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On the Front Lines: A Lifeline for Those Displaced by Violence
Chaos, crisis, hope, and grace
Northwest Cameroon has been beset by more than six years of separatist war––the so-called Anglophone Crisis––that has tallied a ruinous humanitarian toll. The war, which features intense, indiscriminate fighting between the government and separatists, has displaced more than 775,000 people from their homes. Serving these people with grace, dignity, and God’s love is one of the Tertiary Sisters’ most complex and most meaningful ministries.
All of our work with Cameroonian refugees and internally displaced people is paid for by private funds. Your donations directly fund food aid, clothing, medical care, and counselling.
If you are in a position to make a donation, we would be very grateful for your gift, and will put it to immediate good use.
- 15,000 refugees and internally displaced persons served annually
- 9 sisters and volunteers on site
- Sites in Cameroon and Nigeria
- Immediate aid includes food, clothing, and medical care
- Longer-term programs provide job training, counselling, and spiritual guidance
When conflict crosses borders, so must love
More than six years of intense, unpredictable fighting has left an entire region upended. Most of those displaced by the violence have fled to areas inside Cameroon, but an estimated 65,000 have taken refuge in neighboring Nigeria.
Operating on both sides of the border––serving internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Cameroon, and international refugees in Nigeria––our sisters and staff support thousands of refugees in dozens of communities in both countries.
Out of crisis, opportunity
Long-lasting conflict means long-lasting commitment. While providing immediate aid––food, clothing, and health care––is a critical part of our work, just as important is our mission to get people back on their feet.
Our sisters form personal, one-on-one relationships with many refugees and IDPs, and prepare them for life in their new communities. This often means facilitating relationships with local families who graciously host them.
Job training, especially with female refugees and IDPs, is an important and meaningful part of our work. Courses on small-scale entreprenurial and home management are offered.
Training in agriculture and the trades is another focus, with courses on carpentry and roofing offered––skills that will be needed to rebuild a war-torn region. Farm tools and animals––goats, pigs, and sheep––are made available to jump-start farming businesses.
A psychological and spiritual crisis
Beyond the work of getting food in mouths and scythes in hands, is the more difficult work of healing the hurt and trauma of war.
This starts with the personal relationships forged between sisters and those we serve. But that’s not always enough.
Sisters and staff offer regular counselling and trauma-management sessions.
And while we serve all refugees and IDPs without regard for religion, many find great solace in the spiritual guidance, prayer, and services that our sisters provide.
How you can help
Operating just outside a war zone is among the most challenging work we do anywhere in the world.
Outside of built-up areas, we have little access to cars, making us reliant on bicycles and mopeds to reach those in need. Infectious diseases are a constant threat. And the danger posed by the nearby war always looms large.
If you are in a position to make a donation, we would be very grateful for your gift, and will put it to immediate good use.