Abstract

Cameroon, like most other sub-Saharan African countries, has adopted laws devolving various responsibilities to local administrations. In the local political discourse, decentralization is seen as bringing essential services closer to the users, especially those in greatest need. However, the national decentralization program is having a hard time getting on track.

In the face of day-to-day difficulties Zenü Network, a nongovernmental organization, would like to make a contribution to this social project. The Network would like to demonstrate that civil society can work with decentralized government structures for the improvement of people's living conditions, in this case, access to health services.

This grant will allow Zenü Network to undertake a process of training and empowerment of the members of four large groups of actors so that they can take their place on the local coordinating platform dealing with health services. The platform will include representatives of the commune of Bamendjou, the village development committees, the decentralized services of the Ministry of Health and Zenü Network. The last will also be responsible for coordinating and managing the project. Given the experimental nature of the process, the project will include an evaluation component. If successful, it will be followed by another phase.

Recipient Institution(s)