Cash for NFI and Shelter Feasibility Study April 2019

Cash for NFI and shelter feasibility study April 2019

A study of the feasibility to use cash in the Noun and Menua departments of the Western Region of Cameroon for displaced persons.

By Emanuel Souvairan

Contents

Summary ...... 3 Methodology ...... 5 NFI markets ...... 9 NFI market price and stock data ...... 14

Rental markets ...... 21 Rental Market Summary ...... 22

Rental market analysis ...... 23

Host family arrangements ...... 36 Livelihoods and inclusion ...... 38 Preferences on the use of cash as a modality ...... 40 Transfer mechanism ...... 43

Annex 1: Enumeration team debriefing notes ...... 46 Annex 2: Risks analysis and mitigation matrix...... 52 Annex 3: Recommendations for Cameroon Red Cross ...... 53

Summary

Introduction

Since late 2016, protests and violence in Cameroon South-West and North-West regions (Anglophone Cameroon) has caused significant internal displacement and refugee flows into Nigeria. Government restrictions and civilian-targeted attacks by various armed actors has limited nearly all humanitarian access in these two regions.

The Western region of Cameroon has received a high number of displaced persons arriving from the South-West and North-West regions with few humanitarian actors present in this region. In the Western region displaced persons are residing with host communities, in either rental arrangements or host- family arrangements, both in urban and rural areas. The majority have travelled with few possessions, many have lost or have damaged identification documents, do not speak the local languages (or French) and are struggling to make ends meet.

To assess the feasibility of undertaking using cash as a modality for shelter and NFI assistance for displaced persons in the Western region of Cameroon a feasibility study was conducted by the Cameroon Red Cross with support from the Luxembourg Red Cross from the 13th and 21st of March 2019.

The study was conducted in both the Menua and Noun departments of the Western region of Cameroon and focused on markets for NFI’s, for rent (including hosting arrangements), preferences in terms of the use of modality, and the availability and suitability of certain financial service providers.

Additional analysis was conducted specifically for Red Cross programming in the annexes to this report. This additional analysis focused on the utilization of cash as a modality in combination with other modalities, transfer value calculation, a risk analysis and specific Source: OCHA Cameroon: North-West and South- recommendations on programmatic approaches, such West. Situation Report No. 05. April 15 2019 as for targeting.

Key Findings

Below are some of the key findings from the feasibility study:

Education is the number one spending priority should displaced persons have additional cash. This is closely followed by food as the second highest priority. The third priority is improved housing, followed by investing in livelihoods, health also features. There were very few mentions of NFI’s as a priority.

Cash would be the most suitable assistance modality as markets are generally functioning well and displaced persons can access services (although it was not defined to what extent). Cash is frequently mentioned as the most prohibitive factor for accessing goods and services.

From the perspective of the displaced, multipurpose cash would be most suitable for this context, as people need cash to cover a broad range of basic needs, many of which are essential to their fundamental rights and protection. The risks of not meeting basic needs by not giving multipurpose cash are very high. If we give other forms of assistance and do not give multipurpose cash, critical needs may not be met, such as lifesaving healthcare.

It is unlikely that the majority of an unrestricted and unconditional cash grant would be used for rent and/or NFI’s, even if ‘labelled’ and accompanied by dissemination work. However, a significant amount will be spent on these items (improved housing is listed as the third highest spending priority), as they constitute key components of the expenditure basket although it is not possible to predict the amounts.

As many are trying to invest in commercial activities, an up-front lump sum would help to start those activities and increase incomes, thus covering basic needs. Therefore a livelihoods component to the cash grant may be suitable depending on programmatic goals. This is listed as the fourth highest priority should displaced persons have additional cash.

Any form of cash assistance would need additional support services, such as for advocacy on rental rights, contracting, access to services, and prompt access to identity documentation.

Certain key listed NFI’s are not available in the market. These are mosquito nets, plastic sheeting and to a lesser extent Jerry Cans (20L). Depending on programmatic goals, and if these are deemed essential, they may have to be distributed.

Close cooperation and advocacy with the government is needed. Particularly relating to ensuring the provision of adequate quality housing stock and documentation.

It is unclear how best to respond to low housing stock, and further arrivals. For example, temporary shelters are not supported by any of the authorities. They also cannot be constructed in Santchou due to flooding. Land is available for sale/ rent in rural areas, with Santchou being another point of exception.

Mobile money was the delivery mechanism of choice for the majority of displaced persons interviewed. This would also be preferable due to security and safety concerns. However this risks excluding certain groups that lack identity documentation, have language difficulties or do not have a phone. Therefore significant help with documentation would be required (or acceptance a service provider to use a Red Cross issued temporary ID/ registration card in place of national ID for the opening of an account). Cash in hand could be used for those not able to access mobile money.

Methodology

The objective of this study was to inform an evidence based planning exercise that considers cash for shelter and NFI in the Western region of Cameroon.

This involved collecting information on the following areas:

1. Clarification on needs and preferences 2. Rental markets - availability, quality, prices and other influencing factors on the rental market and hosting arrangements 3. NFI market – availability, quality and prices 4. Availability of financial service providers/ money agents 5. Government support for the use of cash

As the Red Cross recently commissioned a needs assessment, only additional information that would complement this assessment was collected. In relation to needs and preferences, information was collected relating to the use of cash, rental markets and preferences on modality, transfer mechanism and financial service providers that were not included in the needs assessment. Methods

The following tools were used for this study:

• Observation(s) • Market mapping exercise(s) • Trader/ retailer interviews • Local government interviews • Community leader interviews • Household interviews • Landlord / rental agent interviews • Host family interviews

The following seven locations were visited between the 13th and 21st of March 2019.

Department Menua Noun Large towns Dschang Foumban Small towns Santchou Bangourain, Koutaba, Magba Village - Didango (Koutaba)

A mix of data collection tools were used, the below table contains a list of each tool, the interview language(s) used, respondent groups and the number of interviews that were conducted.

Questionnaire(s) Interview Respondents Number of language interviews held • Interview form on attitudes towards French Local government 10 government cash representatives • Interview form on rental market • Displaced household questionnaire English Displaced persons 68 displaced persons • Community leader questionnaire French / Community leaders 30 Community English (local & displaced) leaders • Host family questionnaire French / Hosting families 44 host family English representatives • Landlord/ rental agent questionnaire French Rental agents & 58 Landlords/ landlords rental agents • Questionnaire for Financial Service French Financial service 20 financial Providers providers service providers • Market mapping tool French Market traders & 52 retailers • Price and stock survey tool market 16 market • Questionnaire for market representatives representatives representatives 10 tools - 7 response groups 298 interviews

Sampling

For each respondent group a different approach was taken.

• For government officials, functionaries in key positions were selected for interview, including the mayor and prefect or sub-prefect. Additional interviews were held with officials whose portfolios included housing or markets. • Market representatives were chosen from the market president or other prominent figures. • Market traders were surveyed as exhaustively as possible, and in the smaller towns a majority of the traders dealing in the NFI core items specified were interviewed. In urban areas, main trading areas were selected along with specific sites where the local Red Cross chapter had identified many displaced people as residing there. • Community leaders were identified through the local Red Cross chapters and referrals from displaced persons during interviews • Displaced persons were identified from registration lists in some instances, and in others through visiting specific locations where it was known that displaced people resided, and then asking local people for referrals/ conducting door-to-door visits to identify displaced persons. This was done due to the fact that not all registration lists were up to date, and respondents were not always available at specific times. • Host families were identified through referrals from other interviews in addition to visits to specific locations and door to door visits to identify hosting families.

• Rental agents and landlords were similarly identified through referrals, by local Red Cross chapters and visits to specific areas. • When visiting each town, the enumeration teams varied their locations throughout the day in order to not have respondents only from one small geographical area.

In total 8 days were utilized for the data collection, with a team of 5 enumerators, a team leader enumerator and a supervisor. Additionally Red Cross chapter representatives accompanied the data collection team to facilitate introductions to the local government and community leaders.

Different enumeration teams were utilized for Menua and Noun except for the team leader and supervisor. The data collection team undertook the following schedule:

Week 1 – Menua  12th May – Overview of data collection tools and piloting with Menua enumeration team  13th May – Dschang  14th May – Dschang  15th May – Santchou  16th May – Santchou

Week 2 - Noun  17th May - Overview of data collection tools and piloting with Noun enumeration team  18th May – Bangourain  19th May – Magba  20th May – Koutaba (and nearby villages)  21st May – Foumban

Data collection was conducted from 8am – 4pm, followed by a team debriefing and planning for the next day. The team debriefs are included as Annex 1 to this report.

