Cameroon
is said to contain all of Africa in one country.
Geographically it varies from tropical rain forest in the south to the arid savanna of the Sahel in the north.
Ethnically the indigenous peoples range from pygmies to the colourfully shrouded Fulani.
Despite this diversity Cameroon is a rarely visited country and so offers the chance to see a part of Africa unspoilt by large scale tourism.
AidCamps International |
Short Term Volunteer Work Overseas on Third World Development Aid Projects
Independent AidCamps
CameroonStrategic Humanitarian Services Based in |  |
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 SHUMAS |
Our partner organisation in Cameroon, Strategic Humanitarian Services (SHUMAS), works to help the rural peoples in the Northwest & West Provinces of the country, who are primarily subsistence farmers living a traditional life style, most without the benefits of running water or electricity.
SHUMAS aims to improve the situation of these people by, amongst other things, helping to create income generating activities, facilitating women's credit union cooperatives, the provision of local infrastructure improvements such as running water and farm-to-market bridges, and providing ongoing support for local schools and health care.
Main fields of operation
Income generating activities, women's credit unions, water, education, health, conservation, rural development.
Regularly needs independent volunteers for:
Conservation work by helping in SHUMAS' indigenous tree nursery, nursing seeds, transplanting saplings, shading, watering, weeding, learning the uses of the trees in the nursery, and keeping records.
Field (extension) work with SHUMAS staff to carry out feasibility studies, research, project monitoring, and evaluation and assessments. All these entail field visits to local villages and report writing.
Medical staff, including office assistants, at local health centres. You'll work with local medical staff in the treatment of patients, and/or help with the administration of the centre.
Office work in which you join with SHUMAS staff in formulating project proposals, running training workshops, writing and proof reading reports, and help with general administration.
Teaching. There are a variety of possible placements, both village and town based, in primary (6-15 year olds), secondary (10-21), and vocational training schools (15-25).
Village water projects, various positions depending on your skills, experience and interests.
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Arrival and Departure ~£45 each way |
Click on any amount to convert it to other currencies at today's rates |
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Accommodation possibilities
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Local cuisine Tends to be heavy and meat based. Vegetarians will get by, but without much variety. |
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| Health | Yellow Fever vaccination mandatory. Malaria common |
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| Languages | English (pidgin), French (creole), Bantu & Sudanic based dialects | |||||||
| Airport | Douala (DLA) | |||||||
| Visa (UK) | 3 months £59, 6 months £118 | |||||||
| Currency | CFAF, Central African Franc (XAF) | |||||||
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The CFAF is pegged to the Euro at €1 = CFAF655 Group AidCamps are usually held in November |
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Main regional attractions
Chiefs' compounds at Bafut and Bafoussam, sultan's palace at Foumban, handicrafts at Bamessing, regional market at Foumbot.
Also see
| What's Involved | information relevant to all Independent AidCamps |
| Matching Service | information about our Volunteer Matching Service |
| Volunteering | how to volunteer and what happens then |
| Application | apply for a Independent AidCamp, either online or by post |
| Independent AidCamps | back to the list of Independent AidCamp countries |
| or go to one directly Cameroon India Nepal Sri Lanka | |