Mbouda: Internally Displaced Persons receive land, Poultry farms for economic integration
By Stephen TADAHA
MBOUDA, Cameroon (AP) — Internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Mbouda, the chief town of Bamboutos Division, of the West region, have been offered a plot of 600 square meters and two poultry farms to boost their economic and social integration.
The donation was made on May 22 at the Bamessingue Royal Palace by traditional and municipal authorities, including HRM Fon Teigni Detio Jean of Bamessingue and Paffe Frederic of the Mbouda Council. The initiative supports the PESop project (Promoting Economic and Social Participation of Internally Displaced Persons and Host Population Communities), which has been implemented by the German development organization GIZ since 2021.
Project director Afanwi Niba said the PESop project has trained over 300 beneficiaries in various income-generating fields such as agriculture, livestock, tailoring, welding, baking, and trade, helping them cope with subsistence challenges in their host communities.
“This project aims to improve the economic and social participation of IDPs and members of selected hosting communities in the West Region. That is why we train IDPs in income-generating activities and show them how to live in peace with their hosts, reinforcing social cohesion,” Niba said.
The ongoing crisis in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions has displaced hundreds of thousands of people to neighboring areas, including the West Region. These displacements have adversely affected both the victims and their host communities.
One beneficiary, Tabufor Jeannette, expressed gratitude for the support, noting significant improvements since her arrival in 2018.
“Since I reached here, these people have greatly changed our situation. I now have chicks which I raise myself because of the training they gave me, and they are encouraging us to form cooperatives. The reception of this plot of land indicates that local authorities are committed to this cause,” Jeannette said.
The PESop project is active in Bafoussam 1, Dschang, Foumban, Kouoptamo, and Mbouda.