Above: Two Red Cross enumerators interview a community leader for the Anglophone community in Koutaba. In this picture the community leader is providing a list of displaced persons who have registered with him.

Data collection team and responsibilities

In general, the enumeration teams focused on specific respondent groups for the week (listed below) although this was adjusted for each day according to the context and the level of data collection progression per respondent group, with some enumerators undertaking additional lines of inquiry if needed.

Week 1 – Menua Enumerators Respondent groups Simo Yumsu Lisette Community leaders Nchonganyi Anunzo Therence Displaced persons Kengue Mekeng Falone Market traders & market representatives Noubissie Eric Financial Service providers Tetsaguim Modeste Landlords and rental agents Ngon Eloko Sandrine Host families Emanuel Souvairan Local Government

Week 2 – Noun Enumerators Respondent groups Nchonganyi Anunzo Therence Community leaders Yenou Fatima Host families Ndam Ibrahim Michau Landlords and rental agents Leinyuy Georgette Displaced persons Vepuassa Tanga Adidja Market traders and representatives Emanuel Souvairan Local Government Financial Service Providers Anna Soravito (for 3 days) Local Government

NFI markets

Above: The market in Bangourain during a market day. Out of the locations visited, Bangourain and Koutaba were visited during market days, when many additional market traders are present (in comparison to non- market days).

In total 52 retailers and 15 market representatives were interviewed. Additionally market mapping exercises were conducted for specific items by the enumeration team, these market maps were then revised with vendors and market representatives. Of the 52 retailers interviewed, eleven stated that they accepted payment through mobile money.

In summary, all of the markets for each item appear to be well integrated, with strong supply chains from Douala and a large number of distributers and warehouses in Bafoussam. Transport links are strong and responsive. Time to replenish stocks are short, with those that gave longer times indicating that this was due to the wait until there was sufficient stock required.

However not all items have sufficient market competition (potential for monopolies for some items in more remote locations).

This study focused exclusively on NFI and rental markets, however it should be noted also that availability, access and prices of food were not seen to be a problem by respondents.

The following non-food items were surveyed in the below table which contains a summary of findings. Detailed tables for each item are included on the following pages.

Item Availability Market Price Price Issues/ comments competitiveness range average Plastic Difficult to source, Very few vendors 2,400- Insufficie Issues with price, sheeting varying quality and found. 80,000 nt availability and lack of sizes. No price informati competitiveness consistency. on Mat (2 Widely available, Many retailers, 2,500- 3,158 There are no issues places) decent stocks. prices consistent 5,000 with this item. across locations Mattress Available in all towns, Few retailers in 15,000- 22,514 Prices vary with quality. (12cm) however limited smaller towns, 30,000 Some customers would stock in smaller lack of travel to larger towns towns competitiveness to buy mattresses. Some households interviewed would prefer this to be distributed instead of being given cash (if they are without mattresses) Blankets Widely available, Many retailers, 5,000- 15,411 There are no issues (2) decent stocks. prices consistent 30,000 with this item. Prices across locations vary according to quality. Bucket Widely available, Many retailers, 1,000- 1,275 There are no issues (15L) decent stocks. prices consistent 2,000 with this item. across locations Plastic Widely available, Many retailers, 400- 2,313 There are no issues basin decent stocks. prices (for similar 6,000 with this item. Prices quality and size) vary according to consistent across quality and size. locations Jerrycan Not widely available. Very few retailers 2,000- 3,011 Possible to buy, but (20L) Can be found in all in rural locations. 6,000 price could be inflated. locations but stocks Current stocks are low are low and prices due to a lack of vary. demand. Questionable as to whether this would be a priority purchase for households. Mosquito Can be found in very No competition as 2,500- 4,433 Issues with price, net few locations there is no real 7,800 availability and lack of (although on special market for competitiveness. There demand either mosquito nets is almost no stock in

through a pharmacy due to any location, including of small trader) – No distributions by urban areas. stock in most the government. locations (or 1-2 Hence very few available) vendors. Soap (1 Available in all areas Yes, lots of 175-300 269 Consistent prices – no bar) vendors and issues with this item, suppliers in all easy to access locations everywhere. Cooking Available in all areas. There is sufficient 4,000- 6,500 No issues33 with this65 pot (10L) Decent stocks. competition. 11,000 item. Prices vary according to quality but generally consistent across locations. Kettle Available in all areas. There is sufficient 500- 889 No issues with this Decent stocks. competition. 1,000 item. Sanitary Available in all areas Yes, in all 500- 603 Consistent prices – no towel locations 1,000 issues with this item

The following are key findings from the interviews and discussions held with market representatives, traders and discussions with people using the market places.

 In general, for each vendor, there low amount of stock for all items except for soap, due to low demand and lack of liquidity. In the cities (Dschang and Foumban), there is no problem accessing all products.  There were very few issues highlighted concerning the quality of products, with the exception of straw mattresses which have been purchased by some families as they are significantly cheaper than the foam mattresses. Some families complained that this left them with some discomfort following sleeping on these with one displaced person commenting that “you feel as though you have been beaten when you wake up”.  Respondents from the household interview with displaced persons did not indicate that they had many problems with accessing problems in the markets, prices and lack of money being the main obstacles (plus some differences with Above: Mattresses for sale in Koutaba regionality of foodstuffs).

Number of displaced persons Challenges highlighted by displaced persons responing to whether they find the relating to the market items that they need in the local “Everything is there, the biggest challenge is market (of 68 interviews) money” 60 55 50 “Local food from our home is not available” 40 “Mattresses are too expensive” 30 20 13 “They inflate prices for Anglophones” 10 0 “I fear to travel to the market because I do No Yes not have an identity card”

 Retailers will sometimes share stock amongst themselves when they need to (before bringing in deliveries)  Prices are fairly consistent across locations and vendors, with little differences between towns or regions. Prices quoted do vary, but there is also a possibility to negotiate.  In smaller towns, there is a low availability of 20 liter jerry cans. These can be found in sufficient stock in Foumban and Dschang.  It is very difficult and time-consuming to find vendors of plastic sheeting. Prices given varied greatly with varying sizes and qualities. This is not a common item in any of the markets surveyed.  It is very hard to find mosquito nets for sale, which has been stated as a priority item amongst displaced families

Left: Blankets for sale in Santchou. Right: Two mosquito nets for sale in the same shop. Mosquito nets are generally not sold in shops due to the government distributions.

 In general, the market system for most of the NFI materials listed is strong and well integrated in all areas, there are plenty of suppliers, the transport services and infrastructure is strong, and there is

competition in each market (even in the smaller towns). In the rural areas that were visited there are no markets for NFI’s, and people have to travel to the nearby towns to access the markets (as is the practice for the host population).  There is some discrimination on prices, with Anglophones frequently reporting in Foumban that they are charged higher rates in the market and subject to discrimination. However there is significant competition in this city that may offset this.  It is doubtful that the NFI’s specified on the list would all be bought by households. Their priorities are varied and include meeting basic needs of which NFI’s are one component. Mattresses were frequently mentioned as the most needed item followed by mosquito nets. However the purchasing of mosquito nets may not happen because there is a tendency to rely on government distributions (traditionally they are free), and there is a poorly

developed market with low stock, little competition and Above: NFI products for sale in Bangourain town on high prices. There is a risk that this would not be market day purchased despite the fact that this is frequently cited as a major issue amongst households due to a prevalence of mosquitos in many areas.

NFI market price and stock data Below is market data for each item. For plastic sheeting, it was not possible to obtain sufficient price data.

