Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Maroua, October 10th, 2024 – “After the floods on the Dougmo site not far from Tildé, where we have been living for 3 years, my house was completely destroyed by the waters and I moved to this new site, not far from Tildé”. Such is the statement made by Alhadji Alifa, 68, a victim of the floods in Cameroon’s Far North region on the night of 09th to October 10th, 2024. Like him, some 459,000 other people in the departments of Mayo-Danay and Logone et Chari were flood victims, according to OCHA, (OCHA Cameroon Far North Situation Report #49 Oct 2024). In order to save their lives, they had to move in search of a flood-sheltered site. As a result, they settled in various neighboring localities least affected by the floods in the departments of Mayo Danay and Logone et Chari.
As part of its response to the urgent needs of these flood victims, the Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Cameroon has granted 300 emergency shelters and 330 kits of essential household items to flood-affected people and vulnerable host communities. The handover activity was carried out as part of the project “Supporting displaced and crisis-affected populations in the Far North, Northwest and SouthWest regions of Cameroon, for the restoration and strengthening of resilience within the framework of NEXUS, Humanitarian, Development and Peace”. This project is part of the “NEXUS, Humanitarian, Development and Peace” program, funded by the Japanese people through the Embassy of Japan in Cameroon, and the “Vital assistance to displaced populations in the Far North and South West regions of Cameroon in the form of shelter, non-food items
(NFI) and rent money” project, funded by the Central Emergency Respond Fund (CERF), with operational support from the Association des “Animateurs et Encadreurs pour le Développement Communautaire (AAEDC) and the Association de Serbowel Facilitateur pour les Humanitaires (ASFH)”.
A total of 300 households, including 2015 individuals, benefited from this assistance. A salutary action much appreciated by the beneficiaries. “When we first arrived, we were living in straw shelters that we had built ourselves. But we were still not protected from bad weather, and every time it rained, our huts were flooded with water. But thank God IOM came and built us shelters out of tarpaulin and wood. Today we have a place to sleep”, says Alhadji Alifa.
For her part, Falmata Alifa – a 75-year-old widow also affected by the disaster – was delighted to have received
“With which she was “able to build the shelter in which she and her family are currently staying”. Falmata Alifa is also pleased to have received “buckets, cans, mats, pots and pans, blankets, mosquito nets and soap”. “All this came at a time when I needed it most, as all the belongings I had before this situation were destroyed along with my house in the devastating flood,” she added. This activity is in line with objectives 1 and 2 of IOM’s Strategy 2024 – 2028, namely “Saving lives and protecting migrants” and “Finding solutions to displacement”.
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For further information, please contact:
- Pierre Aristide NKENGUE, OIM Cameroun, Tél. : +237 694 81 49 88, E-mail : pnkengue@iom.int
- Gisèle MASSINA, OIM Cameroun, Tél. : +237 6 99 07 21 64, gmassina@iom.int