Living Conditions in Cameroon

General considerations

To learn more about living and working in Cameroon, applicants are encouraged to connect with a recruiter to discuss any specific considerations that could affect their service. In addition, please visit the U.S. Department of State's Cameroon travel information pages for the latest on travel advisories, local laws, and special circumstances.

Applicants who undergo an interview will have additional opportunities to raise questions or concerns. If, upon learning more information, an applicant would like to be considered for a different assignment from the one they have been assigned to serve in, the Peace Corps can often find an alternate option that may be a better fit.

Communications

Internet

Internet is widely available in Cameroon, but many Volunteers will have only intermittent access and may need to travel to nearby towns to get online. In areas with adequate connectivity, apps like WhatsApp or FaceTime may work, though low bandwidth can make video calls challenging. Volunteers should not expect internet access or the ability to stream media at their homes or sites.

A laptop is essential for accessing online learning courses, training materials, and completing quarterly reports. Peace Corps/Cameroon recommends Volunteers who have used and/or inexpensive laptops to bring them. For those who are unable to bring a laptop or have their personal laptop lost, stolen, or damaged while in country, Peace Corps/Cameroon provides a onetime only stipend for Volunteers to buy a personal laptop. Refer to the Packing Guidance on electronic devices for further information. Peace Corps does not provide technical support and will not reimburse for repairs or theft, so consider insuring any high-value items.

Phones

Cell phones are widely used in Cameroon and can be purchased easily in major cities, with basic smartphones typically costing less than $30 USD. Peace Corps/Cameroon requires Volunteers to have a smartphone and recommends bringing a used or inexpensive unlocked smartphone. Please note that Apple devices sometimes have compatibility issues with local carriers. If a Volunteer cannot bring one, or experiences loss, theft, or damage during service, Peace Corps provides a one-time stipend for the Volunteer to purchase a smartphone locally. Refer to the Packing Guidance for details on electronic devices. Peace Corps does not provide technical support or reimburse for repairs or theft, so consider insuring any high-value items.

Volunteers should not expect reliable network coverage inside their homes. Peace Corps housing policy requires that phone reception be available within a 30-minute walk from the Volunteer’s home. Calling or texting the U.S. from Cameroon is straightforward and costs about $0.25 per minute, while local calls and SMS are inexpensive.

Mail

Mail from the United States to Cameroon typically takes two to four months to arrive. Advise family and friends to number their letters for tracking and include “CAMEROON–WEST AFRICA,” “Airmail,” and “Par Avion” on the envelope. During Pre-Service Training, letters and packages should be addressed to:

[Your Name]
Peace Corps Trainee (or PCV)
Corps de la Paix
B.P. 215
Yaoundé, Cameroon

Peace Corps staff assist with collecting and distributing packages, but Volunteers are responsible for any customs clearance charges. After swearing in and moving to a permanent site, Volunteers will set up a postal box at the local post office. Please note that mail cannot currently be sent from Cameroon to the United States.

Housing and site location

During pre-service training, Volunteers will live with Cameroonian host families to promote cultural immersion and language learning. After training, Volunteers will move into their own house or apartment in the community where they are assigned. Sites are located in small villages and towns throughout Cameroon, and assignments are based on project requirements, host country and community needs, and housing availability.

While Volunteer preferences are considered during the site matching process, not all requests can be accommodated. Volunteers must prepare themselves for maximum flexibility and must commit to serving where they are placed. Housing arrangements are organized by the Peace Corps and depend on resource available in the community.

A Volunteer’s house may have concrete or mudbrick walls and typically a tin roof. Most houses include a sitting room, a bedroom, and a cooking area. Some homes have indoor toilets and shower areas, while others use nearby pit latrines. Electricity is common but often unreliable, and running water is rare. All appliances in Cameroon operate on 220 volts, and due to frequent power fluctuations, surge protectors or voltage regulators are recommended. These can be purchased locally. For more details, see the packing guidance. Upon swearing in, Volunteers receive a modest settling-in allowance to purchase household necessities and furniture.

Living allowance and money management

Volunteers receive a monthly allowance in local currency that is sufficient to live at a level comparable to the local population. This allowance is intended to cover expenses such as food, housing, household supplies, clothing, transportation to and from work, utilities, communication, and incidental costs. Peace Corps Volunteers are expected to maintain a standard of living similar to that of their host country counterparts. The Peace Corps strongly discourages Volunteers from supplementing their living allowance with outside funds. However, many Volunteers choose to access outside funds for vacation travel. For this purpose, debit and credit cards linked to U.S. accounts are preferable. Do not bring large amounts of cash to Cameroon.

Food and diet

If there is one country on the African continent that can be described as a land of plenty, Cameroon certainly deserves the title. Often referred to as the breadbasket of the region, Cameroon offers a rich variety of local foods such as rice, corn, millet, plantains, beans, cassava, coco yams, sweet and Irish potatoes, and okra, along with meats, fish, poultry, and seasonal fruits and vegetables. However, food availability varies significantly by region: in the south and west, a wide range of vegetables and fruits is consistently available, while in the more arid north, variety is much more limited. Meats, fish, and poultry are generally accessible throughout the country.