1. Plastic sheeting* Sourcing of Price (CFA) Current Full stock (Capacity) Time to replenish items stock stock Bafoussam 7000 20 200 Did not specify Douala 2400 per m2 One roll - 1 week Douala 80000 8 100 Did not specify Bafoussam 4000 2 - Did not specify

2. Mat (2 places) Sourcing of Price Current stock Full stock (Capacity) Time to replenish items (CFA) stock Bafoussam 3000 50 100 1 week Bafoussam 3000 28 - 1 week Bafoussam 3000 56 100 1 month Bafoussam 3000 38 200 1 month Bafoussam 3500 50 - 1 week Douala 3000 205 - 1 week Douala 2500 - - 1 week Douala 3000 - - 2 days Douala 3000 10 - 1-2 weeks Douala 3000 2 10 2 weeks Douala 2500 - - 2 days Did not specify 3000 70 100 Did not specify Bafoussam 3000 28 40 1 month Bafoussam 3000 45 80 1 month Bafoussam 3000 150 - 1 month Bafoussam 5000 50 - Did not specify Bafoussam 4000 100 - 1 week Bafoussam 3000 100 150 1 month Bafoussam 3500 50 100 Did not specify Average 3158 65 98

3. Mattress (12cm) Sourcing of Price Current stock Full stock (Capacity) Time to replenish items (CFA) stock Did not specify 29200 10 - Did not specify Did not specify 30000 100 200 Did not specify Douala 20000 55 200 1 week Douala 18000 65 170 2 days Douala 25000 20 50 1-2 weeks

Douala 15000 35 150 2 weeks Did not specify 23000 101 200 Did not specify Did not specify 27000 15 50 Did not specify Did not specify 20000 50 60 Did not specify Did not specify 22000 10 15 Did not specify Did not specify 25000 10 30 Did not specify Did not specify 18000 6 50 Did not specify Did not specify 25000 60 40 Did not specify Bafoussam 18000 60 - 1 month Average 22,514 43 101

4. Blankets (x2) Sourcing of Price Current stock Full stock (Capacity) Time to replenish items (CFA) stock Bafoussam 18000 30 80 1 month Bafoussam 18000 8 1 week Bafoussam 18000 25 10 1 month Bafoussam 11000 2 1 month Bafoussam 15000 5 20 1 month Bafoussam 15000 20 89 1 week Bafoussam 17000 10 1 week Douala 18000 15 100 1 week Douala 17000 30 1 week Douala 8000 70 1 week Douala 10000 29 100 3 days Bafoussam 7500 1 day Douala 13000 105 2000 1 week Douala 30000 79 250 5 days Douala 6000 30 250 1-3 days Dschang 10000 5 20 1 day Douala 5000 10 30 2 days Did not specify Did not specify Bafoussam 13000 7 20 1 day Bafoussam 18000 20 50 2 days Douala 12000 2 days Did not specify 18000 20 30 Did not specify Did not specify 18000 15 20 1 month Bafoussam 22000 18 30 1 month Bafoussam 20000 200 Did not specify Bafoussam 18000 80 1 month Bafoussam 18000 50 40 1 month Bafoussam 20000 10 10 1 week Bafoussam 18000 100 200 1 month Average 15,411 38 176

5. Buckets (15L) Sourcing of Price Current stock Full stock (Capacity) Time to replenish items (CFA) stock Douala 1000 30 200 1 week Bafoussam 1000 100 200 1 Month Bafoussam 1500 122 200 1 month Bafoussam 1000 24 1 week Douala 1500 100 1 week Bafoussam 1000 200 1 week Douala 1000 - 1 week Douala 2000 95 1 week Douala 1500 70 250 5 days Douala 1000 75 1000 2 weeks Douala 1000 86 1500 1 week Douala 1500 210 500 1 day Did not specify 1000 Did not specify Douala 1000 30 2 days Dschang 1200 10 50 1 day Dschang 1000 10 30 1 day Dschang 1300 10 60 1 day Dschang 1000 35 50 1 day Douala 1000 150 2 days Bafoussam 2000 100 200 1 month Bafoussam 2000 200 1 month Average 1,275 90 367

6. Plastic basin Sourcing of Price Current stock Full stock (Capacity) Time to replenish items (CFA) stock Douala 5000 20 100 1 week Bafoussam 3000 30 150 1 month Bafoussam 3000 50 80 1 month Bafoussam 2500 36 1 month Douala 5000 20 200 1 week Douala 3000 50 1 week Bafoussam 5000 145 1 week Douala 1500 1 week Douala 1000 38 1 week Douala 500 100 300 5 days Douala 400 60 2000 2 weeks Douala 1000 150 3000 2 weeks Douala 800 300 1000 2 weeks Douala 600 80 2500 1 week Douala 500 50 500 2 days Dschang 700 15 30 1 day

Dschang 800 10 50 1 day Dschang 700 15 60 1 day Dschang 500 25 50 1 day Did not specify 1500 Did not specify Bafoussam 4000 35 150 1 month Bafoussam 2500 80 1 week Bafoussam 6000 80 100 1 month Bafsoussam 6000 20 90 1 week Bafoussam 5000 40 60 1 month Average 2,313 65 607

7. Jerry Can (20L) Sourcing of Price Current stock Full stock (Capacity) Time to replenish items (CFA) stock Douala 6000 50 100 1 week Bafoussam 3000 30 40 1 month Bafoussam 6000 10 20 1 month Bafoussam 3000 48 Did not specify Douala 2000 30 1 week Douala 2000 30 1500 1 month Douala 2000 10 50 1 month Douala 3000 5 20 1 day Douala 2900 10 15 3 days Dschang 3200 5 10 1 day 3,011 20 236

8. Mosquito nets Sourcing of Price Current stock Full stock (Capacity) Time to replenish items (CFA) stock Bafoussam 3000 1 Did not specify Bafoussam 7800 0 On demand 1-2 days Did not specify 2500 4 1 day 4,433 2

9. Bar soap Sourcing of Price Current stock Full stock (Capacity) Time to replenish items (CFA) stock Bafoussam 270 2400 4200 1 month Bafoussam 270 3000 1 week Bafoussam 270 1200 1 week Bafoussam 250 2400 6000 1 week Bafoussam 290 3300 4800 1 month Douala 270 3900 1 week Bafoussam 200 100 3 days

Bafoussam 275 4 days Bafoussam 175 500 6000 2-3 days Douala 175 1000 5000 2-3 days Bafoussam 275 1000 5000 2 days Bafoussam 300 250 2500 1-2 days Did not specify 300 Did not specify Dschang 275 180 600 3 days Bafoussam 175 60 300 1 day Dschang 200 180 1200 1 day Did not specify 300 3600 6000 Did not specify Bafoussam 300 2400 3600 1 week Bafoussam 300 3600 3000 1 week Bafoussam 300 4080 6000 1 month Bafoussam 300 3000 1 month Did not specify 300 3000 Did not specify Bafoussam 300 1800 1 week Bafoussam 250 3600 6000 1 month Bafoussam 290 3000 18000 1 week Foumban 290 3600 Did not specify Bafoussam 330 1800 4200 1 week Bafoussam 300 3900 9000 1 month Average 269 2,187 5,078

10. Cooking pot (10L) Sourcing of Price (CFA) Current Full stock (Capacity) Time to replenish items stock stock Bafoussam 4000 60 200 1 week Bafoussam 5000 50 100 1 month Bafoussam 7000 30 40 1 month Bafoussam 5500 24 1 month Douala 6000 50 1 week Bafoussam 6000 50 1 week Douala 7000 45 1 week Douala 5000 (5L) 40 150 3 days Douala 6000 (6L) 30 50 2-3 weeks Douala 8000 (8L) 50 100 1 month Douala 14000 (15L) 30 100 2 weeks Douala 11000 10 30 1 month Douala 1200 (12L) 3 10 2-3 weeks Douala 4000 20 20 1 week Douala 6000 3 10 3 days Douala 7500 5 10 3 days Did not specify 6000 2 2 days Bafoussam 6000 100 200 1 month Bafoussam 6000 50 1 month

Bafoussam 8000 30 30 Did not specify Average (for 10L only) 6,500 33 65

11. Kettle Sourcing of Price Current stock Full stock (Capacity) Time to replenish items (CFA) stock Bafoussam 700 60 100 1 week Bafoussam 1000 100 2000 1 month Bafoussam 1000 30 1 week Bafoussam 800 32 1 week Bafoussam 1000 70 40 1 month Douala 1000 100 1 week Bafoussam 700 100 1 week Douala 650 100 500 5 days Douala 700 1 week Douala 700 4 Did not specify Douala 700 2 20 1-3 days Douala 800 7 50 2-4 days Douala 500 10 50 2-3 days Douala 1000 5 10 3 days Bafoussam 1200 10 10 1 day Douala 1200 2 10 3 days Did not specify 800 Did not specify Bafoussam 1000 106 200 1 week Bafoussam 1000 58 50 1 month Bafoussam 1000 200 Did not specify Bafoussam 1000 100 1 week Bafoussam 800 50 200 1 month Bafoussam 1000 20 30 Did not specify Average 889 55 244

