Water, Wastes, and Children’s Health in Low-Income Neighbourhoods of Yaoundé

Abstract

The project sought to link drinking water protection and environmental sanitation with community organization for better health and community development in Cameroon - a difficult challenge in a setting where poverty and absence of urban planning led to high unmet demands for basic services. To build an ecohealth perspective, the project moved beyond single-sector approaches and combined conventional water and sanitation interventions with health and environment research. The project addressed a wide range of environmental health issues, including solid-waste collection, drainage of stagnant waters, improved pedestrian walkways, reduced groundwater contamination through safer disposal of human waste, improved household hygiene, and safe drinking water, all of which led to a reduction in disease transmission. The ecosystem approach to health used by the project helped overcome the inertia of unplanned growth where everyone fends for themselves in an ever-deteriorating environment. It produced a genuine change in people's attitudes and hygiene and sanitation practices. The project illustrates that despite the diverse social strata in these neighbourhoods, residents and local authorities contributed to local development projects. But this required the strengthening of local organizations (e.g. neighbourhood development committees and youth organizations), the building of trust (e.g. through community assemblies and home visits by nurses), and coordination.