November Newsletter
posted on Monday, November 02, 2009




Etienne Tawong

New School Year Started
The new school year started in Cameroon the second week of September. The hundred and fifty plus students we chose now need our assistance in order for them to stay in school or to register at universities. People who would like to help them can choose one student (secondary/high school or university) or contribute more to send two, ten, twenty or thirty students to secondary/high school. Either choice will make a difference in the lives of these students.


News/Updates

On September 4th, Pavla sent $3,240 and on October 26th $2,700 to assist many students at the beginning of the school year. $1,250 out of the total was donated by One Ummah Foundation in Portland to support at least 34 students.

You can now donate to Educare-Africa using your credit card on line. Go to www.JustGive.org and type in Educare Africa as your charity of choice and proceed from there. They give 100% of your donation to the group you choose.

Thanks to an angel by name Loyan Roylance, we now have a new flexible blog that replaced our older website.

Pavla has been invited to talk about Educare-Africa and her Peace Corps experience on the One Hour Hope TV show in Salem on November 14th.


Wish List

  • Digital video camera to document our activities especially in Cameroon

  • Stamps 42 & 98 cents

    What your $$ do for students
    $1 – 4 pens or about 20 pencils
    $15 – school uniform or school bag or school shoes
    $18 – scientific calculator
    $35 – secondary school fees or
    House rent for 10 months
    $40 – high school fees
    $45 – GCE exam registration fees
    $60 – secondary textbooks
    $80 – high school textbooks
    $350 – helps to register at a university (One year costs about $1,000.)
    These prices were calculated when the exchange rate was $1=460 CFA francs. Exchange rate fluctuates.

    Holiday Fundraising
    We are planning for our eighth Christmas giving Tree at the Heritage Mall in Albany from November 27th to December 27th. There will be envelopes with our mailing address and information cards.
    For the first time we are able to participate in the Gifts for the Better World store in Corvallis, at the First Congregational Church, 4515 SW West Hills Road. The store will be open from November 7th to November 29th. We will have greeting cards with Pavla’s photographs from Tanzania, 8x10 matted photographs, jewelry, dresses, CDs with African music and other items for sale. Pavla will also have a table at a Holiday Bazaar in Scio, Z Hall, 38704 Main Street on Friday and Saturday, November 20th and 21st.
    Pavla needs a volunteer (s), to help her unload the items and spend a few hours with her at the table. If you wish to volunteer, please, contact Pavla.

    Sponsoring students
    There are many ways we can assist the students. Interested individuals or groups can sponsor individual students and will receive letters from the student, updating them on her/his progress in school. Or, people can send monthly donations, which will accumulate to assist many students. Or, a donation can be made once a year, either for an individual student or to assist several students. It depends on what each donor prefers to do. Any donation is always greatly appreciated!

    Call for unique support
    One of Pavla’s former students, Etienne Tawong, won a 2010 green card lottery, which means he can come legally to the United States and go to school and work. He was always a very good and quiet student. After Etienne and his younger brother Bertrand lost both of their parents their grandfather was their only support. He died this June while Pavla was in Cameroon. This is a great opportunity for Etienne to change his life for the better so that eventually he will be able to assist many others. However, before Etienne can come, he needs a place to stay and someone to help him adjust to his new surroundings and provide minimal financial support. He will also need to live with this person. He will need the name and address of the person who offers support. The Consular Center will contact the person to confirm and show proof that he/she is financially able to accommodate Etienne. We are turning to you on behalf of Etienne and asking if you or someone you know could be that person and enable Etienne to come to the United States. Please, let Pavla know as soon as possible since he is compiling the necessary documents now.

    Other possibilities
    Remembering Educare-Africa in your last will is another way how to provide more support for the children in Cameroon. For more information you can contact Mike Reddy.
    Phone: (541) 485-6676;
    Email: mike.tiplace@gmail.com;
    Pavla is also looking for more opportunities for presentations to interested groups such as Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs, Zonta, Altrusa International, Women’s and Youth groups, leadership middle, high school or University classes, and other groups.

    Volunteers and ideas are always welcome and greatly appreciated!
    All donations are tax deductible.
    We will look forward to hear from you at the right time.

    Thank you all very much on behalf of the children in Cameroon for your continuing kind and generous support. It is appreciated tremendously!

