Plan Cameroon Annual Program Report 2007

146.5mm FLAP

148.5mm BACK

Challenge and change in Cameroon

Real progress

It’s been an eventful year for Plan in Cameroon. We’re working to improve education, ensure the survival of infants, increase livelihoods and boost awareness and understanding of children’s rights. We’re also working to realise the rights of the marginalised Baka (Pygmy) people.

With the support of Plan, children and adults in Cameroon are working together to develop their communities and claim their right to a better future. And real progress is being made.

Among other successes, last year we:

As part of our work to ensure the survival of children under the age of five, Plan has been supporting Government efforts to boost immunisation rates and tackle childhood illnesses. “Both aimed to significantly reduce infant and childhood mortality attributable to malaria, malnutrition, acute respiratory tract infection, diarrhoea and HIV/AIDS,” says Country Director Amadou Bocoum.

What’s more, our contribution to activities commemorating the Day of the African Child (16 June) was officially recognised when the Government designated 14 June as Plan Cameroon Day. In this Country Progress Report, we concentrate on just one story from a small village in Cameroon as an example of the kind of work we’re doing.

p A Baka (Pygmy) woman addresses an awa reness-raising community meeting

Cameroon country facts Population: 16.3 million

Infants with low birth weight: 13%

Capital: Yaounde

People without adequate sanitation: 49%

UN Human Development Index ranking: 144th (of 177 countries)

• Organised a Heath and Nutrition Action Week in 11 districts to boost knowledge about de-worming, immunisation and malaria

p Education , especiall Cameroon in the y for girls, is vital to develop ing long term

• Helped to establish money-generating activities to support 280 orphans and vulnerable children

• Helped communities to rebuild and refurnish 10 primary school buildings and build 38 new classrooms

secondary school.

For Plan, success almost always comes from a joint effort combining the hard work and determination of communities, children, volunteers, staff, and partner organisations. But the ongoing support of our sponsors is a vital ingredient, too. It’s their generosity and commitment that allows us to continue to help children in 49 of the poorest countries in the world.

So on behalf of the children and communities we work with, thank you to all our sponsors!

(Sources: the UN, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, UNICEF)

Plan UKReport on Plan programs in Albania for the year ended June 2007

CMR

Any enquiries please contact: Nick Burton. e: nick@bright-uk.com m: 07884 367567. d: 020 7620 8150 Size (Prod)

Colours(Prod)

Art (A/D)

0407 100647 PLAN 0407_Cameroon 01.11.07 210x443.5mm FOLD TO A5 5 Client proof: 3 Copy (C/W)

Content (Acc.)

Cameroon

• Facilitated scholarships for 115 children so they could go to

Life expectancy: 46 years

Admagic No: Bright No: Client name: File name: Date: Size: Studio proof:

148.5mm FRONT

Country Progress Report 2007

146.5mm FLAP

148.5mm BACK

Challenge and change in Cameroon

Real progress

It’s been an eventful year for Plan in Cameroon. We’re working to improve education, ensure the survival of infants, increase livelihoods and boost awareness and understanding of children’s rights. We’re also working to realise the rights of the marginalised Baka (Pygmy) people.

With the support of Plan, children and adults in Cameroon are working together to develop their communities and claim their right to a better future. And real progress is being made.

Among other successes, last year we:

As part of our work to ensure the survival of children under the age of five, Plan has been supporting Government efforts to boost immunisation rates and tackle childhood illnesses. “Both aimed to significantly reduce infant and childhood mortality attributable to malaria, malnutrition, acute respiratory tract infection, diarrhoea and HIV/AIDS,” says Country Director Amadou Bocoum.

