Attachments
This Emergency Appeal seeks CHF 456,541 in cash, kind, or services to support the Cameroon National Society to assist some 6,500 beneficiaries (1,500 families) for six months: some 5,000 Nigerian refugees (1,000 families) in the Far North Region of Cameroon, and 1,500 refugees (500 families) from the Central African Republic (CAR) (500 families) in the East Region of Cameroon. The operation will be completed by the end of February, 2014. A Final Report will be made available by end of May 2014 (three months after the end of the operation).
CHF 65,479 was allocated from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support this operation. Un-earmarked funds to reimburse DREF are encouraged.
Summary:
Far North Region of Cameroon: Nigerian refugees: A period of instability and unrest prompted by clashes between the Nigerian army and Boko Haram (extremist militant Islamist group) has caused thousands of people to flee the country in search of protection, shelter and assistance. Some 3,323 refugees, mostly women and children, have been pre-registered at the border between Cameroon and Nigeria. A lack of access and security is preventing the delivery of assistance to this group. Local authorities in the Mayo Sava District have identified 4,805 refugees in need of assistance, and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is in the process of determining refugee status. UNHCR has plans to build a camp that can host up to 10,000 people. To date 833 people (195 families) have been transferred to a refugee camp set up by UNHCR in Minawao, some 50 km from Maroua, headquarters of the Far North Region. This operation plans to provide assistance through emergency shelter, non-food items (NFIs), hygiene and sanitation promotion, and emergency health and care.
East Region of Cameroon: CAR refugees: With insecurity and unrest affecting the Central African Republic (CAR), in late March 2013 further influxes of refugees arrived from the Central African Republic (CAR) into the Eastern Region of Cameroon. The IFRC and the Cameroon Red Cross (CRC) have been registering refugees and providing first aid with the CRC ambulance. The current number of CAR refugees, according to the CRC, stands at 1,480 people (some 300 families), with 188 vulnerable persons. These refugees were temporarily resettled in Garoua-Boulaï before being moved to Nandoungu where local administrative and traditional authorities have provided space for a makeshift resettlement site. Through this appeal, the CRC, with the support of the IFRC, intend to provide emergency shelter for incoming refugees who lack the resources to construct shelter. Refugees are to be relocated to new sites because of concerns over their proximity to the border and the lack of certain basic infrastructure at Nandoungu. Semi-durable shelters will be built by the beneficiaries at these sites, with the support of CRC and the IFRC.
The rapidly changing context of the situation makes scenario planning difficult and precludes the development of an exit strategy. The Cameroon Red Cross and the Central Africa Regional Representation are currently planning at this stage for a six month operation while discussions are carried out with partners and Government authorities to assess future development and adjust the operation accordingly. Based on the on-going monitoring, this appeal maybe revised or extended depending on the needs and the response by other stakeholders.