Southwest Region
Home to our head office in Buea. The Southwest Region combines acute development need with a concentration of the schools, health facilities and civil society organisations our work depends on.
Buea
Regional capital and location of our head office
6
Programme pillars delivered across the region
5+
Target communities for participatory needs assessment in year one
Regional context
Why we work here
The Southwest Region carries development needs for women and girls that are among the most acute in Cameroon. Poverty rates are high, access to social services is limited, and the region hosts significant numbers of displaced people alongside the communities receiving them — a combination that places sustained pressure on schools, health facilities and water infrastructure.
Many households are headed by a single parent, most often a woman, and a significant number of girls are out of school. These are the conditions our pillars are designed to address together rather than separately.
What this means in practice
- Schools under pressure from added demand, frequently without adequate water or sanitation.
- Women heading households alone with no independent income and no access to formal credit.
- Long journeys to the nearest health facility or police post, which puts formal reporting out of reach for many survivors of violence.
- Girls whose schooling has already ended and who will not return without active outreach.
Our work here
Our programme pillars are coordinated here from the Buea office; activities delivered so far are reported on each programme page.
01
Gender-based violence prevention and response
Safe spaces, psychosocial support, legal aid and the referral pathways connecting survivors to health, legal and safety services.
02
Girl-child education and protection
Bursaries, re-enrolment outreach, school materials and menstrual health provision for girls whose schooling is at risk.
03
Water, sanitation and hygiene
Rehabilitation of community water points, sanitation facilities and menstrual hygiene management in supported schools.
04
Women's livelihoods
Village Savings and Loan Associations, vocational training and start-up micro-grants for single mothers and women in the informal economy.
05
Environment and climate resilience
Community clean-up campaigns, tree planting with school environmental clubs and climate-smart agriculture training.
06
Advocacy and community dialogue
Participatory needs assessments, community dialogues and engagement with local authorities and traditional leaders.
Our office
Buea · Head office
Southwest Regional Office
Campaign StreetBuea, Southwest Region
Cameroon
Get involved in the Southwest
We recruit staff and volunteers, and partner with schools, health facilities and local organisations across the region.
