By Daniel D.
Amid a rising exodus of Cameroonians seeking opportunities abroad, foreigners within the country are turning seemingly “odd” jobs into lucrative ventures.
More than 6,000 Cameroonians reportedly left the country within three months last year, prompting President Paul Biya to appeal to them to reconsider their decision.
While citizens seek greener pastures abroad, foreigners, particularly from Niger, Mali, and Senegal, are carving out successful livelihoods from unconventional jobs.
In the neighborhood of Ndongo in Buea, the rhythmic “Kok Kok” sounds reverberate each morning, signaling the presence of Ibrahim Mohamed, a 19-year-old from Niger.
He makes this sound, which advertises his services, by hitting a small, empty plywood box.
Three years ago, Mohamed completed primary school in his Agadess village in the Tahoua Region of Niger.
But there was no money for him to continue schooling after that, prompting him to seek alternatives.
Also unable to find a job in Niger, he made contacts with his fellow countrymen in Cameroon, and that was how he ended up in Buea, South West Region, where he now mends shoes to survive.
He moves from door to door and sews bad shoes from which he makes a living.
“This is the only job I have. By doing this, I can help myself and my family,” he told MMI as he toured houses in Buea.
Despite the modest nature of his job, Mohamed manages to send approximately FCFA 100,000 every month to support his family in Niger.
Unlike Mohamed who makes a living by trekking daily to mend shoes, Guissa Moussa, a 23-year-old Malian, has set up a shoe repair workshop at Bonduma, Buea.
After being displaced from Ekona by the Anglophone Crisis in 2016, Moussa found solace in Buea. He earns around FCFA 7,000 daily from repairing shoes; on a good day he earns more than that amount.
Moussa goes to his native Bamako in Mali once in a while to keep in touch with his wife, who recently had a baby.
“With this, I have to pay house rent and other bills and eat from there,” he told MMI at his workshop.
With their newborn in hand, he has increased the amount he sends home.
“I do send them about FCFA 40,000 to 50,000 every month,” he added.
AMID SOCIETAL STEREOTYPES
These foreign individuals engage in jobs considered menial by many Cameroonians, such as shoe repair, selling rappers (loin cloths), or operating cafeterias. The labels “Kok Kok” or “Malam” are commonly used to refer to those in these professions, often facing disdain from the local population.
Despite societal stereotypes, foreigners, especially from Senegal, Niger, and Mali, embrace these roles as legitimate and profitable endeavors.
Many have no formal training in their chosen fields but manage to thrive in their adopted communities.
MMI spoke to a Senegalese at Checkpoint, Buea, who moves around Cameroon and sells wrappers— loin cloths. He said the business is better.
“Four months ago, I was in Bafousam, and now I am in Buea, selling rappers. The business is better because I earn from it,” he said refusing to disclose his name.
Meanwhile, the President of the Nigeriens in Buea, Ibrahim Djibrila, said many of his countrymen are in Buea.
“They clean nails, fix shoes, patch dresses, and sell in cafes,” he told MMI.
He has been in Cameroon for more than 10 years, and he plans to go back and establish himself in Niger, where he has constructed a house from selling a provision store.
To him, any legitimate business giving money is worth doing, irrespective of what people say.
The financial impact of these foreigners engaged in unconventional jobs is evident in remittance data.
In 2021, Nigeriens living in Cameroon sent remittances of over FCFA 9 billion back home, dwarfing the FCFA 145 million received by Cameroon from Niger.
Similarly, Senegalese sent over FCFA 5 billion, and Malians sent over FCFA 3 billion to their respective countries.
This phenomenon stands in stark contrast to the increasing number of Cameroonians pursuing opportunities abroad, evidenced by a 70% surge in applications for U.S. DV Lotteries in 2023.
Over the period from 2010 to 2015, approximately 381,984 people left Cameroon in search of better prospects.
These people leaving are blaming unemployment, poor working conditions, and insecurity, among others.
However, as they leave, foreigners rather find Cameroon lucrative to make money.