    Have a richly blessed Holiday Season, filled with much joy & unconditional love.
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Gloria's Story
posted on Friday, July 31, 2009


Dear Educare-Africa,
Where do I start from? Who says there are no miracles or that miracles were of the past? God has used you to show His powers to me, my family and my schoolmates. God is wonderful and He uses but a fellow human being to manifest His glory. May you be blessed.
It all started when I got into Form one in the G.S.S. Tatum then. Life wasn't easy for my family and I. Things were so bad that I could not get a pen for a hundred francs (about 20 cents). I thought I was going to drop out for the fact that we could not afford food in our house.
When I reached Form three in 1996, God sent us a guardian angel, a Peace Corps teacher, Madam Pavla Zakova and a few years later an NGO, Educare-Africa, that Madam Pavla started after her Peace Corps, in 2000. Oh God, thank you! I have tears of joy in my eyes right now as I am writing this to you.
If I am able to read and write today, able to serve my community and country, it is thanks to Educare-Africa. I do not really know where to start or end. Thank you very much!
It started with pens and continued with books, school fees, housing and other essential school related needs. It was not only the material assistance but also the spiritual and moral support.
Right now, I serve as a librarian in the Nkum Council Public Library. Whatever I am able to do now as far as education is concerned, all I have to say is thank God for Educare-Africa through our dear mother Madam Pavla.
So, with my GCE Ordinary and Advance Level, I wish to tell you people that if not for you in the name of God and His will, I couldn't have achieved all these goals. I do pray that you continue in that loving spirit for it is only our Creator Who will reward you for your good work. Whatever I am today and will be tomorrow I will always say it is you and will always pray that what you did to me shall be done to others as well. With your good example, I am able to help two of my younger ones in school. Thank you Educare-Africa for your inspiration.
May you be blessed.
Njoben Gloria Mainimo
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Educare-Africa, My Mother
posted on Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Oh sweet Mother, don't cry
it has been a wonderful journey
Console yourself your children are mature
You will soon reap the fruit of your labor
And like your self, we will have many children
Three children, four children, five children.

Together you taught us the lessons of life
Now we can see people with the loving eyes of God.
That there is no difference between us.
All of us from every nation are one.
And together like a great army
We can form a strong chain of love and support.
It did not kill you as you toiled day and night.

Looking for food to nourish your tender ones.
Now I know, No one dies from being good.
It doesn;t kill to share with the neighbor.
Neither does it in doing a kindness.
It brings a wonderful blessing of joy.
You have shown to us all it takes to be fulfilled
You shared our loving moments, sad moments,
happy...
What a loving mother you remain to us.
We wish to remain children but
We need to go out to the world
And bring forth your grandchildren
So you see your labor has not been in vain.
Beatrice
I am Ngong Beatrice Kernyuy, a third level mathematics student in the University of Yaounde I, found in Cameroon. I am 23 years of age and the 1st in a fmaily of four. My parents Mr./Mrs. Ngong Vitalis live in a small village in Bui Division. I grew up with them together with my younger ones who now are in the secondary and primary schools.
Being where I am today is a miracle. It amazes me whenever I look back and see what God has been doing to me especially through Educare-Africa.
During my secondary education, I had scholarships where some of my school needs were brought and other offers from friends and relatives. One beautiful day in form five, I had a prize from Mrs. Pavla Zakova-Laney as the best female science student. It was my first time meeting Madam Pavla. Little did I know that the story of my life was about to change that year. I passed the ordinary level GCE exams in 11 papers with good grades and was the best in our center. A year later I had a prize from Mrs. Chantal Biya, the 1st lady of the republic. I was encouraged and excited as I traveled to Yaounde, the capital of our country for the 1st time.
While in lower sixth, I met some students from Tatum who had been with Madam Pavla. Celsius, a very good friend and brother invited me to meet her during her annual visit to Cameroon. I had the opportunity to talk with her later and I explained how the gift had encouraged me. Madam decided to assist me together with my parents. In addition, I benefited from Educare-Africa mobile library. In upper sixth, I was given money to register the entrance examinations into professional schools. I succeeded in the Advanced Teacher Training Exam where I have benn in the last three years for studies.
Educare-Africa, my mother, has been there always. I had the opportunity of having a kind and generous sponsor, Ms. Marian Angele. Also, while at ENS Bambili, I was blessed by staying with Dr. Frida Sunjo from whom I learned many lessons of life. Educare-Africa has touched all parts of my life. I appreciate them all many of whom I have not met but who are out there concerned about our needs. Ms. Marian sends me stories, funds for my educational needs and encourages me. I learnt so much from her life and her own experiences. I never dreamt that I would live like other children, go to school and have a job.
Here I am today, just graduated from the Teachers Training School, and by God's grace in a little while I will be posted by the state to teach. I have been lifted from nothing to something. I owe Educare-Africa so much abd I believe soon I shall do to others what they have done to me. It is really a wonderful experience to live, love and be loved unconditionally. It has been an amazing time never to be forgotten. Fresh memories remain in me and some day will yield many blessings for others.
Love you all,
Beatrice


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