So what about Cameroon?
So what about Cameroon?
Cameroon is located in West Central Africa bordered by the countries of: Nigeria, Chad, Central African Republic (CAR), Republic of Congo, Equitorial Guinea and Gabon. It is approximately 7 degrees north of the equator.
It has a population of over 20 million (fairly evenly split between male/female). The average life expectency is 50. There are ~87 infant deaths per 1,000 live births.
Cameroon ranks 9 in the world for the number of maternal mortality rate (very high: due largely to undernourishment and poor health care in the villages)
Cameroon ranks 25th for overall mortality rate per 1,000 in the world (pretty high and made that way due to the lack of quality of medical care and overall village life)
Cameroon ranks 30 out of 150 for most corrupt countries....a huge problem which keeps businesses from investing or moving here
While the official languages are French and English there are more than 270 tribal languages (a real challenge for translators)
The number 1 killer of children under 5 is malaria (largely preventable by a mosquito net and yet less than 1% of children sleep under one and largley treatable with medicines costing around $2). The number 2 killer of children under 5 is diarrhea.
Estimated 50% of population under 20 years of age
School is not mandatory or free
Conditions for Cameroon’s children have deteriorated in recent years. Infant and under-five mortality rates in 2005 were actually higher than their 1990 levels.
Officially (in a 2011 U.N. report) the inicidence of AIDS of 11.8% of the population(ages 15-49), however, in-country health workers estimate that it is much higher (and the rate doesn't include those younger children like Blessed...our HHCH 3 year old who has AIDS). Locally we have seen that hospitals often run out of medicine for children with AIDS fairly frequently.
The CIA lists the country as being 40% Christian, 40% animistic and 20% Muslim (although the influence from Saudi Arabia has greatly increased, they boasted of building 1,000 mosques in Cameroon in the year 2013)
Climate: Cameroon's climate is tropical. The south near the coastline is humid. The climate becomes progressively drier as one moves northward.
Major Industries: Petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, and ship repair
Major Agricultural Products: Coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, cassava, livestock, and timber
Natural Resources: Petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, and hydropower
It has been dubed Africa in miniature: east are tropical rain forests(having the wettest place on earth...boasting of 40+ ft of rain/year), West are black sand beaches, Mount Cameroon (at 13,435 ft) is the tallest mountain in West Africa, North are drier, savannah like conditions where there are several preserves.
We have been blessed to be a part of this countries future through the orphanages, Bible schools and sweet fellowship that we have experienced with the beautiful people here. And we are excited to be able to continue to be a part of shaping a small part of Cameroon's future through future involvement in more orphanages, well drilling (other water projects), other Bible schools, village projects. Thank you so much for helping us to be here!!
