The Africa-Europe Faith and Justice Network is an international organization founded by Religious Institutes to work towards the promotion of justice in Africa. As such, the Faith and Justice branch in Cameroon was established in 2010 by missionary Congregations to act through prophecy and pastoral care on issues affecting the social structures in Cameroon. Through prophecy, Faith and Justice, Cameroon – in light of revealed Word – passes judgment on the critical socio-historical and economic reality in which religious individuals find themselves, proclaims God’s plan, and denounces anything that opposes it. For example, land issues depriving family farmers of their means of living; illicit drug trafficking; pollution and destruction of biodiversity, etc. Through pastoral care, Faith and Justice nurtures Christian life through capacity-building training for religious individuals, leaders of Christian communities, developing a vital synthesis between evangelization and people’s lives.
ACTIVITIES
In light of the above, Faith and Justice engages in numerous activities such as:
- Training in social observation and advocacy for religious individuals;
- Awareness-raising on issues relevant to its areas of operation;
- Observing and reporting injustices on the ground;
- Providing support (advice, techniques, capacity-building) to groups affected by injustices;
- Establishing, animating, and strengthening the capacity of regional observation centers composed of 80% religious individuals;
- Publishing a bulletin for liaison between various commission stakeholders.
OUR CURRENT PROJECTS
The Faith and Justice Branch in Cameroon has undertaken the following projects in parishes, rural communities, and secondary institutions:
1. Environmental Conservation Project Preservation of the environment and the integrity of creation are at the heart of the commitment of the Cameroon Faith and Justice branch. Laudato Si is an instrument used for sensitization and mobilization to engage both consecrated and non-consecrated individuals in environmental preservation. The project aims to:
- Raise awareness among youth in schools and parishes about the necessity of sustainable land management;
- Highlight the impact of environmental contaminants and pathogens on soils and ensure food security;
- Provide targeted youth in schools and parishes with responsible and sustainable land management techniques to restore and regenerate degraded soils quickly;
- Advocate to key stakeholders of the Catholic Church (Bishops, priests, National Secretariat for Catholic Education) and the State (sectors responsible for youth and national education, decentralized territorial authorities) for the consolidation of teaching modules on environmental protection and the establishment of a pastoral year on environmental protection and preservation in Cameroon’s dioceses.
2. School Domain Protection from Drugs Project This project falls within the framework of youth pastoral care aimed at the social protection of children and securing the school environment against drugs. Actions include sensitization, capacity-building, psychosocial support, research, and advocacy. Additionally, bringing the issue of drug use in school environments to the table of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon.
3. Contribution to Social Cohesion in Crisis Situations Project The Faith and Justice Branch in Cameroon aims to mobilize actors working on the theme of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Cameroon to contribute to finding sustainable and holistic solutions for better social cohesion between host populations and IDPs. Activities include:
- Capacity-building;
- Data collection, reporting, and analysis on living conditions in displaced areas by observation centers to identify structural problems related to the situation and necessary changes/transformations.
- Training sessions for information and experience sharing.
- Collection and analysis of best practices related to social cohesion to understand and determine existing limits in observation centers and better guide advocacy actions.
- Monitoring and accompanying internally displaced persons through close coordination between the coordination team and observation centers.
4. Social Inclusion Project for Youth with Disabilities in Cameroon The Cameroon Faith and Justice Branch aims to dismantle discriminatory sociocultural perceptions and beliefs about disabilities primarily in rural areas and advocates for the development of mechanisms for including young people with disabilities (mute, deaf, mentally ill, visually impaired, physically disabled, albinos, etc.) in schools and parishes. Activities include:
- Identification of educational and life communities with a high presence of children/youth with disabilities;
- Workshops on inclusive learning processes, methods, and techniques;
- Organization of experience-sharing meetings among stakeholders;
- Training of peer educators on language and mechanisms of social inclusion in schools and youth groups;
- Educational talks on positive parenting and disabilities;
- Establishment of “parent schools” in parishes, schools, and communities;
- Revitalization of school and parish youth groups through the establishment of cells dedicated to social inclusion;
- Mass sensitization in parishes and school structures.
Simon Valdez Ngah
Coordinator AEFJN-Cameroon