Mafac Opens Care and Empowerment Center for IDPs

With growing number of orphans, abandoned children and destitute families against a backdrop of fighting between government troops and Pro-independence armed fighters, the need for shelter for thousands remained a cause for concern in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon. The two regions in Cameroon have known a violent armed conflict which escalated 2016.


IDPs at the Mafac Care Home Enjoy Dinner

After an assessment of the situation in the North West, the Makongo Family Charity, Mafac, resorted to immediately provide a care and empowerment home and center in the North West, for the destitute and some basic necessities; mattresses, buckets, pots, tv set, deep freezer foodstuff among others.

Within eight months of opening the center in February 2019, more than hundreds of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs have been provided with accommodation, comfort and relief. Of the more than 50 IDPs currently in the center, there are children below the age of five, teenagers, young girls whose husbands are missing, widows, and elderly persons, all victims of war in the rented property. Some families arrived traumatized after hiding in bushes for weeks, having fled the war in their different areas.


Children, Widows at Mafac Care Home They came from Munyenge, Ekona in the South West area of Cameroon, others from Bali, Awing, Batibo, Oku, Nkambe and other remote Divisions of the country. Some of the children were born or picked from the bush to protect them from further suffering and from being killed in the war. The war made the people to run in every direction for safety.

There major challenge which that is being addressed progressively by Mafac remained that of accommodation, feeding and medication.

Pah Babila Samuel for example who is aged 55 is yet to recover from severe body pains and could not stand up without assistance. The kids who had spent almost a month in the bushes came in with cough and fever including running stomach. These cases were handled though many who still seek refuge at the Mafac care and empowerment center need medical checkup.

There is also the problem of accommodation as the existing space is already filled up. There is need for additional mattresses and beddings as well as medical checkups.

More logistics like dining table, more chairs are still needed to get the home improved. Another major challenge is that of daily feeding as the care home brazes up to begin empowering the IDPs.