The Housing Crisis and Living Conditions in the University Residence Zone of Yaoundé I (Bonamoussadi)

Abstract

Food, clothes, and shelter are the three fundamental requirements for human survival. Specifically, the significance of housing has been generally acknowledged since the birth of human civilization. Even the Neolithic man, who lived between 1000 and 2000 BCE, constructed housing such as pit houses, lake houses, and beehive huts. Thus, housing can be said to be important not only for humanity’s progress but also for students’ acquisition of a quality education. Despite this, a variety of indicators demonstrate that Cameroon’s public universities lack good living conditions in the university residential areas. However, an examination of the existing literature reveals that there is little literature on conditions in the university residential zone, specifically in Yaoundé I. For this singular reason, this research studies the varieties of factors that contribute to the housing problem in the University Residence Zone of Yaoundé I (Bonamoussadi) and its consequences. This study was carried out using both primary and secondary information sources. Personal observation, first-hand accounts, and case studies account for the primary research sources. The secondary information was gathered from books, academic articles, and internet sources. This work submits that the housing crises and living circumstances in the university residential zone of Yaoundé I (Bonamoussadi) have several consequences, most notably fire dangers, sexual immorality, theft, health hazards, and personality challenges, particularly among students. This paper also contends that addressing the current housing crisis and living conditions requires immediate action. The research made some recommendations to address the housing crisis and living conditions in the ZRU.