12. Sanitary towel (packet) Sourcing of Price Current stock Full stock (Capacity) Time to replenish items (CFA) stock Bafoussam 500 50 100 1 month Bafoussam 500 60 1 week Bafoussam 500 25 1 week 500 30 60 1 month Bafoussam 500 50 150 1 week Bafoussam 500 20 1 week Douala 500 30 400 1 week Douala 500 28 1 week Bafoussam 600 50 100 1 day Douala 1000 20 2 days

Douala 850 1 week Bafoussam 600 100 500 4 days Douala 750 50 150 2 days Bafoussam 750 100 150 Did not specify Bafoussam 650 50 100 2-3 days Did not specify 600 10 50 1 day Did not specify 700 10 50 2 days Dschang 600 30 100 2 days Douala 1000 10 50 1 day Dschang 600 30 100 1 day Did not specify 600 Did not specify Did not specify 500 50 200 Did not specify Bafoussam 500 80 300 1 week Bafoussam 500 150 200 1 week Bafoussam 500 150 200 1 month Bafoussam 500 80 1 month Bafoussam 500 60 Did not specify Bafoussam 500 50 300 1 month Bafoussam 500 150 300 1 week Foumban 500 52 Did not specify Bafoussam 1000 50 100 1 month Bafoussam 500 60 100 1 month Average 603 56 171

Rental markets

Above: Images from housing in Santchou. Many displaced persons have difficult accessing potable water, and adequate sanitation facilities.

Rental Market Summary

 There is significant overcrowding with many people/ families occupying small spaces

 Living conditions are generally very poor, with people renting the lowest quality housing, sometimes renting accommodation that was not deemed fit-for-purpose by the local community (broken, damaged homes, with roofs that leak)

 Almost all agreements are verbal for rental properties. All agreements with host families are verbal

 Almost all payments are made cash-in-hand. Very few people receive receipts for payments (including for large advances in rental payments such as one year or six month advances) – as this is primarily done via cash-in-hand, there is no evidence that a transaction has happened.

 In general people are being exploited, renting the worst types of accommodation (sometimes previously abandoned or left idle due to poor conditions)

 Besides the overcrowding, specific issues relating to housing quality are:

o Lack of potable water, with many reporting their children have frequent stomach aches

o Poor quality sanitation facilitates (with some resorting to defecating in plastic bags)

o Poor quality doors, windows and locks, with resulting safety concerns

o Poor structural quality of dwelling, for example with leaking of roofs

 For some, rental prices have increased and will increase for others as demand increases

 There are wide variations on amounts being paid and how much advance should be paid. In some areas (such as Dschang) advances of one year to six months are more common, in some (Koutaba), they are very rare.

 In some contexts people are renting, and in some people are staying with family as well. In Santchou it is exclusively renting (or temporarily staying with displaced hosts). Some towns have significant Anglophone local populations (and friends and family) that are hosting displaced people.

The following pages contain results from the interviews with displaced persons with some additional information from interviews with community leaders.

It should be noted that the following information obtained is not representative.

Rental market analysis While interviews were held with landlords and community leaders (both IDP and host population community leaders), the most fruitful information obtained was from interviews with displaced persons. Community Leader Feedback

According to the community leaders interviewed, in general almost all payments are made through cash in hand. Unfortunately it was not possible to get reliable information on housing stock. No community leaders or government representatives have figures or can give confident estimates on housing stock figures and they can only speak in general terms. Estimates on prices, stock and availability vary and appeared unreliable. It was noted by all community leaders save some in Bangourain that everywhere the population is increasing. The figures on the population increases again vary greatly, even from community leaders who reside in the same each town.

With the exception of a few individuals (such as for Koutaba), community leaders do not have knowledge of the numbers of displaced within their broader localities, or even of local population numbers. They gave varying answers on housing prices, stock, and contractual issues for the same localities. It became clear that there is a lot of information that they do not have. Some community leaders are very involved with their communities while some were not aware of the situation of those that they represent.

Similarly government officials do not have this information. Therefore the results of the answers of community leaders should be regarded with caution. There was similarly no consensus or availability of information on the number of people who were renting, or living with host families or in other arrangements. Some community leaders were reluctant to provide estimates on numbers living in different dwellings and it was clear that they struggled to answer this question.

Accomodation arrangement disclosed by displaced persons interviewed (from displaced person interviews) 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Living Living Living Living Living Living with Rental with with Rental Rental with Rental with Rental with Rental host host host host host host Bangourain Didang Dschang Foumban Koutaba Magba Santchou Total 2 7 1 1 8 7 3 7 5 5 3 19

Finding a place to stay

From the interviews with displaced persons, the main listed reason for selecting the town where people are residing is security. This is followed by whether or not family are there. The third criteria most selected was education, followed by cost of living (which was not selected for larger towns as well as for smaller towns). Other reasons given were having friends in the location, access to healthcare, proximity to home, access to livelihoods and familiarity with the location.

Main reasons for selecting location

19 14 10 9 6 6 5 2

Total Security 36 Family 19 Education 14 Cheaper to live here 10 Friends 9 Healthcare 6 Proximity to home 6 Livelihoods 5 Familiarity with location 2

Below are responses from the interviews with displaced persons on whether they plan to stay where they are for the next 12 months or not. Many found this difficult to answer due to the ongoing conflict and a lack of certainty on when this may end.

Plan on staying Bangourain Didang Dschang Foumban Koutaba Magba Santchou Total next 12 months? No 2 1 5 5 6 4 9 32

Yes 6 4 2 3 3 13 31 Grand Total 8 1 9 7 9 7 22 63

The below table captures the reasons that were given for staying, and reasons given for those that said they would be going back.

Reasons to given to stay Reasons given to go back We are not sure when the crisis will stop Cannot afford to rent I have nowhere else to go Resettle elsewhere But if things calm down we will go back Would like to move to bigger property due to overcrowding I have already bought a plot here If the conflict ends we will go back See if it is possible to buy land and build No toilet or kitchen For the sake of peace No drinking water All our homes have been burnt to ashes Getting too expensive After what I have seen I cannot go back Because it is not nice here / Living condition is not good Food is cheap Landlord refuses to do repairs, no respect for me Low cost of transportation There are no jobs here, so will have to look elsewhere To go and do business Partially accepted in the community There is nowhere like home

In general displaced people who were interviewed managed to find places to live relatively quickly with most finding their current home within the first four weeks, first often staying with a host family temporarily while looking for a place to stay. Number of weeks for displaced persons to find a place to live 30 26 25 23

9 10

4 5

0 1 2to4 5to12 More than 12 (blank)

Most of those interviewed have been residing in a property between 6-12 months duration. The majority are living in the first property they were able to access. For those renting, many first stayed with friends, or family before finding somewhere. In general, it did not take more than a few weeks for people to find places to stay, although that may become more difficult as property availability decreases.

How displaced persons accessed properties (displaced person interviews) 25 21 20

15 15

10 8 6 5 1 0 0 Ask in the Community Family Friends (blank) Landlords community leaders

In interviews with community leaders, the community leaders indicated that it a similar process to that of locals for accessing properties in the area. For some they highlighted the fact that they are outsiders, and face some stigmatization. Typically community leaders mentioned the first port of call for displaced people arriving would be with friends or family, with community leaders. Many of the community leaders indicated that people simply ask in the neighborhood regarding the availability of housing.

Community leaders responses to the question 'is the process for accessing housing different for displaced people?" 16 15 14 12 10 8 7 6 4 2 0 No Yes (blank)

In addition, community leaders indicated that documentation requirements are different for displaced persons, with nine community leaders mentioning that identity cards were needed, and five stating that no documentation was needed.

Community leaders response to the question "is the same documentation needed for IDP's and host to access properties?" 25

0 No Yes (blank)

Types of rental agreements

In general almost all rental agreements are verbal. Of those displaced persons interviewed, there are some written agreements for a few household respondents who were renting in the Menua region (Dschang and Santchou). Living illegally

18 community leaders said that displaced persons were not living illegally, while 11 said that they were. Of those respondents, eight of the 31 community leaders mentioned that displaced persons are living in abandoned buildings, with others mentioning some displaced sleeping in the streets or in churches and other public places illegally.