What’s more, our contribution to activities commemorating the Day of the African Child (16 June) was officially recognised when the Government designated 14 June as Plan Cameroon Day. In this Country Progress Report, we concentrate on just one story from a small village in Cameroon as an example of the kind of work we’re doing.

p A Baka (Pygmy) woman addresses an awa reness-raising community meeting

Cameroon country facts Population: 16.3 million

Infants with low birth weight: 13%

Capital: Yaounde

People without adequate sanitation: 49%

UN Human Development Index ranking: 144th (of 177 countries)

• Organised a Heath and Nutrition Action Week in 11 districts to boost knowledge about de-worming, immunisation and malaria

p Education , especiall Cameroon in the y for girls, is vital to develop ing long term

• Helped to establish money-generating activities to support 280 orphans and vulnerable children

• Helped communities to rebuild and refurnish 10 primary school buildings and build 38 new classrooms

secondary school.

For Plan, success almost always comes from a joint effort combining the hard work and determination of communities, children, volunteers, staff, and partner organisations. But the ongoing support of our sponsors is a vital ingredient, too. It’s their generosity and commitment that allows us to continue to help children in 49 of the poorest countries in the world.

So on behalf of the children and communities we work with, thank you to all our sponsors!

(Sources: the UN, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, UNICEF)

Plan UKReport on Plan programs in Albania for the year ended June 2007

CMR

Any enquiries please contact: Nick Burton. e: nick@bright-uk.com m: 07884 367567. d: 020 7620 8150 Size (Prod)

Colours(Prod)

Art (A/D)

0407 100647 PLAN 0407_Cameroon 01.11.07 210x443.5mm FOLD TO A5 5 Client proof: 3 Copy (C/W)

Content (Acc.)

Cameroon

• Facilitated scholarships for 115 children so they could go to

Life expectancy: 46 years

Admagic No: Bright No: Client name: File name: Date: Size: Studio proof:

148.5mm FRONT

Country Progress Report 2007

148.5mm INSIDE

Men can help, too In many parts of Africa, there are very clear cultural divides between the responsibilities of men and women. Plan works in a way which is sensitive to such traditions, but sometimes we find they get in the way of children’s wellbeing, and that’s when we try to make changes.

An example comes from the village of Ntangoh, North-west Cameroon.

The men here traditionally spend their days busy making raffia palm wine.

Naturally, a lot of their pride and identity was wrapped up in this craft.

But sometimes, their focus has got in the way of other responsibilities, and even their natural concern for their children’s health.

Traditionally, it was the women of the village who were left in sole charge of children’s health. But this came on top of a heavy workload of domestic chores and the demands of subsistence farming. And even when their children became sick or malnourished, the fathers were often unable to see a role for themselves.

“Woman, it is not my duty to take the baby to hospital or take care of him when he is sick.” These were the words of the father of baby Felix Yasho, when his wife asked him to help look after their sick child earlier this year.

Tragically, Felix subsequently died.

Baby Felix was not alone. Childhood mortality in Cameroon is high: each

p A father in Ntangoh teache s his child to count

year, 84,000 children die before reaching the age of five. Children like Felix often become ill through malnutrition or by contracting malaria or preventable diseases, but there is little knowledge about how to tackle such diseases in villages like Ntangoh, nor awareness of good hygiene practices.

Change on the horizon But in Ntangoh, Felix’s death sparked the 43 women of the Plan-supported women’s group called Bongesherie to make changes.

148.5mm INSIDE

After gaining permission from the village chief, they started encouraging men to get involved in child healthcare.

They went door to door, campaigning and asking men to join their group.

Ten men agreed to do so. One now leads the campaigns on child health issues, raising awareness of the things parents can do to improve their children’s chances of survival, from breastfeeding to setting up insecticidetreated bed-nets to keep mosquitoes at bay.

Other men have become involved in the group’s work. They join the women going from door to door to weigh children and identify cases of malnutrition. Such children can then be taken to the local nutrition centre for treatment.

A change in male attitudes The men of Ntangoh have learned a lot.

They’ve also witnessed the effects of malnutrition at first hand when they’ve visited children at home. With these experiences, their behaviour has begun to change. Many have recognised for the first time that while they’ve been busy making palm wine, they’ve been neglecting the health of their children.

And as they’ve grown to understand the links between good nutrition and good health, they’ve begun to re-think their priorities.

