Socio-political issues in and about the Anglophone region of Cameroon have been a matter of contention throughout the post-colonial period. Political protests intensified in 2016. After months of protests against perceived marginalization, violence erupted in North-West and South-West prompting security clampdowns. With the proliferation of non-state armed increased insecurity, violence and loss of life have forced thousands of families to flee their homes. Many civilians have been killed and displacement continues to have serious consequences on livelihoods and living conditions of the affected populations.
Vulnerability has been
further compounded by limited access to food since the most women don’t longer
have access to their farms. The majority of the displaced are women and
children. Food, shelter and civilian protection are the principal humanitarian
needs, although across all sectors needs are high. Many of the
conflict-affected people are growing more vulnerable as the violence persists
and humanitarian assistance remains inadequate.
It is within this
backdrop that the Courtyard Friends Association (COYAFA), has delivered emergency
relief services in order to help people address immediate basic needs of women residing
at Courtyard in Wum, Menchum Division of the North-West Region of Cameroon.
Led by Kangkolo Frank
Che, the Courtyard Friends Association (COYAFA), made up of Mua korine and Nchia
Emmanuel, was bearer of food items such as Rice, vegetable oil, Maggi cube and Savon.
“This gesture
is all about recognizing that hunger does not occur in a vacuum. It means we
must concentrate time, resources and efforts on the most vulnerable in our society.
It implies not just emergency interventions, but tailored, multi-year support
programmes designed to lift a whole quarter’s nutritional indicators. We
balance the urgency to alleviate hunger here and now with the broader objective
of ending hunger once and for all. Food assistance has become part of our
policy that advances social wellbeing in general. In line with the Sustainable
Development Goals, and in particular with Goal 2, we consider the quality as
well as the quantity of food, with the emphasis on its nutritious character and
seasonality. Crucially, food assistance enlists beneficiaries as actors: it
gives them a voice, and, wherever possible, a choice in what food they receive
and how they receive it.” Kangkolo
Frank Che.
Receiving the gifts, the ladies were incredibly for such a relief from their children. This first project of COYAFA is dubbed “OPERATION MAMI MUST CHOP.”
The Courtyard Friends
Association (COYAFA) was created in 2018. The association is made up of
children who grew up in Wum in general, and courtyard in particular. The association
is apolitical and has as main objective, to bring unity and peace back to Wum
and the world at large. It also aims at assisting the needy and their members, support
their members during happy and sad moments.
The initiative to share
some food items to our mothers at courtyard Wum, as the first project of the
association. The team leader has promised to extend this largesse to other
parts of the town in the nearest future.
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