Contributed by Cameroon Peace Corps Volunteer Shirish Balachandra, Doualayel 1997-1999
Contributed by Shirish Balachandra, Doualayel 1997-1999
balachandras@hotmail.com
People
Getting there and away
Development
Final Thoughts
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PEOPLE: Doualayel is a village of about 1400 inhabitants, though the population grows in the rainy season. With the rains come the nomadic Fulani (Mbororo) and their cattle, providing dairy products and their own particular villageois entertainment.
GETTING THERE AND AWAY: Doualayel is about 200 km west of Ngaoundere along one of the worst roads in all of Cameroon. Count on this journey taking you anywhere from 9-15 hours. Be forewarned that this is not a particularly pleasant bush taxi ride. If you’re in for something different, however, it definitely carries a certain charm.
DEVELOPMENT: The village is largely dysfunctional from a community development-perspective, but the people are wonderful; as an example of a very traditional Muslim village, Doualayel is hard to beat. The major crops are corn and cassava, but there isn’t much agriculture because cattle destroy crops, and the people resort to buying food from elsewhere. Go figure. The markets are lively and full, since Doualayel sits at the junction of roads to Tibati, Ngaoundere, and Tignere.
FINAL THOUGHTS: If you’re looking for a comfortable Cameroonian getaway, my post should be avoided at all costs, since plans for building Club Med Doualayel were scrapped soon after Paul Biya (lifetime president of Cameroon) came into power. If, on the other hand, you want to dig some brutal rural truth, Doualayel is the place to be. I must admit, I found it very hard to leave.
