05 January, 2023

By Chewa Julius

Please click the link below to access the detailed PDF version of the report.

https://cdn.caritasbamenda.org/res/pdf/ac30c85e646bbcbceb262e393a4bb446.pdf

Our Scope

Response

 Food Security

Addressing food insecurity in the North West Region, our collaboration with Caritas Germany and the Catholic Relief Services (CRS), allowed us to respond to the urgent food needs of the most affected population through in-kind and in-cash (e-voucher) assistance respectively. Globally, 2,629 households received in-kind and in-cash food assistance in the last quarter of 2023 to address their immediate food need. Majority (65%) of the households supported were women led. A total of 25 metric tons of nutritious rice, 2.275 metric tons of vegetable oils and 2,129 e-voucher cards were distributed to vulnerable households in the NWR led by IDPs, Host IDPs, and local vulnerable. The food assistance directly benefited 14,398 individuals and 13.3% were persons with disabilities and 4.3% being pregnant breastfeeding women and girls (PBW-G). In addition to food assistance, Caritas Bamenda disseminated key messages on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF), empowering caregivers with knowledge on exclusive breastfeeding, complementary feeding, and disease prevention. This integrated approach is aimed at addressing food insecurity and malnutrition among  vulnerable persons fostering social cohesion and  malnutrition among  vulnerable persons fostering social cohesion and meeting household immediate food need in the North West Region.

Livelihoods

In order to combat food insecurity in rural areas within Mezam facing significant poverty challenges exacerbated by the crisis, a comprehensive economic empowerment initiative was implemented in collaboration with Malteser International, CRS and Caritas Germany. This initiative aimed to promote the development of sustainable income-generating activities, enhance community resilience, and combat food insecurity in the targeted communities in the NWR through sustainable income-generating activities, specifically in areas of market gardening, livestock farming, and artisanal fishery. Through in-kind support, a total of 240 small holder farmers were provided with farming kits including a variety of seeds such as tomatoes, huckleberries, pepper, parsley, celery, onions, carrots, basil, and leeks, along with fertilizers, pesticides, and tools like wheelbarrows, hoes, spades, knapsacks, watering cans, and rain boots. This allowed them to cultivate diverse nutritious crops and establish small-scale vegetable production systems for income generation to improve on their standard of living. About 73.8% households assisted were female led. A total of 3,970 individuals are expected to benefit from the market gardening initiative.

In the area of livestock, 50 purebred Neima pig species and 75 bags of growers feed were donated to 25 trained pig farmers. Each received 2 piglets of opposite sexes and three bags of feed to sustain their growth and development. Additionally, 25 participants, with focus on persons with disabilities, were provided with two kids of African dwarf goats for capraiculture, enabling them to engage in livestock rearing and income diversification. Another 50 participants received support for artisanal fishing, including one plastic adapted pond each, 300 advanced juvenile catfish, and two bags of fish feed. Additionally, 110 vulnerable households were supported with inputs for poultry production. Each participant received 43 chicks of 3 weeks old, feeds, drinkers and feeders

Participants also received extensive training in farm and livestock management. The training focused on various aspects such as crop cultivation techniques, animal care, feed composition and sustainable farming practices, and bookkeeping for effective record-keeping and financial management. They were also linked to markets for their products.  This approach created a supportive environment that promoted self-sufficiency, empowering the participants with knowledge and skills to attain sustainable livelihoods.

WASH

During the last quarter of the year, Caritas Bamenda still in collaboration with Malteser international donated four (4) solarized boreholes in Bafut, North West Region, and Okoyong, South West Region. These boreholes significantly increased the daily water supply in each community by 40,000 liters (80,000litres in both communities), benefitting an estimated population of 6,137 individuals. Given the prevailing armed conflict, access to clean and portable water has become even more critical for the affected communities and elsewhere, as infrastructure and resources have been severely disrupted. The provision of solarised boreholes has not only addressed the immediate water needs but has also contributed to improving the overall living conditions and resilience of the communities in the face of the crisis. In addition, a community water catchment was constructed in Mushu quarter, Bambui, North West Region, and distributed to four tap stands within the community ensuring access to water serving approximately 2,241 individuals. These tap stands have not only provided a lifeline for the community's water requirements but have also enhanced their ability to sustain other activities such as artisanal agricultural activities to cope the economic hardship imposed on the population by the crisis. Sensitization campaigns were also conducted so as to mitigate health risks in the areas of implementation. By raising awareness and promoting hygiene practices, Caritas Bamenda contributed to reducing the spread of diseases and improving the overall well-being of the communities. To complement this activity, a total of 2,000 narrow neck containers, 3,000 buckets and 2,000 hygiene kits were distributed to vulnerable households in NWSW to enhance their access to proper water storage facilities while simultaneously improving household hygiene practices. Additionally, adolescent girls were provided with dignified high-quality menstrual hygiene kits as top up to support their personal hygiene needs. The aim of this intervention was to promote dignity and ensure improved sanitation for these vulnerable populations. The WASH assistance has had a profound impact on the lives of the affected communities, providing them with vital access to water, supporting their resilience in the face of the armed conflict, and promoting improved hygiene practices to safeguard their health.

Health

Through the disability empowerment programme funded by the Liliane Foundation, our partnership with the CBCHS and through other initiatives such as UNICEF and Caritas Germany provided clinical counselling, curative and palliative health care services to persons with disabilities and other vulnerable population within the North West Region.  In the last quarter of the year,  a total of 479 individuals directly benefited vital health assistance. The support encompassed various services including clinical counseling, curative and palliative healthcare services. Among the recipients, 412 participants received financial aid, covering hospital bills, facilitating access to physiotherapy services, and ensuring access to necessary medications. Additionally, 7 individuals initially scheduled for surgeries were followed and the costs fully covered. Psychotherapy services were provided to 60 participants, addressing their mental health needs. This joint effort had a significant impact, improving the health and well-being of 479 individuals. The provided financial aid, medical treatments, and psychotherapy services, led to enhanced physical functioning, reduced pain, restored mobility, and improved mental health.

