The Self Reliance Promoters’ Group work on various community inititives in Kumbo, Cameroon. One of our recent projects was the Tatum Water Treatment Project.

Water is a scarce commodity for much of the year in rural North Western Cameroon. The Tatum Health Centre is situated in an area which is subject to severe drought conditions during the four-month dry season.

During the long dry season, which lasts from November to March, it used to be necessary to walk up to 5kms to find water which was from unsafe sources. For this reason, Self-Reliance in partnership with the Tatum Health Centre, helped to construct a water treatment plant to provide clean water all year round to the patients and the local community.

Many of the local residents came out to offer their time, labour and knowledge of the local environment. The local community made the project their own, with men, women and children offering their support in construction. This is a testament to the way in which participatory planning and implementation is integral to the success of our programmes.

The Tatum Water Treatment projects is one of many programmes, past achievements also include:

• Self Reliance Corn Mill Project supported by the Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives Yaoundé
• Junior library for the Vocational Training Centre with some books donated by Book Aid International through the British Council
• Construction of the Mah Health Post and provision of medical equipment with support of the Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives Yaoundé
• Construction of Tatum Health Centre/Kov Nsa Water Project with the assistance of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives – Yaounde
• Organization of various workshops (e.g. groups financial management, groups conflict management, gender sensitive participatory approaches)
• Self Reliance Promoters’ Vocational Training Centre in Kumbo-Nso
• Studies for the Kikakilaki Health Post with support of the American Embassy
• Carried out several seminars with CIGS and Women groups