Our humanitarian aid in Cameroon

Described as "Africa in miniature", Cameroon in west-central Africa combines many features of the continent's geological, climatic and cultural diversity. However, Cameroon has been plagued by three major humanitarian crises for several years - with devastating consequences for the population: The Lake Chad crisis is causing major security problems in the north of the country due to the armed conflict between non-state groups and the Nigerian government. Conflicts in the Central African Republic, Niger and Chad have also resulted in an influx of displaced people. The conflict in the Anglophone Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon is considered a forgotten crisis. A separatist civil war has been raging here since 2016. As a former French and British colony, there are still tensions between the francophone majority and the English-speaking minority, which regularly erupt in violent unrest in the Anglophone regions. Well over half a million people have been displaced within the country as a result. Women, children and people with disabilities are among the most vulnerable and are particularly at risk of violence, abuse and disease. The crisis is exacerbated by a cholera outbreak that has been spreading in the southwest of the country since the beginning of 2022, as well as the threat of food shortages nationwide due to the war in Ukraine.

We currently have no ongoing aid projects in Cameroon.

Photo: Caritas Bamenda/Malteser International

We advocated for traumatised children and improved the WASH situation

Due to the tense security situation in the Anglophone region, the access for international humanitarian aid organisations is limited. From November 2021 to May 2025, we have been working closely with our local partner Caritas Bamenda to support the affected people of this forgotten crisis. Due to the number of internally displaced people in the urban areas of Bamenda, the host communities are increasingly overburdened. Due to the increased demand, the supply of clean drinking water is also a serious problem. The local infrastructure alone cannot cope with this issue. With our partner, we built wells and thus enabled more people to have access to clean water. Particularly in schools, we improved sanitation and hygiene by building toilets, providing hand-washing stations and educating classes about good hygiene. In addition, we supported Caritas Bamenda in the construction and operation of so-called child-friendly spaces around Bamenda. Here, children and young people who have been traumatised by the conflict or forced to flee their homes can find a safe place. They receive psychosocial support, can take advantage of child-friendly, playful learning opportunities and thus experience a strengthening of their well-being and stability.

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