Context:

Most of the community here worked for CDC banana plantations. Most of the community has not been paid properly for 6 years. They worked for 12 months last year but was only paid for 2. CDC employees were also being attacked by NSAGs as CDC is partly owned by the government. NSAGs purport that employees were supporting government initiatives by working for CDC and were attacking wrokers in plantations. Some wrokers were kidnapped, some had their limbs amputated. This resulted in the abandonment of plantations as workers were too frightened to go back to work. The Covid-19 crisis has also exacerbated the slow-down in production and sales, resulting in reduced demand and hence CDC's inability to pay salaries.

FAO assists these communities with hens (layers).

Name: Delphine 53yo
Married with 3 children and a 3 month old grandchild
Husband has gone back to Limbe since 2016 doing petty farming and will return on weekends.

Standard of living was good before the crisis hit in 2016. Delphine recalled life before 2016 with a smile on her face, "when my husband was working and there was no conflict, life was good!" Life has been difficult since, especially so with her son (24yo) who has suffered from Sickle Cell Anaemia since birth and requires a blood transfusion everey 6 months. His eyes were distinctly discoloured and was quite unwell when we visited.

FAO has provided hens and this is the only source of food and income. If she manages to sell the eggs, Delphine is then able to buy some fish and other produce.