Climate/weather
The weather in Cameroon is as diverse as the terrain. There are tropical coastal plains in the southwest, a dissected plateau in the center, semi arid and hot plains in the north, and cool mountains in the west. The north has a single wet season from April/May to September/October. The hottest months here are March to May, when temperatures can soar to 40°C (104°F), although it's a dry (and therefore generally bearable) heat. The south has a humid, equatorial climate, with rain scattered throughout the year and almost continual high humidity. The main wet season here is June to October, when secondary roads often become impassable. The months from March to June have light rains. Koza is a very typical village located in northern Cameroon at an altitude of 1500 ft.
Mailing address
Boite Postale 53, Koza, Extreme Nord, Cameroon, Africa
Program description
Site Size
The Koza Adventist Hospital is a 100-bed health institution.
Prevalent diseases in area
Malaria, acute respiratory infections, parasitic/diarrheal, HIV/STDs, malnutrition
Languages
Cameroon has two official languages, English and French, and 279 other living languages. Although English is an official language it is rarely spoken. At the hospital the two doctors speak English, but the rest of the staff only speak French.
Accommodations
Koza hospital is in a remote location but running water and electricity are available most of the time. Also internet is available through a ham radio.
Transportation to site
After arriving in Yaoundé, the capitol, students will take a 6:00 p.m. train to Ngaoundere. The trip should take about 20 hours and cost 25,000 cf (~500 Cameroon Francs (cf) = $1USD). From Ngaoundere students will take a 4:00 p.m. bus to Maoura. Students should arrive in Maoura after about 9 hours and tickets will be 6000 ck. Once in Maoura students will take a 2-hour ride to Mokolo. The price will vary depending on whether you take a public car or hire a taxi. The last leg of the trip is a 1-hour motor taxi from Mokolo to Maoura for about 1000 cf. There is an alternate route that requires two visas and takes participants through Chad, but the travel time is much shorter.
Country information
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/cm.html
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/africa/cameroon/
Comments from former students
If you are interested in going on a safari up in the north call Yaya who is a driver/tour guide located in Maoura. His number is (237) 793-3178.
I believe that Koza could be a good mission elective experience for someone who wants to go to a bush hospital.
Last Revised: Mon, Jan 08, 2007
