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Cameroon: our mobilization after the floods
In 2024, the Far North region of Cameroon was severely hit by floods on an exceptional scale. Faced with this humanitarian emergency, Première Urgence Internationale and its partners mobilized to support the affected populations.
Publié le 23/04/2025 | Temps de lecture : 2 min
Devastating floods
Between July and December 2024, torrential rains battered Cameroon’s Far North, submerging five departments under water. The human and material toll was heavy: more than 448,000 people were affected, 56,084 houses destroyed, and more than 85,000 hectares of farmland swallowed up.
Behind these figures, thousands of families saw their daily lives turned upside down. Divorced mother of five, Amina lost everything when the waters rose, forcing her family to flee without taking anything with them. “My house collapsed and my belongings were washed away”, she confides.
Vulnerability for those affected
Displaced with her children to the Goré site in Kousseri, Amina had to adapt to harsh daily sanitary conditions, marked by a lack of drinking water, insufficient food, insalubrity… ” My children and I only ate once a day. The water made us sick and the smells on the site were unbearable”, recounts Amina, testifying to a reality shared by many families in the region.
In light of this critical situation, Première Urgence Internationale, in partnership with local associations CADEPI and Tammounde Speranza, has implemented a targeted emergency response, based on the real needs of disaster victims in Kousseri. The aim: to restore dignified living conditions, curb the spread of disease and improve access to water, hygiene and sanitation for the affected population.
Curbing epidemics and strengthening community hygiene
In Goré, 42 latrine blocks and 42 shower blocks have been built to provide families with a safer, more hygienic environment. These infrastructures help to limit the risk of epidemics such as cholera, which is endemic in the region.
The installation of 52 garbage bins on the site completes this scheme to limit the proliferation of waste and reinforce collective hygiene.
For Amina, these improvements have changed her daily life: “Today, we can relieve ourselves and wash in complete safety. The facilities are well maintained, we’re responsible for them, and that helps us preserve our health.”
Raising awareness
to prevent
Alongside the construction of infrastructure, awareness-raising sessions were organized to help families adopt better hygiene practices: water treatment, hand-washing, prevention of water-borne diseases and cholera transmission.
The aim of this comprehensive program was to reduce health risks in disaster-stricken communities over the long term, through the active participation of local residents.
These activities were implemented with the support of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.
