October 26, 2013

November Newsletter

Educare-Africa/Community Resource Center Project: our priority
The local community dug part of the road to the site. A caterpillar is needed to finish the job and dig the foundation as well. You can view the complete proposal including a budget on our blog:
To complete this project, we still need at least $65,000. Together, we shall succeed.
UPCOMING ASSISTANCE:

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

We have sad news to share. Mr. Emmanuel Sunjo, our country coordinator, died on September 21st after several months of a mysterious illness. He will be missed greatly.
You can donate to Educare-Africa using your credit card on line. Go to our blog and click on “Donate.”
We are very grateful to the Allan & Peggy Tishman Foundation and many other donors for their kind and generous donations.

Wish List

Used/New educational and inspirational DVDs (NatGeo, etc.) to share in Cameroon
Stamps international forever
PC compatible lap top computer for our field work
Prayers
 
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
$50 – 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 shall participate in the Gifts for a Better World store in Corvallis, at the First Congregational Church, 4515 SW West Hills Road. The store will be open from November 9th to December 1st. We will have hand-made masks, spoons, bottle openers and bags from Cameroon, greeting cards, 8x10 matted photographs, jewelry, dresses, CDs with African music, baked goodies and other items for sale. The store hours: Mon. – Fri. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. 12 noon-5 p.m.
Check the information flyer at the end of this newsletter.

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 the donor’s preferences. Every donation is always greatly appreciated!

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;
▪Pavla is always looking for more opportunities for presentations to interested groups.
Volunteers and ideas are always welcome and greatly appreciated!
All donations are tax deductible.
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, peace & unconditional love.
 
 
 

July 11, 2013

Brief Summary of 2013 Trip


My trip 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 house. On Friday, May 3rd I picked up our funds which were sent through Moneygram.

On May 6th Mr. Sunjo and I visited Ngong Beatrice, one of our former students, who now teaches mathematics at G.B.H.S. in Ebolowa, capital of the South Region of Cameroon.

On May 8th I traveled to Bamenda. We purchased basic school supplies and science lab equipment and prepared for our journey to Tatum. On May 11th I met a current Peace Corps volunteer, Emily Devito, and we discussed our possible future collaboration. On May 16th we drove to G.H.S. Kedjom Keku to give prizes. On May 17th we traveled to Tatum.

On May 21st we handed over a new microscope to the principal of G.S.S. Njilah. On May 22nd we rented a 4-wheel drive pick up truck for our travel over the rough roads on our visit to G.S.S. Ngendzen. We handed over a new short wave radio and discussed possibilities of assisting a few excellent students.

Thanks to the Riverside Church grant – Phase II - 100 students from G.S.S. Agyati received new school uniforms and 100 received new school bags. Basic school supplies for the 92 best students from G.H.S. Kedjom Keku, G.H.S. Talla, G.B.H.S. Tatum, G.H.S. Nseh, G.S.S. Agyati, G.S.S. Mbu-Warr and G.H.S. Ntumbaw were purchased and given during prize giving ceremonies between May 23rd and June 19th. Donated toothbrushes, toothpaste, additional school supplies and other donations were distributed to 239 students. About 170 staff members from G.H.S. Kedjom Keku, G.H.S. Talla, G.B.H.S. Tatum, G.S.S. Nseh, G.S.S. Agyati, G.S.S. Mbu-Warr and G.H.S. Ntumbaw received pens for encouragement. Each school also received four boxes of chalk. Thanks to grants from the $10 Club and Friends of Cameroon new science lab equipment was purchased for G.H.S. Ntumbaw and G.H.S. Mbu-Warr. Both rural high schools plan to start science classes this fall. P.T.A. of G.H.S. Mbu-Warr contributed toward our building project in Tatum. Other schools are fundraising toward the same goal. 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. G.S.S. Ngendzen, G.H.S. Kedjom Keku and G.H.S. Ntumbaw received new short wave radios donated by the Ears to Our World NGO from North Carolina.

On Saturday, May 25th, we met with students and parents at G.B.H.S. Kumbo. On May 28th we visited another former student, Kongnso Clotilde Afoni, who now owns and manages a solar charging station near Ntaaba in the Northwest Region. On June 7th a ribbon was cut to the future science lab at G.H.S. Ntumbaw with many students and their parents present. On June 6th we met with the mayor and our Tatum project committee. It was agreed that a caterpillar will be necessary to dig up the road and a foundation for the first building of the Educare-Africa/Community Resource Center in Tatum. From June 10th until June 15th we met with students and parents in Tatum. On June 13th we met parents and students at G.H.S. Mbu-Warr and science lab equipment donated thanks to a grant from the Friends of Cameroon group was handed over to the school principal. On June 18th we traveled to Bamenda and on June 19th we went to G.S.S. Agyati with prizes, school uniforms and school bags. On June 20th we handed over a new radio to the principal of G.H.S. Kedjom Keku and discussed with parents and students. During my trip we chose 134 students to assist in 2013/2014 school year. We chose over 48 new outstanding students for the next academic year.

This year we purchased a TV and used it during the week of discussions with parents and students. While people were waiting for their turn they had an opportunity to watch great DVDs such as the BBC Planet Earth series, Elsa’s Legacy, National Geographic programs about lions, hyenas, jaguars, whales, bears and the Dog Whisperer. They enjoyed this tremendously and encouraged us to get even more educational and inspirational DVDs for next year so many more could benefit wherever we go, including in our Bamenda office.

As a side project, Justin Tagne from the Cameroon Baptist Center in Bamenda, also a member of a NGO called Born Free Cameroon, and I organized the handing over of donations from the Reid Veterinary Hospital and Hopes Haven Rescue group in Salem. About 12 dog owners, breeders and veterinarians participated. On May 23rd Justin and I rented a taxi and went around town to check on about 25 dogs in need and distributed some collars and leashes.

UPCOMING ASSISTANCE: We hope to assist about 125 secondary/high school students and about 25 university students. Approximately $10,000 by mid September 2013 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 10th. If the school fees and the GCE exam registration fees are not paid on time, students are often sent home from school, which has a detrimental effect on their exam results.

We want to continue with the building project as soon as possible. The next step is to access a caterpillar to finish digging a road to the building site and then to begin the foundation. We can start as soon as funds become available.

You can view some of our activities on the following video clips: