From worry to well-being
This project allows families to generate income to cover their basic needs and helps prevent malnutrition, as eggs are rich in nutrients and protein.
The victims of the socio-political crisis in Cameroon are smiling again thanks to an unlikely source of hope: chickens. ©FAO/Daniel Mvondo
With a spring in her step, Jasinta starts the day by going to her farm in Bokwango, southwest Cameroon. Every morning she gets up, checks on her chickens, feeds them and fills their trough. A mother of four, Jasinta is a role model for many in her neighbourhood - admired for the chickens that she proudly raises and sells.
Her new business is the product of an FAO initiative helping vulnerable people in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon, which are currently facing a socio-political crisis. Insecurity and growing violence in these regions are forcing people to leave their homes for other parts of the country. In areas where the population depends heavily on agriculture for their livelihoods, the upsurge of violence has also resulted in a significant decline in agricultural production and rising prices for staple foods.
Offering help to those in need
Jasinta, who has lived in this part of Cameroon for 10 years, offers the warmth of her home to 12 internally displaced persons (IDPs) who fled their homes due to the conflict.
"It all started in late 2016. Things were really bad for our brothers in the country. As the wife of the chief of my locality, I decided to get involved to alleviate their suffering. I received two, then four, and currently, there are twelve people at home," she says.