An
Experience Sharing Workshop organized by the Bamenda Head-quartered
not-for-profit Development non-governmental organisation Strategic Humanitarian
Services SHUMAS has revealed startling revelations about the difficulties
facing internally displaced persons IDPs in the NW region.
Following
reports from community based organisations CBOs and Community focal points persons
C4D collaborating with SHUMAS in the project for the promotion of essential
family practices and social cohesion amongst IDPs and their host communities in
the North West and South West Regions, life is near hell for those who have been
internally displaced by the armed conflict in the region.
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| SHUMAS Experience Sharing Workshop family picture |
According to
the Programs Coordinator for SHUMAS, the SHUMAS-UNICEF funded project was born
out of the escalating crisis in the NW/SW regions which has seen many displaced
and traumatised. “We decided to come up with this particular program to promote
essential family practice amongst the IDPs and their host families.
Communication is a very powerful tool. Until you communicate with your people,
you will not be able to understand the reality.” Billian Nyuykighan said. She
regrets that pregnant women have not been able to receive medical as required
before delivery and use mosquito nets while basic hygiene gets worst.
To be able
to gather information, the Programs Coordinator says SHUMAS used radio programs
and C4Ds on the ground to gather information from the Host communities and
IDPs. Motivated by the indefinite stay of IDPs and pressure on host families
and communities, Billian Nyuykighan noted that the social cohesion part of the
project is of great importance as it works on the food, sleeping or even toilet
usage.
Currently
running in five Divisions of the NW, the project initially targeted 5000
households but according to Billian Nyuykighan, though they have not covered the
concerned divisions completely, SHUMAS has already reached out to over
8000 households and 32000 IDPs of the 45.000 target only half way gone. She has
expressed the willingness for an extension following the sterling and
disturbing data being gathered and the continuous escalation of the crisis.
The various
reports presented during the experience sharing workshop particularly in rural
areas reveal lack of basics like housing with as many as 17persons living in a
single room in a farm house in some parts of Boyo and elsewhere most often with
full or no toilets. Health services are practically nonexistent in many parts
as pregnant women now deliver themselves and many dyeing from basic diseases
mostly caused by deteriorating hygiene and sanitation conditions. With no access to farms or markets due to
gun battles or road blocks, the IDPs now have no easy access to food or basic
needs. In case a little is found the prices are high and with no profitable
work, they are not affordable. Rampant sex and ignorant pregnancies or misuse
and deposit of sanitary pads, no school attendance have become a norm.
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| IDP shares experiences |
“I was
trained by SHUMAS on how to identify IDPs living in communities and we have
been doing that but with lots of difficulties. Some of the IDPs are traumatised
and others very emotional. We have come across situations where pregnant women
are unable to visit their hospitals, we have come across who are not receiving
their vaccines; the challenges are too many.
Tim Fidelia focal point person laments. She is however consoled by the
fact that they were trained to talk to these people and some of them are
listening. “We are thankful because without SHUMAS I will not know the
situation of IDPs. We are grateful that SHUMAS was there to train us so we can
go meet these people to talk with them to comfort them to counsel them at times
make them feel a little bit at home.” She adds
Fon Deudone
an internally displaced from Batibo hitherto a Business man admits the program
has been of great help to him. “I have benefited a lot of experience from the
SHUMAS project on issues of IDPs and host communities. We have been having
workshops on sanitation and management of limited resources like food, coping
with health issues like ANC for the pregnant women. The workshops have really
helped us and me as a person because it has improved by livelihood.” He said
adding that his wife had a safe delivery because of the ANC attendance after
the SHUMAS workshops.
As reported
by the CBOs and C4Ds and complimented by the Programs Coordinator, access is a
major challenge with the recurrent road blocks and gun battles. Movement
restrictions, communication difficulties due to poor network and inability to
access community radios in troubled areas also constitute some of the
challenges.
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| Director General of SHUMAS Nformi Ndzerem Stephen addressing workshop attendees |
Appreciating
the CBOs and C4Ds for the job they have been doing, the Director General of
SHUMAS urged them to be discipline and sensitive to the environment as they go
about their duties. Nformi Ndzerem Stephen maintained that respecting the four
humanitarian principles of independence, neutrality Humanity
and Impartiality. He reassured the workshop participants of SHUMAS’s readiness
to create more community support groups mindful of the challenges emerging from
the field.
Since
creation, SHUMAS has been working in the areas of education, agriculture,
Health, water and sanitation, volunteering, social welfare and environment with
the hope of improving lives across Cameroon on in all the
areas of intervention through the construction of thousands of classrooms, schools
and furniture while giving out support to thousand s of underprivileged
children.
Other
Stakeholders in the health and
humanitarian sectors like the government and plan Cameroon took active part in
the experience sharing workshop.