Organisations sign MoU to assist refugees, IDPs in Far North.

Officials said the deal will also see the three organisations working to improve on the digital knowledge and literacy level of IDPs and refugees.

UNHCR Representative for Cameroon, Yvette Muhimpundu; the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of HIS Cameroon, Olufemi Arosanyin; and the JRS Country Director, Ousmane N’Gaide, signed for their respective organisations.

Also present during the event were partners and other stakeholders. Thanks to the deal, the three organisations will offer a tower kiosk and refurbish an ICT centre in the Minawao Refugee Camp in the Mayo-Tsanaga Division of the Far North Region and surrounding communities.

According to the CEO of HIS Cameroon, Olufemi Arosanyin, the deal is part of his institution’s Corporate Social Responsibility, especially in terms of partnering and leveraging new opportunities for the good of the population.

Arosanyin also said through the MoU, UNHCR is opening up the private sector for HIS to contribute to community development.

“We are proud to be the first private company to take this step with the UNHCR, and we hope that many others will follow,” he said.

Solar power to support communities

The HIS Cameroon boss also noted that the Tower Kiosk to be provided to communities “is an outlet powered by an IHS site or a solar energy solution”.

He said it provides communities the possibilities of accessing and using ICTs, developing economically and socially. Each kiosk, he said, contains computer stations, a business centre, charging points and will provide free internet access to the local population.

He explained that the kiosks will help support local businesses and entrepreneurs, provide digital infrastructure to facilitate e-commerce, e-education, e-health, and e-governance activities. 

He said 25 computers will be made available to raise the capacity of a multimedia centre to host at least 50 persons at the same time.

Entre UNHCR Representative

According to the UNHCR Representative for Cameroon, Yvette Muhimpundu, ensuring access to displaced persons will transform them into digital persons.

“This partnership with JRS and HIS Cameroon means leaving no one behind,” Muhimpundu stated, adding that, through the partnership, people in concerned communities will have access essential services to improve their living conditions.

Jesuit Refugee Service

To the JRS Country Director, Ousmane N’Gaide, the partnership is a great opportunity to reduce hardship on refugees.

The partnership, he said, will help improve the living condition of the beneficiaries and the surrounding communities. 

He said the project “offers refugees and the host populations the opportunity to exchange ideas, build skills, share perspectives and engage with the global community”.

Details of the MoU

According to the MoU, the three organisations will supply and put in place a digital kiosk and make management arrangements. HIS will, meanwhile, supply the economic kiosks that will be handled to users via JRS and UNHCR and ensure its sustainable management.

According to the MoU, IHS, JRS, UNHCR and representatives of crisis-affected populations will develop usage procedures for the usage of the kiosk that will be made available. 

In addition, the parties agreed to refurbish the Minawao ICT centre to improve access to education.

Refugee statistics 

According to reports, Cameroon is facing a complex humanitarian crisis driven by conflicts, inter-communal violence, and the impact of climate change.

As at August 2024, Cameroon, the UN reported, had over two million forcibly displaced people with 1,036,775 IDPs, 13,298 asylum seekers and 435,988 refugees.

Out of the 435,988 refugees in Cameroon, the UN said 313,956 are from the Central African Republic and are residing in the East, Adamawa, and North Region.

Additionally, it said 124,466 refugees from Nigeria are primarily located in the Far North Region, with many living in the Minawao Camp. 

The UN also talk of an additional 3,000 refugees of different countries residing in urban centres in Cameroon.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3269 of Thursday October 24, 2024