Some villages where Volunteers serve have a weekly market, while others rely on neighboring markets for various items. Canned and imported Western foods can be found in towns where Volunteers live or in larger regional capitals, but these products tend to be expensive. Dried fish and ground crayfish are common ingredients in many dishes , but are not always easily recognizable. Being a flexible vegetarian does not pose major challenges, though stricter diets may require more effort and may limit a Volunteer’s ability to eat foods they have not prepared themselves. Cameroon has a generally favorable growing climate, and many Volunteers maintain personal herb and vegetable gardens.

Transportation

Public transportation in Cameroon is generally reliable. A train runs daily to the Grand North (Adamawa Region), and bus routes connect Yaoundé with other major cities and towns. Air travel, however, is limited, and flights are frequently delayed or canceled. Taxis are available and relatively inexpensive in most cities, though Peace Corps requires Volunteers to use vetted taxi drivers in the capital city, Yaoundé. Minivans or “bush taxis” travel both paved and unpaved roads, transporting passengers and their belongings — including bulk produce and small livestock — to all but the smallest villages.

Motorcycle taxis operate throughout the country, and Cameroon is one of the few Peace Corps countries that allows Volunteers to ride as passengers on motorcycles. While Peace Corps/Cameroon issues motorcycle helmets to all Volunteers, moto use still presents risks. For this reason, Peace Corps enforces strict policies regarding how, when, and where Volunteers may ride. Volunteers are strictly prohibited from operating their own motorcycles.

Due to poor road conditions and the fact that some major routes remain unpaved, transportation can be difficult and time-consuming, especially during the rainy season. Because the transport infrastructure is limited, every available means is used to its fullest capacity. This often means squeezing six or more people into a city taxi or bush taxi or sharing seats on the train. Volunteers must prepare to be uncomfortable in public transportation and take an active role in choosing the safest, most reliable transport. This includes refusing to enter vehicles that are poorly maintained or driven by irresponsible chauffeurs and waiting for the next available option instead.

Social activities

Cameroon is a secular country that observes national, Christian, and Muslim holidays. With more than 250 languages and ethnic groups, a wide variety of customs are practiced, including music, dance, and food traditions. Local festivals, weddings, and funerals are important occasions for showing solidarity with the community and celebrating its cultural heritage.

Many communities rely on farming as their primary source of income, while others engage in small businesses. Social gatherings, often organized as a type of village savings and loan system, provide opportunities for people to meet, spend time together, and improve their communities. These gatherings go by different names — tontine, Njangui, réunion, etc., depending on the context.

Sports are an integral part of Cameroonian life, with football (soccer) being the most popular. It is common for village elites to organize soccer tournaments for youth during holiday periods, and pride in the national team, the Indomitable Lions, is widespread. World-class Cameroonian athletes such as Samuel Eto’o (soccer) and Francis Ngannou (MMA world champion) enjoy VIP status and are celebrated on almost all major occasions.

Professionalism, dress, and behavior

Standards of professionalism are not the same across all cultures. Professionalism for Volunteers in Cameroon requires an understanding of the workplace norms, community values, and local customs, that may differ substantially from a Volunteer’s prior experience and expectation. To maintain a positive and culturally appropriate professional standing, Volunteers may need to adjust their style of dress, hairstyle, facial hair, makeup, piercings, manner of greeting, and other aspects of personal appearance to show respect for local norms. How you present yourself — both in informal and professional settings — reflects not only on you as an individual but also on the Peace Corps and the United States. In the U.S., dress and personal appearance are often viewed as expressions of personal freedom and identity. In Cameroon, however, these choices may be interpreted as signs of respect or disrespect toward community members.

In Cameroon, cleanliness and neatness are highly valued, especially in professional settings. The dress code for Peace Corps offices, training sessions, and official events is typically business casual. This includes dresses, khaki pants, slacks, skirts, short-sleeved polo shirts, and long or short-sleeved shirts. Shorts, dresses or skirts above the knee, undershirts, halter tops, tank tops, spaghetti straps, T-shirts, and flip-flops are not acceptable. Clothing that is visibly torn, stained, or dirty is considered disrespectful and should not be worn in professional environments.

Visible body piercings (other than earrings for women) and tattoos are uncommon in professional settings. While generally accepted by the population, they may attract unwanted attention in some communities. Clothing styles vary between urban and rural areas and across regions, and Volunteers may feel comfortable adopting local styles within their communities.

Volunteers who wear a hijab may do so freely.

During pre-service training, Trainees will receive orientation on culturally appropriate behavior and cultural sensitivity. Peace Corps staff will provide guidance on adapting personal choices and behavior to respect community norms and will be available for ongoing support.