Cameroon

Cameroon is often called "Africa in Miniature" because it is a land of great diversity geographically, culturally and linguistically. In a country approximately the size of California, the landscape includes rainforests, volcanoes, mountains, beaches and deserts. Cameroonians speak more than 200 languages besides the official languages of French and English. Eethnic groups with varied cultural and religious traditions include the Bantou, Peul, semi-Bantou, and Pygmees.

Catholic Relief Services has been present in Cameroon for over 40 years, adapting our programs continually to address the needs of the Cameroonian people and those who seek refuge within the country. CRS collaborates with Catholic Church partners at the national, diocesan and parish levels, along with civic and nongovernmental organizations and local community groups in order to reach those most in need. These strong partnerships are essential to CRS' mission to serve people in need with high-quality programs. CRS' ongoing relationships demonstrate the longstanding commitment of the U.S. Catholic community to support the Cameroonian people.

CRS Cameroon works in the areas of health, HIV and AIDS, natural resource management, and civic participation. In recent years, we have also provided much-needed essentials to the influx of refugees from Chad and the Central African Republic.