The town of Birao, in the extreme north east of CAR, close to the border with Sudan, was almost completely burnt down in late March. Thousands of people fled in the bush. Some families are now very slowly starting to return to restore their houses, afraid of the approaching rainy season.

Photographer Pierre Holtz has returned to Birao to document the life of children in the destroyed city. The violence they witnessed and experienced left them often with deep emotional scars and psychological trauma. They have to live with almost no basic infrastructure, in burnt houses, with no furniture, without schools and almost no remaining food stocks. The NGO Triangle is now present in Birao, distributing food with the support of WFP. MSF has been providing medical services. UNICEF and other United Nations agencies are coming to help the people in the Vakaga region.

© UNICEF | Pierre Holtz