The OnEstEnsemble Citizen Alliance had an incredible win in January! After several years without easy access to safe drinking water, construction has begun to connect the residents of Douala to the drinking water network!

OnEstEnsemble organized a protest with the eco-union of residents near the SOSUCAM sugar cane plantations. These residents’ crops of cassava, peanuts and yams were destroyed by SOSUCAM’s planes spraying pesticides. The residents gathered the destroyed crops and displayed signs in protest, demanding compensation.

Residents of the sugarcane plantations of the Somdiaa group, subsidiary of the French giant Castel, have been forced to uproot their production of cassava, peanuts and yams, destroyed in their fields by spraying pesticides by the company planes. Several have gathered to protest, and planned to pour their destroyed production in front of the Sosucam headquarters.

The victims demand that the company compensate them for the huge loss.

Organized in the eco-syndicate Riverains Ensemble, the peasants were already asking through a petition to stop air expansion, banned in France.

Residents living near the sugarcane plantations of the Somdiaa group, a subsidiary of the French giant Castel, fell victim to the destruction of their crops during the month of May 2023. In response to this incident, and despite a written communication, there was no substantial reaction observed from Sosucam.

Following a call from the local branch Onestensemble Bepanda Bonewonda in July 2023, the Mayor of the city swiftly responded to concerns about the large open drains that pose a real danger to pedestrian safety along Republic Boulevard.

In a heartwarming turn of events, the 5th district town hall of Douala has heeded the calls of its residents, bringing hope and relief to the communities of Makepe 1 Missoke and Bepanda Yonyong. The tale begins with a critical bridge that stood as a lifeline between Makepe I Missoke and Bepanda, a connection that was shattered by the fury of intense rains in February 2020. The aftermath left the residents stranded, their mobility and belongings compromised. United under the banner of the “OnEstEnsemble” association, the locals embarked on a mission to restore this vital link.

Residents of Douala 5, united with OnEstEnsemble, are taking action to identify and replace outdated and dangerous electrical infrastructure. In January 2023, the association members identified approximately 500 faulty electrical supports in several neighborhoods.

On July 6, 2023, farmers from the villages surrounding the sugarcane plantations owned by the French group SOMDIAA (Castel) traveled to Yaoundé to deliver “poisoned” gifts to the management of SOSUCAM. These gifts consisted of maize, cassava, and peanuts destroyed by the pesticides sprayed on their fields by the company’s airplanes.

The women leaders of the local committees from our affiliate OnEstEnsemble in Cameroon have successfully participated in a public speaking training. The purpose of this training was to strengthen the skills and confidence of our members in their participation in negotiations, conferences, and meetings. We hope that this training will assist the members of Onestensemble and enable them to shine in future public presentations!

OnEstEnsemble organized a protest with the eco-union of residents near the SOSUCAM sugar cane plantations. These residents’ crops of cassava, peanuts and yams were destroyed by SOSUCAM’s planes spraying pesticides. The residents gathered the destroyed crops and displayed signs in protest, demanding compensation.

The residents living near the sugarcane plantations of the Somdiaa group, a subsidiary of the French giant Castel, have been forced to uproot their cassava, peanut, and yam crops destroyed by the aerial spraying of pesticides by the company’s planes. In response to this devastation, several individuals gathered to protest and plan to dump their destroyed produce in front of the Sosucam headquarters. The victims are demanding significant compensation from the company for their immense losses.

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OnEstEnsemble, ACORN’s Cameroon affiliate, has released a report on union-busting at the SOSUCAM sugarcane plantations.