Community leaders' responses as to whether some displaced persons were living illegally in their community 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Total

Magba Magba

Didango

Koutaba Koutaba

Dschang

Santchou Santchou

Foumban Foumban

(Magba)

Bangourain Forouongain No Yes (blank)

Rental prices

Prices disclosed by households. Below are the average rental costs according to the number of rooms rented as disclosed by displaced households.

Average prices for rental properties from displaced persons interviews

1 room 2 rooms 3 rooms 4 rooms 5 rooms 8 rooms Total 5125 10464 12000 12500 25000 40000

The below are the averages of the 31 community leader interview estimates. The estimates in prices ranged quite significantly. As the number of people interviewed was very small, it would not be feasible to analyse per location.

The table is broken down by type of dwelling. In most locations displaced persons are predominantly renting simple one room, or studio apartments, however some are renting larger apartments and houses. In general the standard is low, and most do not have modern facilities. Roughly half of those being rented have mud floors, with un-plastered walls. Below are price estimates (CFA) according to the different types.

Average of cost estimates given by community leaders for housing types in their communities Classification Chambre Chambre Studio Studio Appartement Maison simple moderne simple moderne Type of Simple one- One room Simple Modern Apartment (3 Standalone dwelling room (no with indoor studio (2 studio (2 rooms or house (3 indoor bathroom/ rooms with rooms with more) with rooms or bathroom/ toilet no indoor bathroom/ bathroom more) with toilet) bathroom) toilet) and indoor bathroom kitchen Average 5,839 14,000 13,295 20,667 24,389 28,158 prices

Price data per displaced household respondent

Below is more detailed rental price data from the household interviews with displaced persons broken down per number of rooms and location. The majority of the properties were in a poor condition and could be classified as ‘simple’ in not having indoor toilets or washing facilities. Foumban had the highest rental prices observed while Magba the lowest.

Location Number of rooms Total number of occupants Monthly rental amount Dschang 1 room 14 5,000 Dschang 1 room 15 8,500 Koutaba 1 room 3 5,000 Koutaba 1 room 2 5,000 Magba 1 room 6 3,000 Santchou 1 room 15 5,000 Santchou 1 room 8 5,000 Santchou 1 room 2 5,000 Santchou 1 room 8 5,000 Santchou 1 room 2 5,000 Santchou 1 room 6 5,000 Santchou 1 room 5 5,000 Bangourain 2 rooms 10 10,000 Foumban 2 rooms 4 10,000 Foumban 2 rooms 6 10,000 Foumban 2 rooms 6 10,000 Foumban 2 rooms 15 20,000 Koutaba 2 rooms 10 10,000 Koutaba 2 rooms 2 15,000 Magba 2 rooms 5 6,000 Santchou 2 rooms 7 5,000 Santchou 2 rooms 8 7,500 Santchou 2 rooms 7 10,000 Santchou 2 rooms 6 10,000 Santchou 2 rooms 7 10,000 Santchou 2 rooms 6 13,000 Bangourain 3 rooms 20 30,000 Foumban 3 rooms 6 6,000 Koutaba 3 rooms 7 4,000 Koutaba 3 rooms 7 15,000 Magba 3 rooms 6 5,000 Foumban 4 rooms 20 15,000 Magba 4 rooms 4 10,000 Bangourain 5 rooms 19 25,000 Bangourain 8 rooms 25 40,000

Rental price increases

As the number of displaced persons rises, and populations increase, there is a genuine concern that housing stocks will become very limited and that prices will rise. In some locations displaced persons have already faced increases in rental prices. Below is the number of displaced persons responding to the question “over the last 12 months has the amount that you have paid in rent changed?” In Santchou there has been a noticeable number of reported increases in rent.

Number of displaced persons reporting an increase or continuation in rental price

10 9 9 8 8 7 Bangourain 7 6 6 Dschang 6 5 5 Foumban 4 3 Koutaba 3 2 Magba 2 1 1 1 1 Santchou 0 Increased Same

The below table contains responses of documented rental increases from interviews with displaced persons.

Location Number of Type of Previous New rental Given reason for rental rooms agreement rental amount amount increase 2 rooms Written 10,000 13,000 Increase in demand Santchou informal 2 rooms Verbal 5,000 7,500 Increase in population Santchou 1 room Written 3,000 5,000 Increase in population Santchou informal 1 room Verbal 2,000 5,000 Increase in population Santchou 5 rooms Verbal 20,000 25,000 Too many persons in same Bangourain house 3 rooms Verbal 3,000 5,000 People are coming Magba 2 rooms Verbal 6,000 10,000 Too much population Foumban

In addition, displaced persons were asked their thoughts regarding the upcoming 12 months and whether they felt that rental prices would be increased for them.

Displaced persosns response to the question 'In the next 12 months, how will rental prices change?'

10 9 9 Bangourain 8 7 7 Didang

6 5 Dschang 5 4 4 4 Foumban 4 3 3 3 Koutaba 3 2 2 2 Magba 1 Santchou 0 Increase Same (blank)

The most notable difference was for Dschang where all displaced persons interviewed stated that their rent would increase.

The main reasons attributed to this increase is continued arrivals, the rise in the number of displaced persons and thus population increase, overcrowding of houses. Two people stated that they pleased successfully with the landlady to keep the rent the same amount. Payment mechanism and rental agreements

Mechanism used for rental payments by displaced persosns interviewed 60

0 Cash in hand In-kind services Mobile money Other Bank transfer (blank) Total 48 12 2 1 1

Almost all payments are made by cash-in-hand, even for large sums covering six months to one year of rent. Agreements for rent are with landlords, and almost all pay the landlords directly.

Receipt given for payment of rent (from displaced persons interviews) 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 43 15 10 5 8 0 No Yes (blank)

Of the displaced persons interviewed, 32 respondents did not have to pay a fee to access their property, while 11 respondents did. The amounts ranged between 5,000 and 20,000 for the fees (not deposits or cautions but fees to middle men, agents, community leaders or landlords themselves). One individual gave an in-kind donation of soap as a contributory fee. Income and expenditure (for rent)

Income varied widely amongst displaced persons interviewed, from nothing, to those earning between 5,000 per week and 75,000 per week (as a household). In general income is low. With an average reported weekly income recorded as 11,523. Many did not earn much and did therefore not report their income, so this figure is higher than the reality. The sample size of respondents was also extremely small, so this should not be taken as an accurate figure.

How much displaced people can afford to rent varies widely based on socio-economic status, people’s current livelihoods situation and family support networks.

Estimation by displaced households of amount of monthly rent

they can afford to pay (CFA) 14

8 6 13 11 4 9

2 4 3 3 2 0 1 1 1 1 1 32 0 5000 10000 3000 15000 6000 4000 4500 3500 25000 8500 1000 (blank)

While advances can be common, only 5 respondents indicated that they had to pay a deposit. Four had to pay a caution of 10,000 CFA while one had to pay 30,000 CFA. This was mainly in case anything was damaged. Some have services included in the rent but many do not. Those that do the most common is electricity followed by water. Most have to organize for this independently of the rental amount. Evictions

While there were several displaced persons respondents who claimed that they managed to negotiate to not be evicted though pleading with their landlord, five respondents reported being evicted from their homes. The reasons given were that following:

1. The host family had a dispute 2. Overcrowded in same house 3. Cannot pay rent 4. The state of the house was not good and comfortable 5. High cost of rent

From the community leader interviews, 12 community leaders said that there were evictions in their community, while 17 said that, to their knowledge, there were no evictions in their communities. The most common reason for evictions given by community leaders was a failure to pay rent.

In interviews with displaced persons, most indicated that they did not have a problem with their landlord or neighbours:

Problems with landlord or neighbours? No 44 Yes 9

Of those displaced persons who did have problems, the following issues were highlighted:

 Toilet, cuisine  Non-payment of rent  My load (financially) is more than me. I am restless, I have no food.  Insults, refusal to repair house because it is destroyed on top. If I complain I have to leave.  Late payment of rent  Land dispute, and over drinking water  Asking for advance payment  Payment of electricity bills  Late payment of rent  They call us terrorists

Community leaders highlighted many issues for displaced persons both for rental and hosting properties, most notable being the poor quality sanitation, lack of potable water, structural problems

33 with the buildings being rented, lack of space, lack of privacy and security concerns. All of these issues were frequently mentioned by the majority of the community leaders interviewed and it is clear that these are widespread issues.

