We have just returned from the East Province of Cameroon where there is no internet connection, roaming or electricity. Drive Against Malaria supported Catholic Mission hospitals by giving anti malaria treatment for children up to five years of age, 300 long lasting nets to the Baka Pygmies communities and training programs to schools and families. The Baka are largely ignored by the Government of Cameroon and exploited by the timber + mining industry. We witnessed and filmed hundreds of timber Lorries per day extracting tropical hardwood from the endangered forests. The rate of deforestation is increasing rapidly, largely due to the huge appetite from China and the long standing consumers of Western Europe. Rivers are polluted due to these activities and the indigenous can no longer take fresh river water without the high risk of disease + malaria is spreading fast.. To add to this destruction, mining companies are moving in to extract Cobalt as used in batteries of “environment friendly” Hybrid cars. These mining companies are forcing villages to re-locate, the destruction of more forest for its operation, cutting timber to build housing for migrant workers, cutting timber to build new roads.
