Cameroon currently faces three complex crises: the Anglophone crisis – an armed conflict in the Northwest and Southwest Regions between government forces and English-speaking separatists; the ongoing Boko Haram insurgency in the Far North Region along the border with Nigeria, and a refugee crisis, with an estimated 2.2 million forcibly displaced people living in Cameroon.  The nation is also facing widespread climate shocks and disease outbreaks that further contribute to decreased food production and inflation.  Both conflict and climate change are negatively impacting the livelihoods of Cameroonians, 62% of whom work in food production.

One Day’s Wages partnered with the Berine and Bokwe Foundation – a grassroots organization founded and led by a Cameroonian woman who was widowed at a young age – to support widowed women farmers in Penaboko. The women participating in the project are dedicated farmers who meet regularly in savings groups, but requested additional training in climate-smart agriculture. Through our partnership, 214 women learned about regenerative agriculture methods and compost making to improve their crop yields. Participants also gained access to a communal plot of land for farming and shared farming tools. As a result, 95% of participants can now apply organic manure correctly, and 80% have set up simple compost pits at home. Within the community, attitudes toward widowed farmers improved noticeably, and people are starting to apply the same methods they observe the women participants using!