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Hunger
and poverty are often rooted in structural problems at societal and
global levels. To address symptoms as well as causes RELUFA strategizes
its actions around the three themes of Just Relations, Economic
Development, and Food Sovereignty. The latter is RELUFA's emergency
response program to the critical food situation in the arid North.
Under Economic Development resorts the network's micro-finance
initiative "Credit Against Poverty", while more systemic societal and
global inequities are tackled in the programs of Economic Justice and
Gender Justice
Food Sovereignty
With the Sahara desert stretching out over the Far North Province, this
part of Cameroon is permanently at the brink of famine. Through the
establishment of a community grain banking system
in vulnerable villages RELUFA breaks the cycle of exploitation by
businessmen, food scarcity, soaring market prices and dependency on
food distribution programs. The community granaries allow for
self-governance of food supplies by the villagers and curb the usury
mechanisms that generate poverty.
Economic Development
Credit Against Poverty
(CAP) is RELUFA's micro-finance initiative to provide low-interest and
generally guarantee-free loans for projects of poor communities
affiliated with our member organizations. CAP's repayment schedules are
flexible and tailored to the productive cycles of the community's
activities. The program sensitizes target groups and network members on
healthy micro-finance programs, teaches them bookkeeping skills, and
offers close accompaniment in the field. CAP further studies and
promulgates alternative savings systems and facilitates the exchange of
experiences.
The network intends to launch an Alternative Trade Program, but it is in a conceptual stage only.
Economic Justice
Cameroon's wealth in natural resources are exploited to satisfy foreign
markets. Seeking Economic Justice RELUFA joins national and
international efforts to advocate changes in the current trends of the
extractive industries in the Central African region. With the Chad
Cameroon Oil and Pipeline Project as case study, the network follows up
on unresolved compensation issues, monitors changes in living standards
of the poplation living in the vicinity of the pipeline, assists them
in rebuilding their livelihoods, calls for transparency in the
extractive industries by joining the international "Publish What You
Pay" coalition, and sensitizes religious communities on the tendencies
of the global economy at large.
Gender Justice
To break down gender related barriers, RELUFA capacitates Cameroonian
women at the cultural, religious, juridical and economical levels. The
network's Gender Justice action plan includes studies on customary and
religious practices, and the misuse of Biblical and Koranic texts;
sensitization campaigns on women's rights; dissemination and amendment
of the draft Family Code, and lobbying for its passing in Parliament;
and the pursuit of the notion of gender in established theological
training programs.
Programmatic and Institutional Support
Each of RELUFA's programs is supported by activities that enhance
communications and strengthen the network's foundation for solidarity
action.
To
lift up people's stories from the grassroots to a worldwide audience,
to publicize the network's programs and to make the efforts of its
member organization known to a larger public, RELUFA tries to mantain a
website.
For cross-fertilization of knowledge and the sharing
of experiences, RELUFA's support program allows for several exchange
visits between member organizations per year.
RELUFA seeks to
strengthen its solidarity action through study and publications of
religious and cultural traditions that express values of solidarity.
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