Today, men in the village no long sell their entire groundnut or soya bean harvests. Instead, they hold back large portions of these crops for their families to eat. At the beginning of 2007, there were 20 underweight children in the village, but as a result of the men’s action, that number dropped to zero within three months.

In Cameroon, each year 84,000 children die before reaching the age of five.

According to one male villager: “I get up every morning and before going to make palm wine, I enquire about the health of my children and their mother too, thanks to the advice of Bongesherie.”

146.5mm INSIDE

“I have dug a latrine as a result of listening to Bongesherie talk about good hygiene practices,” says villager Donald. He now takes pride in caring for the health of his children, and carries his youngest child to the health centre while his wife stays at home with the other children.

“I have dug a latrine as a result of listening to the village women talk about good hygiene practices.”

We provide training and supervision across the board, from district committees focused on water and health to traditional medicine practitioners and women’s groups.

Getting these groups on board is important because changing people’s behaviour is a key way to prevent disease and poor health.

Some names have been changed for child protection and privacy reasons.

Plan is working in 118 communities to tackle childhood illnesses in a comprehensive way.

Better sanitation Ntangoh used to have no latrines and people used communal holes – a major health hazard. Now, working through local groups, Plan has also encouraged communities like Ntangoh to construct water and sanitation facilities, to reduce the prevalence of waterborne diseases.

And securing the men’s involvement in hygiene campaigns has led to families building and owning their own latrines.

p Levels of malnutrition in Ntang

oh have now fallen dramatically

148.5mm INSIDE

Men can help, too In many parts of Africa, there are very clear cultural divides between the responsibilities of men and women. Plan works in a way which is sensitive to such traditions, but sometimes we find they get in the way of children’s wellbeing, and that’s when we try to make changes.

An example comes from the village of Ntangoh, North-west Cameroon.

The men here traditionally spend their days busy making raffia palm wine.

Naturally, a lot of their pride and identity was wrapped up in this craft.

But sometimes, their focus has got in the way of other responsibilities, and even their natural concern for their children’s health.

Traditionally, it was the women of the village who were left in sole charge of children’s health. But this came on top of a heavy workload of domestic chores and the demands of subsistence farming. And even when their children became sick or malnourished, the fathers were often unable to see a role for themselves.

“Woman, it is not my duty to take the baby to hospital or take care of him when he is sick.” These were the words of the father of baby Felix Yasho, when his wife asked him to help look after their sick child earlier this year.

Tragically, Felix subsequently died.

Baby Felix was not alone. Childhood mortality in Cameroon is high: each

p A father in Ntangoh teache s his child to count

year, 84,000 children die before reaching the age of five. Children like Felix often become ill through malnutrition or by contracting malaria or preventable diseases, but there is little knowledge about how to tackle such diseases in villages like Ntangoh, nor awareness of good hygiene practices.

Change on the horizon But in Ntangoh, Felix’s death sparked the 43 women of the Plan-supported women’s group called Bongesherie to make changes.

148.5mm INSIDE

After gaining permission from the village chief, they started encouraging men to get involved in child healthcare.

They went door to door, campaigning and asking men to join their group.

Ten men agreed to do so. One now leads the campaigns on child health issues, raising awareness of the things parents can do to improve their children’s chances of survival, from breastfeeding to setting up insecticidetreated bed-nets to keep mosquitoes at bay.

Other men have become involved in the group’s work. They join the women going from door to door to weigh children and identify cases of malnutrition. Such children can then be taken to the local nutrition centre for treatment.

A change in male attitudes The men of Ntangoh have learned a lot.

They’ve also witnessed the effects of malnutrition at first hand when they’ve visited children at home. With these experiences, their behaviour has begun to change. Many have recognised for the first time that while they’ve been busy making palm wine, they’ve been neglecting the health of their children.

And as they’ve grown to understand the links between good nutrition and good health, they’ve begun to re-think their priorities.

Today, men in the village no long sell their entire groundnut or soya bean harvests. Instead, they hold back large portions of these crops for their families to eat. At the beginning of 2007, there were 20 underweight children in the village, but as a result of the men’s action, that number dropped to zero within three months.

