In the highland communities of Dschang and Bafang, the pandemic hit an already thin medical infrastructure. We distributed protective equipment, installed handwashing stations, and trained schools and village communities in hygiene rules.
When the COVID-19 pandemic reached Cameroon in 2020, it hit the highland region around Dschang and Bafang in a particularly vulnerable state: health posts were thinly equipped, disinfectants and face masks barely available, and schools brought hundreds of children together in close quarters every day — ideal conditions for the virus to spread quickly. At the same time, conflicting information about the disease circulated widely in village communities, making targeted education urgently necessary.
Our association decided to act in both communities in parallel — not just with materials, but with knowledge: only those who understand transmission routes and protective measures follow them consistently over time.
Preventing the spread of the coronavirus epidemic in school facilities and village communities in the Dschang and Bafang region, through a combination of protective equipment, infrastructure and education.
In Dschang, the focus was on quickly supplying schools with face masks and disinfectants, backed by a broad awareness campaign. Together with local teachers, we developed simple, clear flyers on hand hygiene and distancing rules that were posted in classrooms.
In Bafang we additionally invested in physical infrastructure: handwashing stations were installed at central points and kept permanently stocked with soap and water. Protection kits with masks and hygiene items went directly to families and schools, ensuring protection outside school hours too.
Schools in both communities were able to stay open through the critical phase of the pandemic without major outbreaks. The handwashing stations installed in Bafang are still in use today and have become a permanent part of school hygiene.
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