Building Bridges for Displaced Workers

Posted on March 2nd, 2025

In Cameroon, rural-urban migration has become one of the most visible consequences of conflict and poverty. From the North West and South West Regions, many families displaced by the Anglophone crisis now crowd into towns like Buea, Limbe, Douala, and Yaoundé. Others from the Far North, fleeing Boko Haram violence or prolonged droughts, find themselves navigating new realities in Maroua, Garoua, or Ngaoundéré.

When these displaced workers arrive in urban centers, they often step into an already overcrowded and competitive informal economy. Women set up small tables to sell boiled groundnuts or plantains along busy streets. Young men take up motorcycle taxis—sometimes without proper licensing, risking constant clashes with city authorities. Others work in markets, construction sites, or as domestic helpers.

These struggles show that rural-urban integration is not simply about relocation—it is about belonging, adaptation, and recognition.

The Challenges on the Ground

1. Housing and Shelter
   Most displaced families settle in informal neighborhoods such as Makepe in Douala or Briqueterie in Yaoundé. Rent is high, living conditions are poor, and there is constant risk of eviction because they lack the means to pay and most often may lack legal tenancy agreements as well.
2. Employment and Livelihoods
   A displaced farmer from Menchum who once relied on cocoa farming now has no access to land in Yaoundé. With little capital, she becomes a street vendor, selling okra or smoked fish. But without registration papers or licenses, her stall is vulnerable to seizure by municipal officers.
3. Social Stigma and Identity
   Displaced persons often face discrimination. They are labeled as “strangers” or “IDPs” and are excluded from neighborhood associations or local savings groups (“njangi houses”), which are crucial for financial security in Cameroon due to their perceived inability to pay.
4. Access to Basic Services
   Without national ID cards or proof of residence (for most international workers), displaced workers may struggle to access education for their children, or even basic financial services like opening a mobile money account.

A Path Toward Rural-Urban Integration

To make integration meaningful, displaced workers in Cameroon need more than short-term relief. They need pathways to stability and dignity. WIHD envisions solutions that respond directly to these realities:

• Community Markets for Displaced Vendors
  Municipal councils could allocate designated spaces in major urban markets—like Marché Mboppi in Douala or Mokolo in Yaoundé—for displaced women traders. This would protect them from harassment and create a fair chance to compete.
• Skills Transfer and Apprenticeships
  Partnerships with local artisans—mechanics in Bonabéri, tailors in Buea or carpenters in Bafoussam—could provide displaced youth with apprenticeships. Instead of being stuck in low-income jobs, they could build careers in urban trades.
• Urban Farming Initiatives
  In peri-urban areas around Yaoundé and Douala, displaced rural farmers could be integrated into community gardens or urban farming projects. This would allow them to continue practicing agriculture while supplying food to the city.
• Savings and Microfinance Inclusion
  Linking displaced workers to microfinance institutions and njangi groups would help them build financial stability to access loans, and move beyond subsistence.
• Dialogue for Social Cohesion
  Encouraging dialogue between displaced workers and host communities can reduce stigma. When people see the contributions of displaced workers—whether as food vendors, transporters, or artisans—they begin to view them as neighbors, not outsiders.

A New Vision for Urban Belonging

Rural-urban integration in Cameroon is not just about survival. It is about transforming displacement into opportunity. Imagine:

• A young woman from Ekona, displaced by conflict, becomes a successful poultry seller in Mokolo Market after joining a cooperative.
• A farmer from Mayo-Tsanaga, uprooted by insecurity, uses his agricultural knowledge to cultivate vegetables in a community plot in Douala’s outskirts.
• A benskin rider from Mamfe forms part of a recognized motorcycle taxi union in Buea, with access to safety training and fair regulations.

These are not abstract possibilities—they are the real stories of resilience unfolding across Cameroon. With structured support, displaced workers can not only adapt to urban life but also enrich the cities they now call home.