Displaced persons responses to the question: If you couldn't live in current location where would you go? 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Cheaper Stay in Stay with Beg for rental Go back Nowhere Don't Host Live on the bush Change friends/ land to I will die (blank) accomod home to go know family street at the town family build ation war zone Total 19 14 9 5 4 4 2 1 1 1 1

Half of displaced persons surveyed (26) stated that they borrowed money to pay rent while the other half (25) stated that they did not. For those that do borrow, more than half borrow from friends (14 people), with other borrowing from family (5), savings and loans associations (3), neighbours (3) community leaders (1) and an employer (1). Negative coping mechanisms

While negative coping mechanisms were not discussed in any questionnaires, from discussions with displaced persons and community leaders families are resorting to withdrawing children from school, are avoiding medical treatment at critical moments, are drinking dirty water, and resorting to exploitative working practices, including prostitution, to cover their family’s basic needs.

Housing stock

It was not possible to get detailed housing stock information, and it became clear that estimates were not accurate as they varied significantly between different respondents, with many indicating they had only an impression. What is clear is that the housing stock is limited, and that prices are increasing, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a place to stay. Below are community leader’s responses to the question of whether their community could accommodate a doubling of the displaced population in terms of accommodation.

Community leaders response to the question "If the displaced population doubled, would there be enough housing stock to accomodate them?"

4 4

3 3

2 2 2

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Forouongain Bangourain Didango Dschang Foumban Koutaba Magba Santchou (Magba) Don't know 1 No 1 1 1 3 2 2 3 Yes 4 1 2 1 1 1 4 (blank)

One community leader for Koutaba noted “There are houses for rent but IDP's do not have money for it. Since the demand for houses is increasing, some of the IDP's come past Koutaba and go very far into the villages”.

Another community leader for Santchou noted that “many abandoned houses are undergoing renovations. Renovations are done by the landlord upon advance payment by the displaced person.”

Host family arrangements

44 interviews were conducted with hosting families, through a host family questionnaire. Of the 44 host family interviews, almost all were either family or friends of the displaced persons that they were hosting.

Relationship of displaced persons with host family 25

0 Mixed (Family and Family Friends No relationship Friends) Total 21 20 2 1

Reasons given for selecting that particular host family:

 We are very close  Old school friends  Neighbours from our village  Close family  Business partners  Close friends / colleagues

For the host families interviewed, there were no written hosting agreements and all hosting agreements were verbal only. The conditions of the housing varied but most were complete structures, with unpainted walls (35 out of 44), 23 with cement floors and 21 with mud floors. In general the conditions are overcrowded. Below are the figures for number of residents with number of rooms.

Size of Number of Average of total number of people Average of number of property properties surveyed currently residing in the property displaced persons currently (Rooms) residing in the property 2 rooms 12 13 5 3 rooms 12 15 7 4 rooms 12 11 5 5 rooms 4 14 6 6 rooms 3 10 4 8 rooms 1 16 6 Average - 13 6

Contributions/ payments made by displaced families to hosting family 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Nothing Services Money Total 34 6 4

Of the money paid, two were ad hoc, when they can contribute, and two were monthly and more akin to rental agreements.

When asked how long hosting arrangements could continue, all 44 hosting family households interviewed indicated that the displaced family could stay for over 24 months (the longest timeframe they could select) and showed immense goodwill towards those staying with them. While in Dschang there were some reports of difficulties with hosting families, as the majority are friends or family in general the situation is amicable. The biggest concern besides overcrowding and a lack of privacy was the increased burden on the head of household to provide additional food and the increased costs of hosting people.

Money is the largest issue for housing. In addition, almost all of the families interviewed stated that the greatest additional challenge in the rental market was the lack of housing availability.

Livelihoods and inclusion  In all contexts access to commercial opportunities and employment are there. But there is some discrimination (in Bangourain Anglophones were denied trading spots, in Santchou Anglophones not able to rent land – and instead have to work the local populations land for between 800-1,500 per day)  There is discrimination, there were beatings in Bangourain (versions differ), in Santchou people are being exploited for work and in Foumban they are subject to verbal abuse and have to pay higher prices in the market place.  Many displaced persons would like to start business activities, but do not have the money to do so  Except for Santchou, in rural areas people can rent or buy land to cultivate

Left: A displaced lady in Santchou selling items in the local market. Right: A displaced gentleman who has established his shop in Magba. Both are trying to startup businesses in their new locations. This is hard for many due to a lack of startup capital and the discrimination that they face. Level of integration

The level of perceived integration and discrimination varied according to each town. In Dschang and Koutaba, both have significant long-term Anglophone populations and some displaced persons felt more at ease there (although in Dschang, some still answered that they did not feel part of the community). In Santchou and Bangourain, displaced persons felt that it was harder to integrate and that there is discrimination, whereas in Magba, the population is from a similar background and have less trouble integrating. Alongside Santchou, the most difficult location for people to integrate appeared to be Foumban, where displaced Anglophones felt particularly high levels of discrimination.

Displaced persons responses to the question "do you feel part of the community" 16 14 12 10 8 6 (blank) 4 2 No 0 Bangourain Didang Dschang Foumban Koutaba Magba Santchou Yes (blank) No 1 4 2 7 Yes 7 1 5 5 9 10 14

With regards to how safe people felt, while the majority of displaced people interviewed stated that they now feel safe and well accepted in their communities (see below), there were a number of people who said no. In addition it was noted by the enumerators that this question was not easy for all respondents to answer, and some who said yes, displayed some hesitation/ reservations regarding their answer. There may have been several factors which were considered in this answer, including displaced community dynamics. This may be why in Foumban, displaced persons interviewed felt significant discrimination from the host community but the majority still opted to answer yes to the question of whether they felt part of the community.

Do you feel safe living here?

60 49

20 13 Total

0 No Yes (blank)

The following reasons were given as to why displaced people did not feel safe where they were living:

 Don't know who will come tomorrow  No freedom  High level of criminality  House is dilapidated, no fence, gate or iron doors  Doors are not solid  I am a mature man and should have a place of my own  When there is theft we get accused  Bandits and thieves are here  They have threatened to send us packing  Insecurity  People calling us refugees, Ambers and Anglofou's  Cannot speak freely. We are verbally abused, even in the market

Preferences on the use of cash as a modality

The local authorities’ perception of cash

From the interviews held with senior government representatives for each location visited, in general there is support for the use of cash. There were no expressed concerns on the redirection of cash back into the area of conflict, or on the misuse of cash by households themselves.

One official did raise the fact that they would prefer in-kind, but once they had discussed the feasibility they were more amenable to the use of cash as this was a modality that they had not ever really considered.

Many felt that this could help to address the housing issues, stimulate the local economy and markets and help people to develop livelihoods. Cash for income generating activities was mentioned by several government representatives as something that the Red Cross should consider.

The largest issues raised by the government were on transparency and accuracy of assisting those most vulnerable and ensuring that those who are most vulnerable are included on up-to-date distribution lists. One government representative did mention alcoholism and misuse of funds as a potential concern. Displaced households perception of cash

In general cash is seen very favorably and most displaced persons would prefer to receive cash over other forms of assistance. However, there are many barriers that leave some displaced persons concerned about the use of cash as an assistance modality.

Displaced persons on what modality or combination of modality they would prefer 50 47 45 40 35 30 25 20 18 15 10 5 2 0 Cash Combination In-kind (blank)

Examples of frequently given responses by displaced persons for the use of cash as a modality

 I will have a choice

 We know what to prioritise  To start up/ develop a small business  To finance house and education needs  With cash I can buy my needs and pay rent  I know what I need at all moments  Facilitate access to services  To construct a home  For education, health, food and small business  With cash we can get better accommodation  We already have mattresses and mosquito nets

Displaced persosns on anticipated Concerns/ reasons raised for the use of problems with the use of cash. other modalities 48 - No problems anticipated  Prices are high, quality is low  Some things might be cheaper if you 12 - Yes, problems anticipated buy them yourself and distribute Reasons given: Insecurity and theft.  Cash may be mismanaged

Below are the stated spending priorities of displaced persons should they receive or have additional cash to spend.

