Approche communautaire de la gestion des catastrophes par la Croix-Rouge dans la ville de Yaoundé

Abstract

This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Cameroon Red Cross's community-based approach in disaster management in Yaoundé, Cameroon's capital, addressing vulnerabilities to floods, landslides, and health crises by analyzing how community involvement, awareness campaigns, volunteer training, and partnerships enhance disaster preparedness and response. Conducted in the high-risk Mbankolo neighborhood from 2024 to 2025, the research relies on semi-structured interviews, analysis of existing projects, and in-depth field surveys, while exploring disaster management concepts, international models, the role of NGOs, and mapping risks and Red Cross interventions. Findings show that strong community participation in meetings, awareness activities, and risk management committees improves preparedness and speeds up responses, while awareness campaigns increase knowledge of risks and alert procedures. Comprehensive volunteer training enhances their effectiveness, and partnerships with local leaders, associations, and authorities promote mobilization and project sustainability. However, challenges such as insufficient resources, coordination difficulties, and complex local social dynamics persist. The study concludes that the community-based approach strengthens resilience through better preparedness, rapid response, and local ownership, but its generalizability is limited by the focus on one neighborhood and Yaoundé’s specific urban context, where complex social, economic, and political factors require further analysis. The community-based approach is a key lever for effective disaster management, its success depending on strong political commitment, adequate resources, continuous capacity building, and robust partnerships. The study recommends that public authorities support this approach, the Red Cross enhance volunteer training, and communities strengthen internal governance mechanisms, while suggesting future research on longitudinal and comparative studies and the integration of new technologies and innovative financing mechanisms.