For many young people in Chad’s capital, survival means hauling sand through the streets of N’Djamena. The seventh arrondissement’s Emtoukoui market has become a hub of informal labor, where unemployed youth stake their claim on a grueling trade.

Nationally, poverty is tightening its grip. Recent World Bank estimates place Chad’s poverty rate at 45.4%, affecting roughly 9.5 million citizens. For young adults aged 15 to 24, unemployment stands at 30.3%, while those aged 15 to 30 face a 22% jobless rate. The outlook is even starker for educated youth, with over 60% unable to secure formal employment.

Labor without limits

The sand trade is raw, relentless work. Under the scorching sun along Emtoukoui’s main road, young workers wait with loaded wheelbarrows, scanning for any sign of a customer. Each load weighs 50 kilograms—backbreaking for bodies accustomed to classrooms, not construction sites. The payoff? A modest fee between 2,000 and 5,000 West African francs per trip, barely enough to cover daily essentials.

« This isn’t a choice—it’s survival, » admits one laborer, his hands calloused and gaze weary. « We don’t have options. We carry the weight because hunger doesn’t wait. »

The invisible backbone of N’Djamena

The sand trade exposes a harsh truth: Chad’s youth are building the city’s infrastructure with their bare hands. Yet this labor remains invisible, underpaid, and unprotected. The informal sector has become their only shield against destitution, a testament to resilience in the face of systemic neglect.

As they push forward, these workers embody both struggle and determination. Their future remains uncertain, but their presence reshapes the city’s landscape—one sack of sand at a time.