Dear Editor,
Each year, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) publishes a report of the world’s most neglected displacement crises. It considers levels of humanitarian funding, media attention, and political engagement to end conflict. For the first time, Cameroon topped the list, followed by Ethiopia, Mozambique, and Burkina Faso.
At the international disaster relief charity ShelterBox, we specialise in emergency shelter for people who’ve been uprooted by conflict or disaster. We are responding to the four most neglected crises. Raising awareness and funds is difficult but crucial.
Armed conflict, flooding, drought, and the worst rainy season in decades, has left more than a million people in Cameroon internally displaced. People have been left with few ways to make a living and food insecurity has soared. In 2024, humanitarian funding for the crisis was less than half what was needed.
Minawao camp in the country’s Far North region was opened in 2013 for refugees fleeing violence in Nigeria. Built for 35,000 people, today more than 75,000 people live there with many more just outside the camp. Some have been there for 10 years or more.
Since 2015, ShelterBox has supported over 250,000 people in and around Minawao. We’re one of the main shelter providers in the Far North region of Cameroon. We began with tents and household items, later providing tarpaulins and rope so families could repair damaged shelters.
Since 2023, with our local partner Public Concern, we’ve been making small but important changes to the design of shelters based on feedback from local people. This includes better ventilation to reduce daytime temperatures inside them. I’ll be heading to the Far North region this month where we’ll be exploring further changes to improve living conditions and ensure shelters are more resilient to heavy rains and harsh climate.
Claire Leeson
Programme Manager for Cameroon
ShelterBox
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