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Cameroon:
RELUFA (Reseau de Lutte contre la Faim) |
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RELUFA is a national network of Cameroonian
churches, and ecumenical and secular non-profit organizations.
The twenty members come from all parts of Cameroon. Their activities
range from advocating the rights of indigenous peoples (Baka
and Bagyeli "pygmies") to outreach programs for prostitutes
and youth at risk; from micro-credit to advocacy against illegal
logging; from sensitization on gender inequities to sustainable
agriculture and fair trade; from self-help programs of the handicapped
to community projects for food security and drinking water. RELUFA
gained legal status in 2001.
Our vision
"The network intends to promote a society of justice, in which
the members participate actively to improve the general living
conditions, in harmony with each other and with respect to
the divine plan, which places humankind as creation's steward" |
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Our organization
Decision-making, planning, implementation and supervision
of our programs and policies are assured by the General
Assembly of member organizations, a five-member Board
of Directors, the Coordination and various Task
Forces.
Our orientations
We strategize our actions around the three main themes of
just relations, economic development and food sovereignty.
The latter is our emergency response program to the critical
food situation in the arid North. Under economic |
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development
dealt with through our micro-finance initiative, "Credit Against Poverty,"
while more systemic societal and global inequities are tackled
in the programs of economic justice and gender justice. |
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Oil tanker at the pipeline's off-shore terminal near Kribi.
Photo
by Christi Boyd. |
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Our programs
Economic justice
The construction of the Chad Cameroon Oil and Pipeline
Project is complete. Its socio-economic impact on the population
and the contracts signed between the stakeholders on the distribution
of the oil profits leave much to be desired. RELUFA follows
up on unresolved compensation issues in the communities living
in the vicinity of the pipeline and assists the population
in rebuilding their livelihoods. The network also works with
ecclesiastic |
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leadership to sensitize the larger religious community about the negative impact of the global economy in general
and of the extractive industries in particular on the Central
Africa region. To curb the current trends we join national
and international campaigns to advocate changes and call for
more equity and transparency in this lucrative sector. |
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Gender justice
To break down gender related barriers, RELUFA capacitates
Cameroonian women at the cultural, religious, juridical and economical levels. Our action plan includes studies on customary and religious
practices and the misuse of Biblical and Koranic texts; sensitization
campaigns on women's rights; dissemination and amendment of the |
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The 2004 General Assembly of network members. Photo by Christi
Boyd. |
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draft family code and lobbying for its passing in Parliament;
and the pursuit of the notion of gender in established theological
training programs. |
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Rural women: a marginalized productive force. Photo by Christi
Boyd. |
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Credit Against Poverty
Credit Against Poverty (CAP) is our micro-finance initiative
to provide low-interest and generally guarantee-free loans for
projects of poor communities affiliated with our member organizations.
CAP's repayment schedules are flexible and tailored to the productive
cycles of the community's activities. The program familiarizes target
groups and network members on healthy micro-finance programs, teaches
them bookkeeping skills, and offers close accompaniment in the
field. CAP further studies and promulgates alternative savings
systems and facilitates the exchange of experiences. |
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Food sovereignty
With the Sahara desert stretching out over the Far North
Province, this part of Cameroon is permanently at the brink of
famine. Through the establishment of community cereal banking systems
in vulnerable villages we hope to break the cycle of exploitation
by businessmen, food scarcity, soaring market prices and dependency
on food distribution programs. The community granaries will allow
for self-governance of food supplies by the villagers and curb
the usury mechanisms that generate poverty. |
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The women of Mowo village run their own
community granary. Photo by Christi
Boyd.
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