As part of the 4th project trip, a six-member delegation from the INTEWAR project travelled to Cameroon between 26 October and 4 November. The team consisted of two staff members each from FiW e.V., IHPH and IWW. On site, the delegation was joined by staff from the Cameroonian project partners of the University of Yaoundé I and the NGO Ciel Bleu.
Since the last project trip, a third project area in Yaoundé V has been pre-selected through remote sensing, the water treatment plant in Soa has been constructed and the well and hazardous materials cadastre in the Douala V project area has been completed.
The first part of the trip led to Douala. In the large coastal city, within the Douala V district, lies the Makepe II project area, which had already been visited during a previous trip. IHPH, in cooperation with the team from the University of Yaoundé I, collected samples from different water sources for detailed laboratory analyses. The colleagues from IWW collected information for flood modelling. At the same time, FiW staff exchanged information with the administration of District V and the water authority. At another administrative meeting, the delegation talked about flood protection measures of the district. They were told about the so-called “Cleaning Thursdays”, during which all above-ground drainages are cleared of rubbish and other obstacles every Thursday. According to the administration, since the introduction of the measures, the damage caused by the regular heavy rain events has been greatly reduced. Afterwards, at a meeting with the water committee of Makepe II, the concrete planning for the management of the water treatment plant was discussed as well as the preparation for workshops to train the staff and the population.
In the second part of the trip, the project areas Soa, north of Yaoundé and Ngoussou in the Yaoundé V urban district of the capital were visited.
On Tuesday, 31 October 2022, the delegation was invited to the University of Yaoundé I campus. During a compact round of lectures by the INTEWAR delegation on topics such as flood modelling, water analysis and participatory development of an emergency water concept, there was a good exchange between Master’s students, the professors present and the INTEWAR delegation. A decentralised water treatment plant on the campus of the university was also visited.
On Wednesday, 01 November 2022, the water treatment plant at the health centre in Soa was inaugurated. In addition to the local administration, a representative of the German Embassy in Cameroon was also present. Prior to this, the municipal water committee met at the health centre and framework conditions were established for the joint use of the plant both for clinic operations and for supplying the population outside times of crisis. Immediately after the release, the acceptance and use of the facility by the local population was well evident.
Before visiting the third project area, the delegation was warmly received by the mayor of Yaoundé V. In the first exchange, some problems in the Ngoussou district were described. On the following day, the entire German-Cameroonian delegation visited the area and gained many insights. After detailed discussions with the administration and the Cameroonian project partners, potential locations and a utilisation concept for the water treatment plant were discussed. The IHPH staff started to record all water points in the project area and the IWW and the Cameroonian project partners SOGEFI will subsequently carry out an aerial survey of the area. Another project trip to the areas is scheduled for March 2023.