Resettlement of refugees: From the Central African Republic to Canada via Cameroon, for new life opportunities

Douala – On 11 April 2024, Adiza, Lara and Mariam are three vulnerable refugees from the Central African Republic (CAR) who have benefited from IOM Cameroon’s resettlement program, thanks to which they can now look forward to better days ahead.

Adiza, Lara and Mariam, three women from the Central African Republic (CAR) aged between 35 and 60, arrived in Cameroon in 2018. They were forced to leave their country following the political conflict that broke out in 2016, during which they lost everything, including their entire families. Their health also took a big hit during these crises, during which Adiza became deaf and dumb, Lara started having recurring heart palpitations and Mariam was traumatized. It was on the strength of their experiences that they obtained refugee status once on Cameroonian soil.

After spending several years in Cameroon, moving from the Gado refugee camp in the East region of the country to Douala in the Littoral region in search of better living conditions, they have been selected for the Resettlement program for their reintegration in a new host country, implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Adiza, Lara and Mariam have been selected for resettlement in Canada. When their selection was announced, the women were overjoyed, as they had lost all hope of a better life. For them, this opportunity represented “a new beginning, new hope”.

Once selected, Adiza, Lara and Mariam went through the pre-departure process. “They each underwent a health assessment, a yellow fever vaccination, cultural orientation training and travel aptitude training”, explains Florence Laure Gamgo, in charge of Cultural orientation training at IOM Cameroon. Because of the vulnerability of these women, she was specially appointed to escort them to Canada, their new host country. Once the pre-departure steps had been completed, it was time for the big day! Adiza, Lara and Mariam went to the IOM office in Douala where Florence was waiting for them.

After checking their luggage and the necessary travel documents, the group set off for Douala international airport, where they were due to board. This was on 13 February 2024. Once there, the check-in process was successfully completed. At 8pm, the plane carrying Adiza, Lara, Mariam and Florence left Cameroon for Canada. “It was a moment of considerable stress for the beneficiaries, who eventually regained their composure after just a few minutes on board”, said Florence. After a 20-hour journey, 5 of which were spent in transit in Brussels, Adiza, Lara, Mariam and Florence arrived in Montreal, Canada. This was at 4pm on 14 February 2024.

Once there, the ladies were welcomed by the immigration services, who immediately took charge of the new arrivals. They were immediately given appropriate clothing to protect them from the “winter cold”, their personal documents, refreshments, and pocket money. A short information session on the basics of arriving on Canadian soil for the first time was given to the refugees before they left for their final place of residence in Gatineau.

A specific program was put in place for each of the women, depending on their case. Adiza is currently undergoing ENT (ear, nose, and throat) treatment; Lara, given her age, is undergoing cardiac medical treatment; Mariam is receiving psychological assistance. For one year, they will be fully supported by the Government of Canada and will simultaneously receive various training courses to help them in social and economic reintegration.

IOM Cameroon’s Resettlement and Movement Management Unit (RMM) is responsible for organizing and coordinating the entire process of resettling refugees settled in Cameroon to new host countries. It deals with beneficiaries under different programs, namely the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), the French Refugee Program, the Canadian Refugee Admissions Program and the Australian Refugee Program.

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For more information, please contact:

• Florence Laure Gamgo  IOM Cameroon, Tel: 691777383, Email: fgamgo@iom.int ;
• Elodie Ndeme Bodolo, IOM Cameroon, Tel: 691638957, Email: endeme@iom.int .