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Refugees’farm at Kete camp.

TRAIN THEM TO FISH.

From lifesaving to life changing, they have never farmed, they have never sowed and never reaped

any single crop. They live from their livestock products and trades. They have left all behind them:

their cattle and all their properties. Many of them have lost their dear ones during the conflicts and

even during their running away. They are nomads, they move from place to places according to

their culture of shepherds. But something amazing is going to happen. Something extraordinary is

going to change completely their lives. Yes, something wonderful is going to take place and

changes their sorrows into joy.

In 2010, all together with my team, under the project funded by UNHCR and BPRM, we have

decided to assist the CAR refugees who came of shortage of food assistance from WFP. In fact

five years of exile has passed, yet the conflict back home has not yet ended. The time of Emergency

help has passed away and we were in pending solutions. From the general food distribution to

blanket food distribution, WFP was targeting his vulnerable, mainly pregnant women, elderlies,

unaccompanied/separated children, household women etc. But this did not solve the problem.

Many families were left out without food assistance any more. Fearful of the potential of insecurity

and violence, Central African Refugees continue to seek protection in Cameroon neighboring

country, and have no intention of returning home any time soon, according to the result of Age,

Gender, Diversity, Mainstream (AGDM) of May 2012.

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UNHCR leaders as far as they are concern with the protection of the refugees, were keeping asking

questions to the implementing partners: what should we do in term of protection face to this right

problem of food assistance? What will be the consequences if we won’t do anything about it?

I have said to myself that this is the good moment that IRD must demonstrate that we are able to

do something honourable with dignity to assist the refugees. I immediately create a plan of

intervention because the fund is already there:

1) Rapid need assessment

2) Planning

3) Designing

4) Fundraising

5) Training

6) Implementing

7) Coordinating

8) Monitoring

9) Supervising

10) Evaluating

A rapid need assessment were conducted among the refugees and host communities of the East

and Admaoua Regions by our team in order to compare it with that of AGDM by UNHCR and its

partners. We innovate Agriculture, livelihoods, Water and Sanitation, livestock, Education,

Environment and Income Generating Activities. 5,000 refugees of age 18-54 years (men and

women) were assessed for agriculture and 800 for economic development activities. They have

received intensive training on modern technic of agriculture, marketing, accounting, peace and

development, rights and obligations of the refugees, pacific cohabitation theories.

Then we teach them, we teach them, we teach them, and we them till they become good fishers.

From the demonstration farms to community and individual farms, they have started to enormously

produce crops of maize, cassava, peanuts, beans and soya beans, tons over tons. They could eat

three times daily and are able to pay themselves their medical bills and the education fees of their

children. As much as they continue to produce, they receive an instruction that they should divide

their crops into three parts: the first part is for family food to keep it enough aside, the second part

will be for seed to keep it safe for the next agriculture season, the third part is reserved for

commercialization in a prosperous marketing time. Today they are the happiest refugees in the

midst of host communities who have accepted to share their lands with them. Though Bororo are

nomad by nature and are in constant mobility within the host communities, today in East Cameroon

and in Adamaoua, they become more and more stable and attach themselves to agriculture and

income generating activities (see the pictures below). Their lives have been changed from cattle

breeders to professional farmers. A new agriculture technic was brought in to help alleviate their

daily burdens: the animal traction. The animal traction was introduced for the first time in the East

Cameroon by International Relief and Development and it is spread across the two regions.

Refugees and local populations were happy of being together and producing more and more crops

and the confidence was installed among the two communities, leading to total local integration of

the refugees.

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Reports from the refugees’ community leaders:

Ardo Mouhammed Adamou (in the middle),

I did not have any idea of farming, my work is livestock. But

today I become a farmer. I have two hectares of maize and

cassava. I have enough food for my family. I am happy. Big

tanks to IRD, UNHCR and to the People of America.

Ardo Isseiny Mouhammed of Meiganga Through IRD project, I know how to farm and I also master the market tips for my products. This year we produce a lot maize

and we are so grateful to UNHCR and its partners. We have

enough food for ourselves,

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Ardo Husseini Adamou,

community leader de

Mandjou (Bertoua).

This year we produce a lot

of maize and cassava

through the intervention of

IRD Team Leader who has

advocated the land from

the host community to

enable us to farm. Today

there is no time to waste

under the sun and taking

the que for a little food

from the partners of WFP.

After receiving the

training, we produce

enough food for our family

and we are not

complaining for food any

more. On behalf of all the

refugees of Mandjou, I’d

like to say thanks to BPRM

team and IRD staff.

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Site of Mandjou: Maize

production as food reserve

from the refugees.

Sensitization on peaceful

coexistence at Mandjou

refugees’ site.

Both Cameroonians and refugees by living together, they have their right to get access to portable water, food and good sanitation

environment.

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Livelihoods.

In livelihood activities, over 800 women both refugees and Cameroonians have been trained on

how to generate income through different home activities. 334 among them have been funded in

the East region. Today these women are making a serious success in their business. They become

autonomous by taking in charge their health care, paying the school fees of their children, building

houses, and having some cash saving for the future.

Distribution of income

generating activities kits at

Kete refugees’ camp.

Distribution of income

generating activities kits at

Gbiti refugees ‘camp.

Child Protection

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The amazing facts are still going on. At IRD we don’t only care about the adults but we consider

youth a lot. With the adults we train them to fish but we teach the youth to go to school. We

encourage both host communities and refugees to send their children to school.

With the finance support from UNHCR, we have built modern schools at Sanday (Batouri) and

Nandoungue in Garoua Boulay. Whence the number of attendance has increased from 25% to

65%. We mostly encourage and motivate the young girls to go to school. Those who are making

success in their exams, receive a kit which includes a bicycle.

Primary school built by IRD and funded by UNHCR, Sanady-Batouri.

Primary school built by IRD and Funded by UNHR. Ngaroua Boulay.

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Some difficulties on the road during the field monitoring.

We restore peace, dignity, confidence, happiness and joy by taking away fear and frustration from the refugees. Amazing, isn’t it?

Reported by Job Nguerebaye, IRD PM.