1st priority should displaced persons have additional cash 25 23

20 15 15 13 11 10 5 5 1 0 Improved Invest in Education Food Health NFI's housing livelihoods Total 23 15 13 11 5 1

2nd priority should displaced persons have additional cash

25 23

20 17

15 12 11 10

5 2 1 1 0 Improved Invest in Food Education Health Water NFI's (blank) Housing livelihoods Total 23 17 12 11 2 1 1

3rd priority should displaced persons have additional cash 17 17 18 16 16 14 12 10 8 6 6 4 4 3 3 2 0 Improved Invest in Health Food Education Water NFI (blank) Housing livelihoods Total 17 17 16 6 4 3 3

Transfer mechanism

Following in-depth discussions with the main financial service providers in all the localities visited, and discussions with displaced persons and in the marketplaces, the following conclusions were made:

 Mobile money is in all the towns, and vendors are common place. However there are liquidity issues in all smaller towns. Express Exchange was present in all the towns and mobile money can be withdrawn through them.  Mobile money and mobile transfer agents are in all locations, and there is significant competition. However in more rural areas outside of the towns this is not available.  Most mobile agents only speak French and language has been mentioned as a barrier by some.  Agents would not reveal liquidity, but Express exchange has the capacity for 2-3 million CFA withdrawals in one day. There were concerns amongst people surveyed that there is not always enough cash for withdrawals. This is not an issues in Dschang or Foumban, but it is for the smaller towns. However agents can travel to the nearby cities to retrieve cash and this normally takes a few hours. In general this sector is growing rapidly.  Almost all property owners prefer to receive cash-in-hand, as do traders. It is possible to make payments with mobile money, although this is still very much a cash based economy.  Many would prefer mobile money (Orange for Noun, MTN for Menua) but some would prefer cash-in-hand. The reasons for some preferring cash-in-hand is lack of documentation, no mobile phone or not being familiar with the technology (some elderly were unsure). However in general mobile money is seen as more secure and preferable  Documentation is an issue everywhere, with some people not having identify documents (or they are damaged). They are paying inflated fees to have new ones and many experience issues here. Also because many lack birth Above: An example of an identity card that has certificates. been damaged with the Cameroonian flag removed. This has been done to many as they were fleeing the conflict.

Estimation of the most popular FSP amongst displaced population (from interviews with displaced persons) by location:

Econome MTN Orange Express First Trust Mobile of the mobile mobile (blank) Union Bank Money hospital money money Bangourain 2 6 Didang 1 Dschang 1 1 4 3 Foumban 3 4 Koutaba 7 2 Magba 1 3 6 Santchou 1 16

Second most popular:

MTN Orange Express Express Western mobile Nextel mobile (blank) Exchange Union Union money money Bangourain 5 2 1 Didang 1 Dschang 1 4 1 1 Foumban 1 1 3 1 1 Koutaba 1 1 7 Magba 1 1 5 3 Santchou 1 5 1 9

Below are reponses on the use of mobile money from displaced persons interviews:

Do you use mobile money? Reasons given for not using mobile money: 60 52 50 • Lack of documentation 40 • SIM card registered with someone 30 else 20 11 • I have had no use for it 10 • No account 0 Total • Still to create account No 11 • Charges Yes 52 (blank)

Do displaced people in the Major issues mentioned as reasons for not accessing financial service community have problems providers: accessing financial service providers? • Lack of ID cards

38 • No mobile phone 40 • Not enough liquidity to warrant 30 25 an account 20 • Too far away 10 • No service in English 0 • Do not know how to use this No Yes (blank)

Annex 1: Enumeration team debriefing notes

The below are the notes from the daily debriefs that were held with the enumeration team after field work was completed. This involved each enumerator recounting their experience during the interviews and any specific and general observations made during the field work, which other enumerators could then add to. Following the completion of field work in both Menua and Noun, a longer summary debrief was held with the team to get general perceptions and observations. These debriefs helped to capture additional information that was not included in the data collection forms but could inform the study.

13th May 2019 – Dschang

 Most displaced are living in very poor conditions, including in sub-standard accommodation and are overcrowded  There is not enough stock at the low end of the market to accommodate current or increased demand  There is stock at the higher end (e.g. for modern rooms or studios, apartments and houses), but displaced persons cannot afford this market  There are very few jerry cans at 20 liters in the market, this is because most people keep theirs for a long time, so the demand is low. It takes one week for suppliers to order this and receive. One vendor has a large stock.  Generally most traders have very low amounts of stock, due to a lack of capital. They all source their material directly from Douala, but when low on stock will share across traders (supply each other)  The delegate for housing indicated that the government are in the process of building affordable housing, although this is unlikely to be at the lower end of the market or affordable to displaced persons  Prices are very variable, as there is a vast difference in quality, but each vendor has their own price, and this can also change based on customer type.  Only one person in Dschang sells plastic sheeting at 2,400 per m2, and this must be pre-ordered.  Rental agreements are predominantly oral, there are very few written agreements (either formal or informal)  This is a strong Cash-Based society, for paying rent, landlords prefer to receive cash-in-hand, even at the high end of the market  For students 1 years advance must be paid for rent. For families it is common practice to ask for six months’ rent in advance. 14th May 2019 – Dschang

 Overcrowding is rife, houses are overpopulated and often in very poor conditions.  Most people who are hosted are family members, or from the same village as the host family. They have strong connections, and are willing to host them for the foreseeable future. Although this is not the case for some.  One displaced person interviewed couldn’t host us at their home, because they were not allowed by the host family, this person has to work for the family (house chores) in order to use

the shelter. Before being hosted they were strangers. He has been evicted twice, because of quarrels between the host family heads of household.  Families are often split up, with some staying with relatives in Dschang, but other family member elsewhere, due to overcrowding  It varies on payments and contributions, but many stay for free with hosts until they can find another solution, of those now renting, some were first staying with relatives until a solution could be found  Identity documents are an real issue, particularly in relation to accessing mobile money accounts, those without identity documents feel that they are being exploited (charges are a lot more)  Some are providing services (such as labor) to pay / contribute to rent  Some feel prejudice when spending as Anglophones. They feel they are charged more and exploited both for rent and for buying items.  Displaced people are happy with what they can access in the market, they can find what they need. Only money is an issue.  Most of people interviewed have MTN and younger people have mobile money (a few are reluctant to open an account because it costs to do this)  Mosquito nets in selected pharmacies and very expensive. People are used to receiving distributions. They are given for free by the hospital at pre-natal checks. Distributions will be end of March for the whole population in Cameroon. Displaced people who are on lists will be included in distributions for Menua.  Prices are higher for single items / small number of items, but buying in bulk is much cheaper  Mostly verbal agreements. Even for rent. A few have informal written agreements, wealthier displaced people have formal contracts.  Spending priorities for extra cash, education and food rank highest, followed by ‘improved housing’. 15th May – Santchou

 Serious issues with registration, many people have not been registered  No formal structures for the rental market and no government overview, they don’t know how many properties are in Santchou, and how many people are renting  There are a lot of women with children who are without their husbands  Documentation is a problem for some people  Money is the no 1 issue for people  Mobile money easy to access  Most are renting homes, not a lot are hosting, if they are it is mostly displaced persons hosting displaced for a short time before they start renting  No 20 litre Jerry cans are available  Prices for rental properties are increasing  Very few people have mosquito nets and there are a lot of mosquitos  It is harmonious in general, there is good social cohesion  MTN is the most popular network amongst the displaced Anglophone population (mainly due to the fact that services and support are in English)  3 shops for mattresses only

 Displaced people who are renting do not feel that they are being treated well  Some people have to pay advances for a rental property before it is finished / ready to be used  There is discrimination on the price of potable water, displaced people are paying for water that locals do not have to pay for  There is a low stock for products generally (because of a lack of capital) but the supply chain is strong and responsive, so products can be brought in fairly quickly (from Douala or Baffousam)  There are a large amount of wholesalers and stockists in Baffoussam

