Would you like to become involved? Educare-Africa needs help from volunteers and kind donors. Please contact us at pavlazl@comcast.net if you can assist us.
From Africa 2011
Contact
Pavla Zakova-Laney, President
EDUCARE-Africa
P.O. Box 3278
Albany, OR 97321
U.S.A.
Pavla is preparing for her 13th trip to Cameroon on May 1st, 2012. She will be in Cameroon for about eight weeks. Thanks to your kindness and generosity, her ticket was already paid for. Her goal is to raise $10,000 for the trip. So far, we have $1,600.
We are turning to you, our kind and generous donors, on behalf of the students in Cameroon and asking for your support so we could reach our goal. Your loving care and generous support will be greatly appreciated.
During her trip, Pavla wants to purchase basic school supplies for many students and more science lab equipment for a public high school at Ntumbaw, depending on available funds. In addition, Pavla will work with our coordinators in Cameroon to plan for specific projects in 2012/2013 academic year. She also plans to assist many students with essential school related needs, meet with parents and students to discuss their current situation, check report cards and choose eligible students for assistance in the 2012/13 academic year. Two Wellesley Book Awards will be given to the two best female science students from two different schools in rural Cameroon. Several short wave radios donated by the Ears to Our World non-profit group will be handed over to teachers from different schools in remote parts of Cameroon. In addition, if the school uniforms and school bags project submitted to the Riverside Church in New York will be funded, Pavla, in collaboration with our coordinators in Cameroon, will execute this project.
As a continuing side project, Pavla will meet with representatives of a non-profit group in Bamenda that helps stray dogs and hand over the donations from various veterinary clinics in Linn County. In addition in collaboration with the staff of the Cameroon Baptist Center and a few public high schools she will share a DVD from the Born Free Foundation, and DVDs with Planet Earth series and the Dog Whisperer to bring more awareness about our beautiful planet Earth and some of its magnificent inhabitants.
Please, do not hesitate to email or call Pavla if you have any questions. Checks can be made to Educare-Africa with “Trip 2012” in the memo. P.O. Box 3278, Albany, OR 97321.
Thank you very much on behalf of the students in Cameroon for your kind and generous support!
My travel to Cameroon was very enjoyable and without any adverse challenges. Mr. Emmanuel Sunjo, our country coordinator, picked me up at the airport and drove me to his new house. On Tuesday I got our funds which were sent through Moneygram.
On May 8th in Yaounde we met with our students from Buea and Yaounde. On May 11th I traveled overnight to Bamenda. I visited our new office, we purchased basic school supplies, textbooks, and science lab equipment and prepared for our journey to Tatum. On May 15th we organized our first public viewing of several DVDs featuring Elsa’s Legacy, Planet Earth series and the Dog Whisperer show. On May 18th we traveled to Tatum. On May 20th Cameron Blagg from Albany, Oregon visited Tatum for the first time.
On May 21st we visited G.B.H.S. Nkambe and met with some of our students. On May 22nd we met with our students at G.B.H.S. Kumbo. On May 23rd we visited a recently created secondary school, G.S.S. Mah, and handed over a short wave radio from Ears to Our World non-profit group and a donated new soccer ball. On May 24th Mr. Kevin and I participated briefly in a P.T.A. meeting of G.B.H.S. Tatum.
