Red Cross visits displaced persons in the North

The Red Cross has recently been deployed to the North to alleviate the suffering of people affected by armed conflict or other situations of violence.

This is the objective of the joint mission of the international Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Cameroon Red Cross (CRC), two humanitarian agencies which have been in Maroua since 04 February.

"We came to feel the reality our brothers face in the northernmost immersed in a climate of insecurity for several months." It is a question for us to make an assessment of the actual needs in order to fulfil the expectations of affected populations," said Emmanuel Kagimbura, communication delegate of the ICRC regional delegation for Central Africa.

Since the outbreak of the war against the Islamist sect Boko Haram based in Nigeria, thousands of refugees arrived in Cameroon. More than 30,000 are lodged at Minawao camp, in the Mayo Tsanaga Department.

Not to mention the displaced in several localities in the region of the far North. For several weeks, NGOs, political parties and many other associations multiply descents to this part of the country to provide donations to these battered people.

It is in this same direction and especially to bring effective aid that the joint IARC-Crc mission descended to the ground in the region of the far north to discuss with beneficiaries.

"We want our humanitarian action to be effective. We are not going to contribute only to feed or clothe the victims, but we want to go beyond contributing even to the restoration of family ties that were destroyed by the sudden displacement because of the war", said Mireille Titti, communication Director of the Cameroon Red Cross.

Already in the harvest field, humanitarian workers have already registered more than 100 unaccompanied at the Minawao camp among more than 30,000 refugees.

The situation is similar in Mora in the Mayo Sava. It is for this reason that members of the mission have opted for an approach in the field. The goal here is to multiply meetings with local authorities and populations in order to collect relevant information.

All these actions will support those taking place already for a very long: the formation of volunteers, awareness in the fight against cholera, assistance to malnourished children aged 0-5 years in Minawao.