  Education

We made significant effort in the education sector toward the last quarter of the year, focusing on children from internally displaced persons (IDP) households and children with disabilities resident in Mezam who were at risk of dropping out of school or had their education disrupted due to the ongoing crisis. In order to mitigate the impact of the crisis on their education, we provided formal education support to a total of 680 children. Our primary objective was to ensure that these children had the necessary resources and support to continue their education journey. Understanding the educational gaps that many of them had experienced, we extended our assistance to those who had significant disruptions in their learning. We covered tuition fees and house rents, alleviating the financial burden on their families. Additionally, we provided didactic materials to enhance the learning process and offered assistive learning devices to children with disabilities, enabling them to actively engage in their education. The assistance was focused on IDP children and children with disabilities from vulnerable households, aiming to bridge the educational gaps caused by the crisis to enhance the overall learning experience of these children and create a more inclusive educational environment ensuring they have the opportunity to continue their education and build a brighter future for themselves.

 Protection

In the context of the ongoing crisis, our partnership with UNICEF, Caritas Germany and Malteser international has been actively engaged in providing comprehensive protection interventions to support individuals affected by violence in the North West Region. During the last quarter of 2023, protection assistance provided to the affected population involved psychosocial case management, child protection, GBV response and sensitizations on protection related issues. A total of 332 victims of violence were provided with counseling, mental health support, and community-based psychosocial activities by psychosocial support experts to help them cope with trauma and stress. Within our child protection program, we provided direct assistance to 210 children in the area of health, ensuring their physical well-being; identified and registered 845 children for birth registration, thus ensuring their legal identity and access to essential services. Through our permanent established ultra-modern Child Friendly Space in Bamenda, alongside temporal child-friendly spaces in Wum, Batibo, and Njikwa, we offered a wide range of informal activities to 1,372 children visiting the child friendly spaces such as plays, theater performances, music sessions, dancing activities, arts and crafts workshops, storytelling sessions, and interactive educational games to carter for the mental, emotional and social wellbeing of children who had been victims of violence. Through these engaging activities, we aimed to nurture their creativity, critical thinking, and social skills, while providing a supportive and inclusive learning environment to them.

In our efforts to empower adolescent girls and boys who were victims of violence, we engaged 109 adolescents in life skills training and provided them with fully covered technical and vocational education and training opportunities at the child-friendly space in Bamenda. This initiative equipping them with practical skills in areas such as tailoring and hairdressing increased their opportunities to pursue income-generating activities and fostering their long-term resilience and empowerment. Recognizing the unique challenges faced by survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), we offered a comprehensive package of in-kind and in-cash assistance as start-up kits/capital to 37 survivors to support them in establishing small-scale businesses for income generation. In addition, 5 female GBV survivors were registered for computer studies and secretarial work, 15 in hospitality management, and 2 male registered into motor mechanics. This approach aimed to promote economic independence and self-sufficiency among GBV survivors. In order to raise awareness and promote a better understanding of child protection issues within the communities, we reach out to about 26,625 individuals, including 10,509 women, boys, and girls on GBV sensitization campaigns providing them with education and information on various child protection-related topics. These sensitization efforts focused on topics such as child rights, GBV prevention, and risk mitigation measures, aiming to engender positive behavioral change and foster a protective environment for vulnerable individuals.

 Shelter/NFIs

Our partnership with the CRS, Caritas Germany and through other initiatives, we provided shelter and NFI assistance to 2,204 households during the last quarter of the year. A total of 2098 households received regular cash-based transfers for NFIs, enabling them to purchase essential items like WASH and other household goods. Additionally, 106 households received in-kind support specifically for shelter assistance. The assistance provided by Caritas Bamenda positively impacted a total of 11,760 individuals. Among the beneficiaries, 67.8% were females, ensuring the empowerment and inclusion of women in the program. And 10.6% of the beneficiaries were persons with disabilities, highlighting Caritas Bamenda's commitment to inclusivity and addressing the specific needs of vulnerable populations while 5% of the total beneficiaries were pregnant and  breast feeding women and girls, emphasizing the organization's focus on supporting the well-being of expectant and nurisng mothers in the crisis affected region. By providing in-cash and in-kind assistance, Caritas Bamenda contributed to meeting the basic needs of the affected communities and helped to restore a sense of stability and dignity among the participants.

Environmental Protection: Climate Action

Recognizing the interconnectedness of the crisis and environmental degradation, Caritas Bamenda and Caritas Germany joined forces with local communities to combat the global threat of climate change. As part of this new approach, we donated a total of 200 ecofriendly seedlings, including Prunus Africanus and raphia palm, to the community nursery in Babanki Tungo that expressed the need to protect its community water assets at the verge of depletion. These seedlings were intended to be transplanted around the water catchment areas, strategically chosen to support the restoration and preservation of critical ecosystems. By planting these seedlings, we aimed to enhance biodiversity, improve soil health, and contribute to water conservation efforts. Building upon this successful pilot initiative, we plan to expand this climate action component and include it as a comprehensive package in communities facing environmental degradation. This package will encompass various activities such as reforestation, sustainable agricultural practices, waste management, and water conservation. Caritas Bamenda remains committed to addressing the interrelated challenges of the crisis and environmental degradation. By incorporating climate action into our interventions and working collaboratively with communities, we aim to empower communities to actively participate in environmental preservation and build resilience against climate change impacts and strive to foster sustainable environment and create a better future for the North West Region.

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