A large number of people have been driven to flee their homes because of the ongoing conflict in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon. The situation is particularly difficult for women.
Displaced women in Cameroon are rebuilding their lives
Julien is a 36-year-old single mother of four from Ndu in the Northwest region. She was forced to flee with her children due to unprecedented violence in 2020.
Julien abandoned her home and village, where she had lived peacefully with her community for decades. Having lost her livelihood and facing constant security threats, she had no choice but to seek refuge in the regional capital of Bamenda in the hope of finding a solution.
“Things have turned upside down for us so quickly,” says Julien. “I was pregnant with my fourth child and had to flee with my children when they came to burn down our house. We fled into the bush, and the journey was so long that I miscarried on the way. It was so traumatising."
They arrived in Bamenda after a long and tortured journey. Upon arrival, Julien and her children met a man who, sensing their distress and the gravity of their situation, was kind enough to offer them shelter in a small room. There, they could not only find rest but also momentarily escape the stress of their recent ordeal.
When recalling the man’s generosity, Julien’s eyes fill with tears.
“I continue to believe that this gentleman was sent by God to save us,” she says. “He took care of us for six months, covering the rent, which was XAF 7,500 [USD 12], and buying food for me and my children. Without him, I don't know what would have become of us.”
Unfortunately, the family eventually had to leave their temporary accommodation. Left without employment or a source of income, Julien faced an uncertain future. Her burden was further compounded when she discovered she was pregnant again in late 2022. For months, her survival teetered on the edge, prompting her to seek odd jobs wherever she could, in a desperate attempt to secure even the barest essentials for her family.
“My children couldn’t even go to school anymore,” she says. “Who was going to pay for their schooling? Sometimes we couldn’t even afford to eat. Neighbours often helped, and at times I managed to cover a month, but then there were stretches of three months where I couldn’t make ends meet.”
Julien is a 36-year-old single mother of four from Ndu in the Northwest region. She was forced to flee with her children due to unprecedented violence in 2020.
Julien abandoned her home and village, where she had lived peacefully with her community for decades. Having lost her livelihood and facing constant security threats, she had no choice but to seek refuge in the regional capital of Bamenda in the hope of finding a solution.
“Things have turned upside down for us so quickly,” says Julien. “I was pregnant with my fourth child and had to flee with my children when they came to burn down our house. We fled into the bush, and the journey was so long that I miscarried on the way. It was so traumatising."
They arrived in Bamenda after a long and tortured journey. Upon arrival, Julien and her children met a man who, sensing their distress and the gravity of their situation, was kind enough to offer them shelter in a small room. There, they could not only find rest but also momentarily escape the stress of their recent ordeal.
When recalling the man’s generosity, Julien’s eyes fill with tears.
“I continue to believe that this gentleman was sent by God to save us,” she says. “He took care of us for six months, covering the rent, which was XAF 7,500 [USD 12], and buying food for me and my children. Without him, I don't know what would have become of us.”
Unfortunately, the family eventually had to leave their temporary accommodation. Left without employment or a source of income, Julien faced an uncertain future. Her burden was further compounded when she discovered she was pregnant again in late 2022. For months, her survival teetered on the edge, prompting her to seek odd jobs wherever she could, in a desperate attempt to secure even the barest essentials for her family.
“My children couldn’t even go to school anymore,” she says. “Who was going to pay for their schooling? Sometimes we couldn’t even afford to eat. Neighbours often helped, and at times I managed to cover a month, but then there were stretches of three months where I couldn’t make ends meet.”
One day, her neighbours told her that she could get help from the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). She reached out to NRC and shared her story. After a few weeks of extensive interviews and a review of her situation, she was selected as a project participant. Julien received XAF 150,000 (USD 247) in cash assistance to support her basic needs and kickstart a business, and XAF 75,000 (USD 123) towards her rent.
“This money arrived like holy bread. I was able to cover my rent for 10 months,” says Julien. “With the XAF 150,000, I told myself that instead of spending it all on consumables, I should start a low-risk business. So, I bought firewood and soap to sell and save money. When school started, I was able to send my children to school and buy their books.”
Resilience in the face of trauma
Vadèse is another displaced young woman from the Northwest region of the country. Despite being only 26 years old, Vadèse has already undergone severely traumatic ordeals.
In 2021, Vadèse was living peacefully with her fiancé in Nkambe, where she owned a small restaurant that provided enough income to cover their necessities. One night, while she slept, gunmen burst into her home, brutally murdering her fiancé before her eyes and taking her hostage.
“I still remember it like it was yesterday,” she says. “They didn't even give me time to realise what was happening to me. They pulled me out of bed and marched me out of the house. We walked in the bush for I don’t know how long. When we got to our destination, they took it in turns to rape me.”
For several weeks, Vadèse felt as though she were trapped in hell, stranded in the wilderness.
“I prayed every day, morning and evening, hoping that God would look upon me and aid my escape,” she says. Her prayers were answered when she seized an opportunity to flee while her captors were momentarily distracted.
"I ran like I'd never run before," she remembers.
Having managed to escape, Vadèse found herself in Bamenda after several days walking. She was welcomed by a member of her family, who has sheltered her to this day. Haunted by her traumatic experience, Vadèse did not go out and consequently had no means of making an income.
Then, in 2023, she was selected to receive cash assistance by NRC’s livelihood and food security programme, which is supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).
With the initial grant, Vadèse took the opportunity to return to what she knew best: cooking. She opened a small restaurant that sells local food, and is now able to save for her future. Her story is one of resilience and courage.
"The support I received has transformed my life. It gave me hope and stability in challenging times,” she says.
A long way to go
Clashes in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon have displaced hundreds of thousands of people, the majority of whom are women and children.
The general security situation in these regions deteriorated in 2023. By August 2023, some 4,787 security incidents had been recorded, of which 898 involved assault, rape or other protection-related incidents. Women and girls are particularly vulnerable.
The loss of livelihoods and lack of access to basic needs such as water, latrines and shelters, are forcing women to live in extremely precarious conditions. Married women are especially at risk of domestic violence. Struggling to make ends meet, many women are resorting to negative coping strategies to survive, including collecting firewood in dangerous areas, domestic labour, sex work and begging.
It is essential that the authorities and aid agencies take steps to better protect women and their families from the impact of conflict.
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