In Cameroon, each year 84,000 children die before reaching the age of five.

According to one male villager: “I get up every morning and before going to make palm wine, I enquire about the health of my children and their mother too, thanks to the advice of Bongesherie.”

146.5mm INSIDE

“I have dug a latrine as a result of listening to Bongesherie talk about good hygiene practices,” says villager Donald. He now takes pride in caring for the health of his children, and carries his youngest child to the health centre while his wife stays at home with the other children.

“I have dug a latrine as a result of listening to the village women talk about good hygiene practices.”

We provide training and supervision across the board, from district committees focused on water and health to traditional medicine practitioners and women’s groups.

Getting these groups on board is important because changing people’s behaviour is a key way to prevent disease and poor health.

Some names have been changed for child protection and privacy reasons.

Plan is working in 118 communities to tackle childhood illnesses in a comprehensive way.

Better sanitation Ntangoh used to have no latrines and people used communal holes – a major health hazard. Now, working through local groups, Plan has also encouraged communities like Ntangoh to construct water and sanitation facilities, to reduce the prevalence of waterborne diseases.

And securing the men’s involvement in hygiene campaigns has led to families building and owning their own latrines.

p Levels of malnutrition in Ntang

oh have now fallen dramatically

148.5mm INSIDE

Men can help, too In many parts of Africa, there are very clear cultural divides between the responsibilities of men and women. Plan works in a way which is sensitive to such traditions, but sometimes we find they get in the way of children’s wellbeing, and that’s when we try to make changes.

An example comes from the village of Ntangoh, North-west Cameroon.

The men here traditionally spend their days busy making raffia palm wine.

Naturally, a lot of their pride and identity was wrapped up in this craft.

But sometimes, their focus has got in the way of other responsibilities, and even their natural concern for their children’s health.

Traditionally, it was the women of the village who were left in sole charge of children’s health. But this came on top of a heavy workload of domestic chores and the demands of subsistence farming. And even when their children became sick or malnourished, the fathers were often unable to see a role for themselves.

“Woman, it is not my duty to take the baby to hospital or take care of him when he is sick.” These were the words of the father of baby Felix Yasho, when his wife asked him to help look after their sick child earlier this year.

Tragically, Felix subsequently died.

Baby Felix was not alone. Childhood mortality in Cameroon is high: each

p A father in Ntangoh teache s his child to count

year, 84,000 children die before reaching the age of five. Children like Felix often become ill through malnutrition or by contracting malaria or preventable diseases, but there is little knowledge about how to tackle such diseases in villages like Ntangoh, nor awareness of good hygiene practices.

Change on the horizon But in Ntangoh, Felix’s death sparked the 43 women of the Plan-supported women’s group called Bongesherie to make changes.

148.5mm INSIDE

After gaining permission from the village chief, they started encouraging men to get involved in child healthcare.

They went door to door, campaigning and asking men to join their group.

Ten men agreed to do so. One now leads the campaigns on child health issues, raising awareness of the things parents can do to improve their children’s chances of survival, from breastfeeding to setting up insecticidetreated bed-nets to keep mosquitoes at bay.

Other men have become involved in the group’s work. They join the women going from door to door to weigh children and identify cases of malnutrition. Such children can then be taken to the local nutrition centre for treatment.

A change in male attitudes The men of Ntangoh have learned a lot.

They’ve also witnessed the effects of malnutrition at first hand when they’ve visited children at home. With these experiences, their behaviour has begun to change. Many have recognised for the first time that while they’ve been busy making palm wine, they’ve been neglecting the health of their children.

And as they’ve grown to understand the links between good nutrition and good health, they’ve begun to re-think their priorities.

Today, men in the village no long sell their entire groundnut or soya bean harvests. Instead, they hold back large portions of these crops for their families to eat. At the beginning of 2007, there were 20 underweight children in the village, but as a result of the men’s action, that number dropped to zero within three months.