16th May – Santchou

  Many people go to Santchou because it is cheaper  The conditions that some people are staying in are severely poor condition, particularly for water and sanitation  Many houses are in poor conditions, made from substandard materials, many are broken and almost all are unfinished  Rent is going up, some examples from 3,000-5,000, from 10,000 to 15,000.  If people cannot pay they are kicked out, many resort to borrowing money to pay rent  Most are having to resort to daily labour as agriculturalists and are paid from 800 to 1,500 per day for a full days labour.  People are still arriving and the number of displaced is increasing  When people cannot pay, they also offer labour in return  People are threatened when not paying rent, stigmatized and called rebels  Despite it being generally harmonious there is a lot of disrcrimination. Examples of discrimination. People not given tickets for a market stall because they are Anglophone.  Prostitution is happening, one lady did this in order to send her children to school  Language is a problem for using express union, they only speak French (which is a challenge for receiving remittances)  Some people have requested agricultural inputs, so they can farm  Some can get land, but most are refused and have to work other people’s land for very low wages  Mobile money is there, but the amount of cash for withdrawal is low, sometimes they run out of cash. However even the smallest traders accept mobile money (for items such as tomatoes)  The only formal mobile money shop is Orange  Outside of the main town centre, there are no/ few mobile money agents/ places to withdraw  Registration and the distribution process were both handled badly, with many not understanding why they were not registered and didn’t recieve  Some people are getting sick from poor quality water (many mentioned that their children have stomach aches from the local water)  One shop is selling plastic sheets at minimum of 8,000 (for a used plastic sheets)  There is some discrimination, for example some displaced have said that they are accused by host community of crimes they did not commit (because they are Anglophones)  It is not clear what modality they prefer, or the mechanism, some would like in-kind goods, some cash. Some would prefer cash in hand, some mobile money.

 People want to do small businesses/ commercial activities and some mentioned they would use cash for this  Straw mattresses are not available only foam, which are more expensive. People would prefer straw.  Some have to pay 6-12 months’ rent, but some have not had to  Types of agreements for rental properties vary widely, majority don’t have contracts. Those who do are better off.  Lots of traders accept mobile money (including small stalls)  Some do not feel part of the community because of differences in culture Differences between Dschang and Santchou

 Dschang is a more expensive  There is a significant displaced population in Dschang that have a network/ family in the town (hence why there is a lot more hosting)  There is better quality accommodation in Dschang  Water and sanitation is much worse in Santchou  Flooding is a problem in Santchou. As are mosquitos’s. Tents would not be feasible due to flooding.  There is agricultural work in Santchou, but many daily labour options in Dschang (cleaning, guarding etc.)  The middle class are in Dschang, rather than Santchou  Stock for higher quality housing in Dschang that is available  There is no stock for higher quality housing in Santchou  There is little stock for poor quality housing in either place Key questions posed to the enumeration team

1. Can we do cash? Yes, this would be the best modality, it will give people a choice. They have so many pressing needs that cash can help them to prioritize. No conditions should be placed on this. However, some support would be needed, and some specific items may be distributed instead (for example mosquito nets).

Market competition can be there for items, even if there is little competition amongst traders in Santchou, the market network, supply chain and systems are strong.

2. What mechanism would be best? Mobile money (MTN preferable to displaced persons), for transparency and safety, but some people don’t have phones or documentation. Hence work would be needed to either to get the service provider/ government to agree to issue SIM cards without government ID (perhaps Red Cross issued displacement / registration document). Other option is pushing government to issue free/ quick ID cards. Or cash in hand for some (as a last option). Training / and a support line would need to be provided for some people unfamiliar with how to use this. If the withdrawal capacity is low. We can stagger mobile money payments and work with the FSP to ensure liquidity.

3. Targeting Should be done involving the community. Should not do blanket assistance as some people are less vulnerable (e.g. civil servants still on government payroll). There is a need to have transparency throughout the targeting process, to involve IDP community leaders in the development of eligibility

49 criteria, but the Red Cross should make final decision on eligibility/ through a social panel. Scoring against set criteria could work. Should be strong complaints and redress mechanism in place.

18th May – Bangourain

- Sub-prefect in favour of using cash as a modality - Health and finance problems - Landlords want the government to give money for construction - People are struggling to pay rent, some people are defaulting/ not paying rent - The water is a serious problem, the quality is very poor - The market has low stock, due to lack of liquidity and demand - No plastic sheeting, no 20l jerry cans, no mosquito nets, very few marmites - No clear understanding on figures of how many rent/ do not rent. - Hard to find places to rent - Many help with services to pay for hosting (possibility they are being exploited/ overworked) - 1,500 a day for laboring - 25 December it was reported that certain IDP’s were beaten at the market place by the Committee de Vigilance following the attack on Bangourain. The people were also threatened with being burnt. - Many displaced people would like to buy land - Not easy for displaced persons to access a market place - Most people do not change locations once they find a place to stay - Not many vendors use mobile money - There are question marks over the withdrawal capacity of mobile money - Displaced people meeting together is viewed badly

19th May - Magba

- Sub-prefect and village chief in favour of using cash as a modality - Many people didn’t know about registration - It is possible to access land (for rent and to buy) - Displaced people are generally well accepted here, it is harmonious and there are good relations - English is widely spoken as this is so close to the border - FSP’s are OK, there is a lack of liquidity for smaller financial service providers, but Express Exchange has larger capacity - Most have not paid much advance for rent or deposits (very few have paid the 6-12 months advance) - Not a lot of competition for mats, and mattresses (only 2 shops) - No mosquito nets at all - No 20L Jerrycans - Very few plastic sheets (5 in total) - Not enough available housing, some people are living in abandoned properties - Prices are comparably low. A simple room is 3,000 CFA a month. - No clean water, or electricity outside of town. People have to use solar (if they can) and are complaining of stomach aches - There is overcrowding

- Hosting families are not charging rent, but they do ask for labour, including some children who are working as adults. - Most people would prefer to receive cash as a modality - Some came with initial cash, but as they have run out their relationships have become exploitative - In some areas there are most displaced than host (Folongie and Titreh) - Those living outside of town, do not generally send their children to school as they feel it is too far - It is easier here for displaced people to have a market place – quite a few have established a boutique - There is agricultural work

20th Koutaba and Didango

- Some people do not want to stay in town because of drinking - Lots of people in very small spaces - Not enough beds and mattresses - Those used to modern living are finding it very difficult - Quality of housing is low - There are good relations between the displaced and the host community - Poor quality water is again an issue - Lots not going to school because of the fees - Poor drainage system/ standing water - People would generally prefer cash - People are staying in Didango only because family are there - They initially stay with the Chief of Didango when arriving - No market in Didango - No FSP’s in Didango - Some displaced persons in Didongo do not go to Koutaba markets because they do not have ID cards - In Didongo some displaced persons have been given plots by the Chief - Some people are sleeping on card board and do not have plates to eat on - One family using plastic bags to defecate because there is no latrine (Koutaba) - Community leaders very active and helpful - 3 mattress shops, no Jerrycans, one mosquito net in one shop, one vendor had plastic sheeting - In general prices are good (due to location of Koutaba) - People prefer cash in hand (some mobile money)

Annex 2: Risks analysis and mitigation matrix

The below key risks were identified by the enumeration team during the study. This should be further elaborated on by any project implementation team.

Market-related risks Likelihood Mitigation measures to be considered Recipients are unable to Medium Close monitoring of the housing market (with local find better quality housing government) and any challenges encountered by due to low stock displaced. Additional cash (and High Work closely with the government to influence housing continuation of arrivals) policy. leads to rental price Ensure displaced persons are aware of their rights and increases options. The handling of cash Low Ensure that any distributions are not highly visible and creates risks of conflict or work with displaced persons to ensure that they are not robbery for recipients carrying large sums of cash at any one time (see discussion on mechanism in recommendations). Spending on unintended Medium There is some alcoholism (low prevalence) and the items money may be spent on health and education.

If there is an intention for the cash to be used for NFI’s (such as for mosquito nets) then this may not be used in the intended way. Either due to lack of availability / cost in the marketplace (as for mosquito nets) or because of other spending priorities (such as for Shelter or livelihoods).

Conditions would not be advisable, but the cash can be ‘labelled’ with some advocacy and informational work to go alongside distributions. Close monitoring will also be needed. The additional cash creates Low This has not come up as a potential issue, but should be conflicts amongst included in any formal and informal monitoring. households Seasonal rainfall affects the Low The market infrastructure is well integrated and unlikely transportation networks to be greatly affected. resulting in shortages periodic price rises