Older people without resources in rural areas

Midjivin is a township in the Far North Region of Cameroon with a population of about 12,900. The population lives mainly from subsistence agriculture and small-scale livestock farming. To enrich their diet, the inhabitants often have to sell what little they have in their granary to obtain a minimum of protein.

As part of their mission, the Sisters focus on the nutrition and health of the elderly poor, most of whom are widows or abandoned women.

As many young people and adults leave the villages for the big cities in search of a decent life, this rural exodus forces parents to leave their children in the care of their elders who are already physically weak and have very little resources.

Under the harshness of the climate and lack of financial means, many of them are sometimes exposed to famine and are always unable to get proper medical care.

« When they can, they buy "street drugs", which have very harmful consequences on their health » reports Sr Lorraine

Some villagers from Midjivin and surrounding villages have come to the Sisters to seek food and medical help for their elderly relatives. Other people in distress are found by the Daughters of Charity themselves during home visits in the neighbourhoods and villages.

About forty elderly people (third and fourth age) receive a balanced meal from the Community every Sunday after Mass.

« Most of them are very poor, abandoned and even abandoned. Their health condition is desperate: fatigue, tension problems, acute rheumatism, coughs, chronic malaria...» Sr Lorraine

A medical care project for 40 poor women

The aid provided will make it possible to acquire adequate medication for the treatment of their illness and to finance laboratory tests from which they are excluded.

With the help of a health worker (nurse), they will be consulted twice a month and monitored with particular attention.

« At our first consultation, all the women were dewormed. In addition, I rushed a group of 10 women during the week because they had very high blood pressure and a worrying cough »

Project objectives

- To provide care to about 40 poor elderly people

- To relieve their pain or suffering physically and psychologically

- To increase their life expectancy if possible

- To fight against the spread of medicines of dubious quality: "street medicines"

« Whenever the agent prescribes medication, we will make sure to buy it and help the patients to take it. For elderly people who have some difficulty in taking their medication properly, we will ask for the special attention of neighbours, in addition to our regular visits. For critical cases that require a doctor's consultation, we will take the patients to the hospital located 20 kilometres away from the Community for the appropriate medical follow-up »

A project at the service of women's dignity

« To help them live and die well » said Saint Vincent de Paul.

Thank you for your support at their side