By Meg Dallett | In the Field Intern
My name is Meg Dallett, and I’m an In the Field intern with GlobalGiving in Cameroon this summer. I’m traveling around the country visiting all the GlobalGiving-partnered NGOs, and I’m writing this postcard to pass on some of what I’ve seen to the donors who have given to this organization.
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In Cameroon, orphans and vulnerable children often leave school earlier than other children, and have far fewer opportunities to support themselves down the road. That’s why Self Reliance Promoters’ NGO is running a school just for them, making sure kids have schoolbooks, uniforms, and enough to eat so that they’ll be able to graduate. It’s their oldest program, so there are plenty of participants who’ve now graduated and moved out to work in their communities or continue on to higher education. Wirkom Fred Mbiydzenyuy, the Managing Director of Self Reliance Promoters (SEREP), tells us that he always keeps in touch with his former students and that of the first class of graduates (from 2001), every single one is now employed. In a country with an estimated 30% unemployment, that’s no small feat.
School’s out for the summer so we couldn’t see classes in action, but I met a few of the kids around town. They’re awfully shy, but told us they were happy in the program, and Fred spent some time taking to one small girl about how the school was going to work specifically on her reading next year. The students are particularly excited about one big project—SEREP is building a new schoolhouse for them! Right now they’re in their third rented building-- because landlords keep raising prices, the school has had to move every couple years. A building of their own, designed for classrooms instead of someone’s house, would make a huge difference. By this fall they’re hoping to have the new building done, although materials are expensive and they’re still raising money for the site here.
We made sure to visit the new school building while we were in Kumbo—check out our update from the site here! For pictures of the project, check out http://inthefield.globalgiving.org.
If you’re interested in SEREP’s other projects, take a look:
Feed a Cameroonian Family. SEREP’s Palm Oil Project
Build a School for 100 Orphans in Cameroon
Help Mbosha Women Build a Primary Health Centre
Help Takija Build a Nursery School to Educate 60 Children
Give the Gift of Education—Sponsor an Orphan or Vulnerable Child
By Wirkom Fred Mbiydzenyuy | Project leader
By Wirkom Fred Mbiydzenyuy | Project Leader
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