In Cameroon, each year 84,000 children die before reaching the age of five.

According to one male villager: “I get up every morning and before going to make palm wine, I enquire about the health of my children and their mother too, thanks to the advice of Bongesherie.”

146.5mm INSIDE

“I have dug a latrine as a result of listening to Bongesherie talk about good hygiene practices,” says villager Donald. He now takes pride in caring for the health of his children, and carries his youngest child to the health centre while his wife stays at home with the other children.

“I have dug a latrine as a result of listening to the village women talk about good hygiene practices.”

We provide training and supervision across the board, from district committees focused on water and health to traditional medicine practitioners and women’s groups.

Getting these groups on board is important because changing people’s behaviour is a key way to prevent disease and poor health.

Some names have been changed for child protection and privacy reasons.

Plan is working in 118 communities to tackle childhood illnesses in a comprehensive way.

Better sanitation Ntangoh used to have no latrines and people used communal holes – a major health hazard. Now, working through local groups, Plan has also encouraged communities like Ntangoh to construct water and sanitation facilities, to reduce the prevalence of waterborne diseases.

And securing the men’s involvement in hygiene campaigns has led to families building and owning their own latrines.

p Levels of malnutrition in Ntang

oh have now fallen dramatically

146.5mm FLAP

148.5mm BACK

Challenge and change in Cameroon

Real progress

It’s been an eventful year for Plan in Cameroon. We’re working to improve education, ensure the survival of infants, increase livelihoods and boost awareness and understanding of children’s rights. We’re also working to realise the rights of the marginalised Baka (Pygmy) people.

With the support of Plan, children and adults in Cameroon are working together to develop their communities and claim their right to a better future. And real progress is being made.

Among other successes, last year we:

As part of our work to ensure the survival of children under the age of five, Plan has been supporting Government efforts to boost immunisation rates and tackle childhood illnesses. “Both aimed to significantly reduce infant and childhood mortality attributable to malaria, malnutrition, acute respiratory tract infection, diarrhoea and HIV/AIDS,” says Country Director Amadou Bocoum.

What’s more, our contribution to activities commemorating the Day of the African Child (16 June) was officially recognised when the Government designated 14 June as Plan Cameroon Day. In this Country Progress Report, we concentrate on just one story from a small village in Cameroon as an example of the kind of work we’re doing.

p A Baka (Pygmy) woman addresses an awa reness-raising community meeting

Cameroon country facts Population: 16.3 million

Infants with low birth weight: 13%

Capital: Yaounde

People without adequate sanitation: 49%

UN Human Development Index ranking: 144th (of 177 countries)

• Organised a Heath and Nutrition Action Week in 11 districts to boost knowledge about de-worming, immunisation and malaria

p Education , especiall Cameroon in the y for girls, is vital to develop ing long term

• Helped to establish money-generating activities to support 280 orphans and vulnerable children

• Helped communities to rebuild and refurnish 10 primary school buildings and build 38 new classrooms

secondary school.

For Plan, success almost always comes from a joint effort combining the hard work and determination of communities, children, volunteers, staff, and partner organisations. But the ongoing support of our sponsors is a vital ingredient, too. It’s their generosity and commitment that allows us to continue to help children in 49 of the poorest countries in the world.

So on behalf of the children and communities we work with, thank you to all our sponsors!

(Sources: the UN, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, UNICEF)

Plan UKReport on Plan programs in Albania for the year ended June 2007

CMR

Any enquiries please contact: Nick Burton. e: nick@bright-uk.com m: 07884 367567. d: 020 7620 8150 Size (Prod)

Colours(Prod)

Art (A/D)

0407 100647 PLAN 0407_Cameroon 01.11.07 210x443.5mm FOLD TO A5 5 Client proof: 3 Copy (C/W)

Content (Acc.)

Cameroon

• Facilitated scholarships for 115 children so they could go to

Life expectancy: 46 years

Admagic No: Bright No: Client name: File name: Date: Size: Studio proof:

148.5mm FRONT

Country Progress Report 2007