Establish agricultural training center in Cameroon

After receiving applications from 'Laaton' group and other farmers groups to train them on Bee farming, Green Care Association on the 24/4/2013, organized a Bee farming workshop with the 'Laaton' group of Kingomen Village. A total of 16 persons attended the training amongst which was a traditional ruler of Jumsin family. After a question and answer Session progress was made with treating topics like Qualities of a good bee keeper, what to consider before locating a bee farm, Identification of Bee friendly and avoidable trees. Management of Hives, Bee pest ,Bee Stings, proper Honey, packaging, Colony requirement and many other. . At the end of the training the eldest member of 'Laaton' Group Mr Wirba Umaru extended appreciation and said the training is going to improve 'Laaton' group and the entire bee farming community of Kingomen. At the end the training Kilian Singyan was quick to declare happily that, he is going to involve his wives and children in Bee farming henceforth. The group leader Mr Julius Banlav said his group is very happy and determined to change the faith of bee farming in the area and as a consequence improve their financial status of all their families. He also extended appreciation to Green Care and most especially donors of GlobalGiving whose efforts has reached and is helping them at the very remote ends 'We shall for ever be grateful' declared Julius Banlav. He however appealed to GlobalGiving to continue assisting them. At the end the training Kilian Singyan was quick to declare he is going to involve his wives and children in Bee farming henceforth.

Paper Beads Making workshop

Green Care Association was recently trained alongside Shisong community dwellers in Paper Beads making for three exciting days, facilitated by My Beads Space Organisation from Bamenda. Glossary and other advertisement Papers were identified as the best material to be used. Some of the equipment for the training include Scissors, rulers, varnish and spirit and glow.

 The workshop gave the participants opportunity to be drilled on how to used some tree seeds as Beads. After theorical lessons participants were given the opportunity for serious practical sessions and corrections. At the end of the day it was unanimously agreed that Paper Beads are environmentally friendly, design provoking and income generating. It was also brought to common knowledge the fact that Beads are also very important to the culture of Nso and many others as the type of Beads has a very symbolic reason to the community. At the end of the workshop,the participants were determined to set up their small workshop. Yekov Bernadette, one of the female participants was quick to declare that she shall never lack what to occupy herself with henceforth.

It all ended to the satisfaction of all and appreciation to GlobalGiving for sponsoring the very important workshop. One of the participants Kinyuy Marion related these words. “ Ven beri a woni foor mo” ( thank Global Giving for me).

Second Bee farming training workshop

Shisong 9^th Nov.2012

With the ever increasing demand for Honey and request from some Groups and individuals to be trained in Bee farming, Green Care Association ( GCA), was able to organized the second Bee farming workshop on the 9^th of November 2012.The twelve participants came from Shisong, Mbuluf, Kingomen, Kikaikom and Nkuv villages.

Topics treated include qualities of good bee keeper, Kinds of Bees, Types of Hives and where its appropriate to establish an Apiary, Hive and Bee sting management, swarming, absconding and identification of Bee friendly Trees. At the end of the workshop there was chance for question and answer sessions. Participants were also assigned to find out indigenous methods to reduce the effects of Termites on Hives and also to identify the clove plant and other herbs that could be used  for harvesting of Honey.

To Mr Fon Justin, the workshop was ‘very educative’ giving him opportunity to learn many new things. He also extended appreciation to GlobalGiving and wished the training opportunity to continue from time to time in improve their skills and for the business.

Mr Wirba Hilary of Kingomen village, was very happy and said ‘He considered himself privileged for the training he has been longing for so long’.

Finally, the Traditional ruler of ‘Shu Bui’ family in Kikaikom village who attended the training extended appreciation GlobalGiving on behalf of the participants while requesting Green Care to continue in this offering the local farmers the opportunity to improve..

Over the years Green Care NGO has been operating from a small two room office in the Bui division in the North West region of Cameroon. With our fast growing activities and staff there has been an urgent need to grow and move to a larger location. Green Care has recently acquired a site to construct a new office that will be a used as an agroforestry training center. This will give Green Care the ability to expand their reach to the whole North West region of Cameroon. Green Care will therefore be able to train many communities in agroforestry and environmental best practices. Major progress has been made in the last few months with the complete design of the building, and receiving approval from the local council to start construction. The first stage of this project has been completed as of the 28^th of May 2012 thanks to many volunteers. This is including an American Peace Corps, a British Engineer, many local villagers from Shisong and Kumbo, along from the traditional head of Shisong “Shufai Wang”. The first stage of this project has become a reality thanks to the support and funds we have already received from Global Giving. The ability to complete the next stage of this project is mainly hindered at present by lack of finance. It is a common hope that funding can be raised to enable Green Care to continue to fulfill the needs of the community and grow as a regional training center.     

       The new Bui Division Agroforestry training center will have many different aspects in its entirety. The building will be equipped with a large library and a small internet café, a conference room/training room, a sanitary room for honey production, a personal office for Green Care staff, two bathrooms (in which all waste will be recycled), and a storage room. With this new building we will be able to hold workshops on agroforestry and environmental best practices, along with HIV/AIDS awareness, computer classes, continue with an environmental education club in collaboration with a local Shisong school, and also have workshops with individuals with disabilities.

We would like to thank you in advance; it is a true honor to have this opportunity to have our goals reached. This new office will enrich the lives of everyone involved, mostly the grass root villagers, and the entire North West region of Cameroon.

Thank you,

Links:

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Fruit Tree Domestication Workshop

On the 24/05/2012 Green Care organized a training workshop in Shisong for local farmers on Fruit Tree domestication. Lessons included Air layering or Marcotting, Approach or Bud grafting and propagation by cuttings. Emphasis was on Air layering or Marcotting because its fitting to everybody and has 90% success rate.

Farmers were taught on the tools, appropriate season and how to select trees.

After the training, attended by two women and five men amongst which was the village traditional head for Shisong ‘Shufai Wang’ participants were taken for practical session and to Green Care’s demonstration site where they had opportunity to see, and touch marcots. Reasons were also advanced why Marcots are kept in the propagator and shed house before planting. One of the participants Dubila Genevieve left the training excited and promised to immediately pass on the message to her family and interested friends.

All the farmers agreed the techniques were within reach and that they were going to put the knowledge acquired to improve their family gardens and as a source of income,

Special appreciation was extended to GlobalGiving team through Green Care Association.