Cameroon

Cameroon lies at the crossroads between the English-speaking part of West Africa and French-speaking Central Africa. This is reflected in a rich cultural heritage marked by diverse influences.

For some time now, various factors in Cameroon have been leading to increasing instability in the country: Since 2016, a conflict has been escalating in southwestern Cameroon that arose from the political oppression of the English-speaking (Anglophone) minority. The crisis has claimed more than 3,000 lives so far and forced over 700,000 people to flee. In addition, the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram is carrying out attacks in the north, and in the east, people displaced by the civil war in the Central African Republic are seeking refuge.

Paul Biya has ruled the country since 1982. He was re-elected in October 2025 and, despite significant doubts about the election results, was sworn in as president for an eighth term on November 6, 2025, at the age of 92, in Cameroon’s capital, Yaoundé. Several opposition candidates filed appeals with the Constitutional Council citing irregularities, all of which were rejected.

Humanitarian aid in the conflict area

Mission 21 supports in particular the population in the English-speaking southwest of Cameroon with projects in the areas of education, health and theological education.

To provide urgently needed support in the context of the Anglophone crisis, Mission 21 launched a Humanitarian Aid Program We have launched an initiative that, in addition to our regular projects, allows us to provide aid during this ongoing crisis in collaboration with two churches and several nongovernmental organizations—always with the goal of ensuring that this support is sustainable and empowers the beneficiaries to build a self-determined future.

The Cameroonian churches and local NGOs have great potential for containing the conflict and supporting the suffering people, as they are anchored and accepted in the population. Mission 21's humanitarian aid project uses this potential to build a comprehensive, sustainable humanitarian aid program, together with international organizations such as UN-OCHA.

► Background to the Anglophone crisis

Education

Mission 21 is convinced that a sound education in theology can help overcome social tensions of various kinds. The focus is on ecumenical openness while incorporating local traditions. The educational projects help ensure a peaceful discussion of different values within the country. Participants critically engage with social issues and questions of faith and can actively contribute to solving problems.

Health

Public health infrastructure in Cameroon is underdeveloped. The projects carried out by Mission 21 and its partner organizations therefore focus on providing basic medical care in rural areas. This also includes basic medical care in camps for displaced persons. Another focus is on caring for people living with HIV, as well as general awareness campaigns on HIV and AIDS.

Local Partner Organizations

Reliable, locally rooted partner organizations are essential for the successful and professional development and implementation of projects. In the case of Cameroon, these include the „Presbyterian Church in Cameroon“ (PCC), with which Mission 21 has maintained a long-standing relationship, as well as the „Protestant University of Central Africa“ (PUCA) and the organization „Aid International Christian Women of Vision“ (AI-ChrisWov). For the „Emergency Aid and Reconstruction in Cameroon“ program, Mission 21 also collaborates with the Baptist Church, various local NGOs, and UN-OCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs). Support for orphans was also expanded through the continuation of the work of the Martin Stucki Foundation.

Ongoing communication and collaboration with partner organizations ensure that the projects meet the needs of the local people. As coordinator, Lumumba Mukong has been overseeing the projects in Cameroon since 2016. He earned his master’s degree in agricultural economics in England and subsequently gained work experience at several NGOs in Cameroon.

The cooperation of Mission 21 and its partner organizations aims to enable people in Cameroon to live in dignity and to provide concrete assistance, especially in the tense situation. Since the outbreak of the unrest, internally displaced persons have also been included in the activities in all priority areas.