosocial reintegration of children in difficult situations. The Centre welcomes children from the streets, those released from prison, and those in vulnerable circumstances, including children found abandoned, or living in extreme poverty. The support is comprehensive: psychological counseling, healthcare, nutrition, clothing, and education. The Centre also includes a school with classes from Primary 1 to 5th grade.
“Our long-standing partnership with UNICEF strengthens the Centre’s work. We receive technical, financial, and logistical support to ensure holistic care for the children,” says François, deputy director.
Hussein Donon, the carpentry instructor, watches his students’ progress with pride. He supervises three groups of children based on age and skill level, from the youngest to the oldest.
“It was hard for them at first. But now, they really enjoy what they do. We’re short on materials, but we make do,” he explains.
The Centre also offers training in tailoring, welding, livestock farming, and gardening. The products made during these activities are sold, and the income reinvested in purchasing new supplies and covering some of the children’s basic needs.
The goal is clear: to offer these children a second chance and help them rebuild their lives with dignity.
At CNARREV, every child tells a story.
Zara, 16, came from Koumra in southern Chad. She found refuge at the Centre after an altercation with her stepmother led to her own father imprisoning her.
I learned sewing and I feel good here. I hope to go back to school and one day become Minister of Social Affairs in my country, to help children and women.
Ahmid, 14, had a different story. He was found wandering the streets at the age of 4. He has lived at the Centre ever since.
Curretly in 5th grade, Ahmid is also learning carpentry and dreams of becoming a civil servant in the Chadian government.
“We’re still searching. Our reintegration team is fully committed to Ahmid’s case, and we will eventually find his family,” says François.
Ramat and his peers may be out of prison now, but their journey is far from over.
It’s only the beginning.
