Cameroon

A coastal nation on the Atlantic Ocean, Cameroon is located in West Africa. The country is populated by 14 million people -- a mosaic of some 200 tribes with a wide variety of languages and customs. English and French are both official languages, but more than 100 African dialects are also spoken by the diverse population. More than half of Cameroon's residents practice African religions, although a concentration of Christians live in the southern part of the country and a cluster of Muslims live in the north.

Although only 13 percent of the land is suitable for farming, 74 percent of the population is employed in agriculture-related jobs. In the 1980's, the economy deteriorated -- unemployment and food shortages replaced Cameroon's traditional prosperity. Ongoing economic problems stem from the worldwide drop in oil prices (the country's main source of export earnings), and payments toward foreign debt. Only one of every four people has access to safe drinking water.

Handicrafts are an important source of income for the people of Cameroon. The Presbyterian Handicraft Center, Prescraft, was organized to benefit disadvantaged craftspeople. Men and women produce traditional West African handicrafts, including baskets, pottery, woodcarvings, brass castings and musical instruments. Indigenous musical instruments include gongs, rattles, whistles, flutes and drums that are created from natural materials such as dried calabash gourds, raffia palm fibers, bamboo, cane, wrought iron and juju seeds. Artisans working at three rural production centers can earn a good living income based on piecework.

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