International Red Cross Assists Cameroon Refugees In C'River, Identifies Access To Rural Communities As A Challenge

The international Red Cross society says between 2018 and 2020, they have assisted over 20,000 refugees fleeing the civil conflict currently going on in the Republic of Cameroon.

The international humanitarian organization were at Agbokim community in Cross River State to distribute materials including food, household items and cash donations to  refugees fleeing armed conflict in southern Cameroon.

The distribution which saw a large turn out of both refugees and some members of the host community assisted with cash donations, farm seedlings, was the the third in the year.

According to the Economic Security Generalist, Ephraim Sule, the idea of assisting both the refugees and some members of the host community was purely to cushion the economic pressure put on the host community, especially those housing and feeding the refugees.

 He said between January and September 2020, the society have so far assisted over 6000 people, about 80% of which are the refugees from Cameroon.

"In 2018, we supported about 5000, same goes with 2019. This year so far, we have assisted about 6000, so if you sum it up we would have so far supported about to 15000.

"There is the agro support we also have but that is mostly for the host community, since they are the ones with access to farm lands, so we support them with different kinds of  plant in order to harvest and support their home.

"But for the refugees we support with essential household items like sleeping materials, blankets, buckets, cooking utensils, mosquito nets, lamps etc.

"The idea is to promote peace among the host community and the  refugees. So that way, both the host community and the refugees live in peace and we also have a good relationship with the host community and they keep giving the refugees shelter, food and clothings and that is because they are seeing the good work we are doing"

He said the daily arrival of more refugees into the camp on a daily basis and difficulty in accessing some communities are some of the challenges they face while carrying out their assignment.

"Some of the terrains are really difficult to access in terms of the road network because of the Communities we are targeting, we have to do a lot of navigation and that takes us a long time to get to the places" Mr. Sule said.

Since the commencement of civil unrest in southern Cameroon, it is believed that over  30000 Cameroonians have fled the West African country, majority of them which are currently taking refuge in different villages in Cross River State.