Internally displaced persons from the armed conflict in Cameroon in their 4th year after fleeing their homes are now beginning to consider the refugee camps in Eastern Nigeria as their second homes, as the end of the conflict is no where near. Many of the victims who have lost loved ones to the war, lost property, jobs and businesses see a return home as unrealistic. The refugee camps which they thought were temporary solutions have now become home. Many refugees have engaged in activities that can help them feed themselves as well as earn a bit of money. Such activities include farming, tailoring, trading and house help.
It is in this light that ATRUD has launched a poultry farming project with the aim of employing some of the IDPs, generating income that can be used to solve other pending issues among them and empowering those interested with skills in animal husbandry. The project was launched in December 2020 and now has about 100 3-week-old chicks, which are expected to be sold sometime later this year.
The director of the project Mr. Enow has thanked ATRUD and donors for the initiative and promised that the project will employ many IDPS in the long run. He pleaded with ATRUD to plead with donors and well-wishers to contribute more to the success of the project so that by the end of the year the farm should be able to produce about 1000 chicks. “We need more equipment and supplies to keep the chicks healthy and increase their numbers.” The project director pleaded.
ATRUD founder Mr. Tabot, commenting on the project said ATRUD will henceforth focus on more sustainable projects for IDPS in a bid to empower them with survival skills instead of always donating items to them.
The poultry farm project comes as the third of such projects after the tailoring workshop and the ICT center for IDPs in Douala.