Since 2016, the protracted socio-political crisis in Cameroon’s North West and South West regions has plunged millions of civilians into one of the most complex humanitarian emergencies in the country’s history. With over 2 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and nearly 600,000 internally displaced persons, children have borne the brunt of this conflict. Education, once a symbol of hope, became a casualty of war—over 700,000 children were forced out of school, some for over three years, as schools were targeted, teachers attacked, and entire communities displaced. Beyond physical displacement, the psychological scars of fear, trauma, and instability continue to define childhood for a generation growing up amid violence.

The collapse of social structures and the weakening of protection mechanisms left children exposed to abuse, exploitation, and neglect. Many were separated from parents or forced into adult roles too early, while others, particularly girls, faced sexual violence and early marriage. Without civil documentation such as birth certificates, thousands of children became invisible before the law—excluded from education, health, and protection systems. For displaced and host families already struggling to survive, access to basic health care, education, and psychosocial support became a daily battle. Community cohesion eroded, and trust in social institutions diminished.

The education crisis mirrored the protection crisis. Thousands of children in makeshift settlements or abandoned communities lacked access to safe, structured learning spaces. The absence of learning environments deepened social alienation and left children vulnerable to recruitment by armed groups, exploitation, and child labour. Parents and caregivers, themselves traumatized and impoverished, lacked the means to provide the needed psychosocial and emotional support to their children. The health situation further aggravated vulnerabilities—diseases like malaria, malnutrition, and respiratory infections became rampant, and access to formal health facilities was restricted by insecurity and distance.

It was against this grim backdrop that the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Foundation (LUKMEF), with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), launched the Comprehensive Child Protection for Conflict-Affected Children in the Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon (CPiE + EiE) project. The intervention sought to restore hope, rebuild protection systems, and reintroduce education and health services in an environment where fear and uncertainty had replaced normal life. By adopting a community-based, gender- and diversity-sensitive approach, LUKMEF empowered local structures—child protection committees, community health workers, and caregivers—to respond to the protection, health, and educational needs of their own children.
The results speak for themselves: over 13,000 children and caregivers received psychosocial support; 500 children gained legal identity through birth certificates; 4,000 children returned to learning in safe spaces; 25 adolescents began vocational training; and more than 31,000 individuals were sensitized on child protection and health. These outcomes demonstrate that when resources meet the will, even the most fragile contexts can yield transformative impact.
Yet, for every child reached, many more remain unprotected and out of school. LUKMEF invites partners and donors to join efforts to scale up or replicate this proven model of community-driven child protection and education in emergencies. Together, we can ensure that no child is left behind because of conflict.

Contact: partnerships@lukmefcameroon.org | Tel/WhatsApp: +237 677 947 449