Gloria's Story

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

Educare-Africa, My Mother

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

Educare-Africa and Me

My name is Tangko Julius Ngala, 26 years young and the son of Tangko Manases and Agnes Mangu, all late, who were residents in Douala, Cameroon.

I attended primary school in Mbot, a village in the Donga Mantung Division in the North West Region of Cameroon where I obtained my First School leaving certificate. Here I lived with some relatives while my parents went out to provide for us, including our education.

In 1996 I entered into the secondary school at G.S.S. Tatum. At that time things started changing negatively in the family and polygamy came in to break it apart. My mum was the only one struggling for all the five of us in the family. I loved studying right up to the university but the challenge here was that she started getting tired when I was still in the second year of the secondary school. God being so kind provided for us Madam Pavla Zakova-Laney, my class mistress from form one to three and Peace Corps volunteer. She was and has remained a kind loving and cheerful mother to us, thereby justifying the saying that "the Lord does everything with a reason." She provided most of the textbooks I needed to succeed and supported me financially especially in form five when the situation became critical. I was able to register, write and obtain my Ordinary level GCE in nine subjects, thanks to the support from Madam Pavla and my mum. This not withstanding, I also received a scholarship from the Cameroon Government in forms two and three for which I was very grateful too.

In 2007, I transferred to G.B.H.S. Kumbo where I continued in lower and upper sixth. My mum was able to assist me with the house rents, food and textbooks while Educare-Africa assisted me with the school fees for my two years in high school. Again, I must confirm that it was thanks to these two parties that I was able to succeed in all the 3 subjects, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology in the advanced level GCE exams.

After high school life became a nightmare. I had to stay at home for two years trying to get something doing that could help me proceed with studies but success was rare. Nevertheless, Madam Pavla and Educare-Africa came in as usual and registered me into the first year in the University of Yaounde I where I read Animal physiology with the hope of being a health care worker one day. Madam Pavla also provided spiritual booklets which together with the moral support I get from the Joy and Success Club that was also founded by her, has helped to restore my faith and hopes. Mid way in level two I lost my mum and life once again seemed too meaningless to me, but Educare-Africa continued to support me over the year and today I can boast of being in year 3, a high point toward achieving my goal.

I cannot quickly conclude that from Educare-Africa and Joy and Success Club I have only received material and financial assistance but I want to confess here that I have also been educated morally and on how to choose a career, an important feature in the life of a student.

My family and I are very grateful for what Educare-Africa has been doing to me and to other students like me. From Educare-Africa on one hand and the Joy and Success Club on the other hand, we have drawn more than one lesson about Love, devotion and encouragement. We pray God to bless Educare-Africa abundantly and give its staff long lives.

TJN