Brief Summary Trip 2014

My trip to Cameroon was very enjoyable and without any adverse challenges.

On Saturday, May 3^rd Thomas and I traveled to Buea to meet with our students. We returned to Yaounde that same day. After a long day of travel we arrived there around 2 a.m. on Sunday.

On May 4^th Thomas and I traveled to Bamenda. I met with Mr. Kevin, our field coordinator, we picked up the rest of our funds, purchased basic school supplies and science lab equipment and prepared for our journey to Tatum. On May 11^th I met with several former students who now have jobs, to get their information and photographs for our anniversary booklet. On May 15^th we drove to G.H.S. Kedjom Keku to give prizes. On May 16^th we traveled to Tatum.

Basic school supplies for the 105 best students from G.H.S. Kedjom Keku, G.H.S. Talla, G.B.H.S. Tatum, G.H.S. Nseh, G.H.S. Mbu-Warr, G.H.S. Taku and G.H.S. Ntumbaw were purchased and given during prize giving ceremonies between May 16^th and May 23^rd. Donated toothbrushes, toothpaste, additional school supplies and other donations were distributed to 291 students. About 230 staff members from G.H.S. Kedjom Keku, G.H.S. Talla, G.B.H.S. Tatum, G.S.S. Nseh, G.H.S. Taku, G.H.S. Mbu-Warr and G.H.S. Ntumbaw received pens for encouragement. Each school also received four boxes of chalk. Thanks to several kind donors new science lab equipment was purchased for G.H.S. Mbu-Warr and G.H.S. Talla. Thanks to Labdoo NGO in California, one laptop computer was donated to G.H.S. Ntumbaw and one to Educare-Africa staff in Cameroon. 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. Kuintar, G.S. Mbohnso and I.C.C. Tatum received new short wave radios donated by the Ears to Our World NGO from North Carolina.

On Saturday, May 24^th, we met with students and parents at G.B.H.S. Kumbo. On June 4^thwe visited another former student, Kongnso Clotilde Afoni, who now owns and manages a solar charging station at Mbohnso in the Northwest Region. While there we met a second former student, Chin Emiline, who is a primary school teacher at G.S. Mbohnso. On June 6^th we met with the lord mayor and our Tatum project committee. We met with them two more times and handed over funds to complete demarcation process and obtain a land title for Educare-Africa. From June 9^th until June 14^th we met with students and parents in Tatum. On June 12^th we met parents and students at G.H.S. Mbu-Warr. On June 16^th we traveled to Bamenda and on June 19^th we visited another former student, Mbinkar Victor, at Bangante, where he owns a small bakery. During my trip we chose 155 students including over 30 new outstanding students to assist in 2014/2015 school year.

On June 25^th Thomas Maika and I met with Mrs. Marie-Therese Obama, a professor of Pediatrics in the Medical school in Yaounde and also Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family since 2009. Mrs. Obama is also Wellesley College alumna and that was our connection. We spent an hour sharing about our work after Mrs. Obama told us about her work at the Ministry. She is very supportive of our work in Cameroon.

      As a side project, Justin Tagne from the Cameroon Baptist Center in Bamenda and also a member of a NGO called Born Free Cameroon, and I organized the handing over of   donations from the SafeHaven Humane Society in Albany, Oregon. About 12 dog owners, breeders and veterinarians participated. On June 22^nd Justin, a vet technician, and I rented a taxi and traveled around town to check on about 25 dogs in need and had discussions with their owners.

UPCOMING ASSISTANCE: We hope to assist about 130 secondary/high school students and about 25 university students. Approximately $10,000 by mid September 2014 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 9^th. 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 will keep you informed about our building project in Cameroon. You can check on our progress on our blog.
 

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