Some 17 families who had to abandon their homes and flee due to the ongoing scuffles in the South West and North West Regions of Cameroon have benefited from humanitarian relief materials provided by an NGO, Investing in People Worldwide, IPW.
The Anglophone crisis in the North West and South West Regions started in 2016 and has slowly degenerated in to a full-fledge armed conflict. According to the Center for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa, CHRDA, over 4,000 deaths have been witnessed with the figure rising daily.
An estimated 500,000 or more people are either internally displaced persons in Cameroon or refugees in neighboring Nigeria. The UN has declared a humanitarian crisis while some fear another Rwandan genocide.
To Ruth Besong founder/CEO of IPW, the aim is to share the little we have with our brother/sisters who have been affected by the crisis. “We shared donations we had gathered from other people to them such as cloths because most of them complained of not having cloths and shoes. They were happy and we are too in that we have also in one way or the other assisted people who are in need in this period”.
“It is very difficult to live as a displaced, the feeding, lodging and other things are very expensive and most of the people who live with host families at times develop issues and stress because these host families are carrying a burden” she added.
She further reiterated an end to the present crisis. “There is no level at which you are going to help someone until the person become comfortable. If the crisis stops then we all have achieved something. No matter how bad things have become people will pick up gradually and build their lifestyle.
The best solution will be that the government to see in to it that this situation (Anglophone crisis) ceases and to ensure that IDPs are not only given food but they should be given training to know how to raise money for themselves”.
The beneficiaries were very elated having received the gifts which they say will help them a lot. “We had to flee our area because of the persistent gunshots. We were called that these gifts are being given to IDPs that’s why we came to receive ours. We thank the benefactors very much and only God will bless them for their gesture”, Elizabeth, a resident of Mile 14 said.
To Elijah Ngweh, who fled Eyumokock, Mamfe, South West Region, “all our things were burnt even my child’s schools things were burnt, birth certificate. We had to run and come to Buea empty handed, nothing doing so we were just frustrated. For about three years my child has not gone to school, now he should have been in Form Four but yet nothing for him. We are grateful for the cloths and food that has been provided”.
For the past year, IPW has been working with IDPs such as organizing events of this magnitude helping to put a smile back on the faces of people despite their precarious situation they find themselves in.
IPW aims to build a resilient community in which women and youths can actively participate in sustainable development activities in other for them to attain their full potentials. IPW works under five thematic areas: Education, Health, Vocational training and Motivation, Humanitarian assistance and welfare, Agriculture.
Created in 2017, the organization has had a series of trainings such as economic empowerment, women and youths and a project; “displaced with skills” has been launched all geared towards assisting displaced women and youth gain skills and to learn a trade to generate income.
By Boris Esono (Buea-Cameroon)
The Insight News Network 