Basic school supplies for the 75 best students from G.S.S. Talla, G.B.H.S. Tatum, G.H.S. Nseh, G.H.S. Taku, G.S.S. Mbu-Warr and G.H.S. Ntumbaw were purchased and given during prize giving ceremonies between May 25th and June 11th. Donated toothbrushes, toothpaste and other donations were distributed to 24 students. 12 students received financial assistance for their immediate needs such as school fees, G.C.E. registration fees, rent, kerosene, food, school uniforms, shoes and transport to their villages. About 100 students received pens and pencils. About 160 staff members from G.S.S. Talla, G.B.H.S. Tatum, G.S.S. Nseh, G.H.S. Taku, G.S.S. Mbu-Warr and G.H.S. Ntumbaw received pens for encouragement. Each school also received four boxes of chalk. New science lab equipment was purchased for G.H.S. Ntumbaw and some new essential textbooks were also purchased for the students from G.S.S. Mbu-Warr and G.H.S. Nseh. Quality reference textbooks were donated to the teachers at G.S.S. Mbu-Warr. Three schools contributed funds to assist with transport of prizes, textbooks and lab equipment. Funds for students on our priority list and other students were set aside to pay school fees directly to the schools in September. Two Wellesley College Book Awards were given to the best female science students from G.B.H.S. Kumbo and G.B.H.S. Ndu. Donated new soccer balls were donated also to G.H.S. Tabenken and G.S.S. Talla. G.S.S. Mbu-Warr received a new short wave radio to replace the old one. G.S.S. Talla also received a new short wave radio donated by the Ears to Our World NGO from North Carolina. On Saturday, May 28th, we met with students and parents at G.B.H.S. Kumbo. On June 1st we met with the mayor of Tatum. On June 3rd we traveled to Sabongari to visit one of our former students Kongnso Clotilde Afoni, who is now managing a solar charging station there. On Sunday, June 5th we met with the P.T.A. and G.B.H.S. Tatum school board chairmen to discuss possible storage for our equipment and assistance with our building project. In the afternoon we met with Mrs. Jacqueline’s women’s' group and did a brief video about their work. On June 12th we met with our students at G.S.S. Mbu-Warr and from June 13th until June 17th we met with students and parents in Tatum. On June 19th we traveled to Bamenda and on June 22nd we met with students from Bamenda and Bambili. On May 28th and on June 3rd I presented two Wellesley Book Awards to the best female science students from G.B.H.S. Kumbo and G.B.H.S. Ndu. During my trip we chose 119 students to assist in 2011/2012 school year. We will continue to look for more outstanding female students for the next academic year.
In the past a former Peace Corps worker has let us use his house in Tatum for free during my visit. Because he was renovating his house he asked us to look elsewhere. Consequently we had to rent a house and had to spend funds fixing it and still we had no place for storage. It became clear that we need a permanent place as soon as possible so we began to make plans for fundraising and a project proposal that included an estimate. As soon as some parents and students became aware of the need they readily donated money. The Tatum Council which included the Mayor promised 30% support for our building project. We want to start with a two-apartment house that will include a housekeeper house and our office with conference room/library/computer room, several guest rooms, indoor kitchen and so on. Our goal is to use local materials. Finally, on June 28th Mr. Sunjo, our national coordinator and I signed a memorandum, which will enable Mr. Sunjo to organize Educare-Africa Cameroon within one year.
As a side project, Justin Tagne from the Cameroon Baptist Center in Bamenda and I organized the handing over of donations from the Reid Veterinary Hospital, Periwinkle Pet Clinic in Albany and Hopes Haven Rescue group in Salem. About 15 dog owners, breeders and veterinarians participated. Justin will continue to work with veterinarian Dr. Ghogomu and Dr.Munki Julius Nfor, who is a coordinator for a non-profit group SPALE, P.O. BOX 5170 NKWEN BAMENDA, CAMEROON; TEL(237)75 14 92 85, which also assists stray dogs and other animals in need. Dog Whisperer DVDs have been shown to many dog owners and lovers in Bamenda and Tatum.
UPCOMING ASSISTANCE: We hope to assist about 125 secondary/high school students and about 25 university students. Approximately $10,000 by mid September 2011 would take care of these students’ essential educational needs. Since the deadline for payment of school fees is in mid September, it would be desirable to have the funds available before September 15th. When the school fees and the GCE exam registration fees are not paid in time, students are often sent home from school, which has a detrimental effect on their exam results.
Funds either to assist the students, for our building project or in general can be sent to Educare-Africa, P.O. Box 3278, Albany, OR 97321. Checks can be made to Educare-Africa.
Thank you very much on behalf of the students in Cameroon for your interest and kind support!
You can view some of our activities during 2011 trip on the following video clips:
On June 3rd, 2011 we visited one of our former student, Clotilde, who benefited from Educare-Africa assistance. She is now managing a new solar charging station at Sabongari, a village without electricity in a remote part of the Northwest Region.
