The crisis in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon (North-West and South-West), which began again in October 2016 with protests by teachers and lawyers, escalated into an armed uprising at the end of 2017 and has since degenerated into a civil war.
The conflict has already killed thousands of people and has now spread to the francophone regions.
The humanitarian and social impact has been significant: most schools have been closed in the last two years, more than 170 villages have been destroyed, around 600,000 people have been displaced from their homes and an estimated 35,000 have sought refuge in neighboring Nigeria.
The conflict has also had a notable impact on the education system.
Since 2017, separatists have been demanding the closure of schools and threatening or burning facilities that have remained open.
As a result, the number of pupils has fallen drastically and the majority of children in the Anglophone regions have not been to school for two or three years.
Although public schools are basically free, parents usually have to contribute to a school fund to maintain the building and pay the teachers.
In addition, there are costs for uniforms, shoes, books and writing materials, as well as for food and transportation.
For parents with several children, this can quickly add up and become an almost insurmountable hurdle. 
Hope and Life Cameroon brings refugee children back to school
Due to the proximity to the conflict zone, but the relatively unpolluted environment in the region, many refugees seek help and protection in the villages of Bekoko and Babenga, i.e. where KamerunGO! and its partner association Hope and Life Cameroon are building the health center.
Together with the Medical Network Cameroon and various local partners, Hope and Life has set itself the goal of enabling as many refugee children as possible to receive an education.
Within just 4 weeks, over EUR 15,000 was raised, which not only covered the school costs, but also provided books, uniforms, rucksacks, pens, geometry sets and calculators.
Thanks to the commitment of Hope and Life and its local partners, more than 500 children are now back in the classroom.
“This boy came across me on the way to the construction site [des Gesundheitszentrums], ran after me and thanked me for the backpack, uniform and books. He was over the moon.”
–
Samuel, Hope and Life board member
