Chad: Sudanese families separated by conflict find hope one phone call at a time

Phone lines become lifelines 

Every call made through the ICRC telephone booth is emotionally charged. Some people are desperate to know whether their loved ones are dead or alive: “Is my sister safe in Nyala?” a woman asked, trembling as her hands gripped the phone. Others are trying to find someone who has gone missing: “Is my husband at Kalma camp or in El Fasher?”

Sometimes, the questions are not about missing loved ones, but where to get food and medicine, or how to travel with a sick child. “My baby needs milk,” one worried young mother said. “Can you tell me where to find some?”

Some calls end with tears of joy or relief, others with a heavy, uncertain silence when the caller cannot get through. “I don’t know if my brother is dead or alive. I couldn’t reach him,” a young man said, his face blank.

When the connection fails, Red Cross volunteers are there to listen, give reassurance and try again. They can also send messages if the network is down.