By Heather Kathrens | U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer posted with NCIG
Report from the field for the Global Giving Pig Rearing Project for Widows Project
Ikata, Cameroon
From: Heather Kathrens and Aldous Leke
Date of Visit: May 23, 2012
Date of Report: May 28, 2012
On Wednesday, May 23, 2012, we celebrated the official launching of the Global Giving Pig Rearing Project for Widows in Ikata. Nkong Hill Top staff, including Aldous Lekeanyi, Immelda Aka, Ngoasong Leke Fonge, our driver Albert, and I traveled to Ikata and formally recognized the project’s successful implementation. At the ceremony, the four participating widows were present, along with two NCIG board members; Mr. Fabian and Mr. Kimka. As well, there were two community leaders, Aunt Rose Mbe, and several other community members. We were also lucky enough to have 11 American students and 3 professors from Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania visiting us that day.
We opened the ceremony with an introduction of NCIG, its programs and goals. The students had many great questions for us. Although we thought the widows would be reluctant to speak in front of a crowd of strangers, all four of them; Martha Dohnji, Lydia Mfor, Lydia Afunga, and Frida Tangye , eagerly gave testimonies about what the project meant for them. The Bloomsburg students, all studying gender issues in college, were able to learn what NCIG does and to talk with the widows themselves about the project. The widows were presented with certificates of training along with certificates of trust, ensuring the payback of the initial participant buy-in of 50,000 CFA. As contributed materials for the pens were valued at 20,000 CFA for each person, the trust certificates indicate a balance of 30,000 CFA per woman. As they pay this amount back, the money will go towards piglets for other widows in the community. We wrapped things up with some light refreshments and a family photo before our American friends departed Ikata. It was truly a happy occasion—to see the implementation of a project that will help the widows as well as the community and to be able to share the occasion with board members, community members and visitors from abroad.
After the ceremony, Aldous and I stayed in Ikata to tend to the piglets' physical care, ensuring that each was doing well. All appear healthy and they're growing fast. The women are keeping the pens clean and feeding and watering well. We also delivered a month’s supply of food for each piglet. Each widow was given a handout on pig housing, feeding and medical care, just to keep them on track of food amounts/schedules, pen maintenance and vaccinations. They were also reminded that if any problems arise with their pigs, to call Aldous immediately. All in all, things seem to be going well with the project. Our next visit to Ikata will be in one month—on June 20 and we will deliver more feed then and do another round of de-wormer for the pigs. At that time, after our visit, we will be able to post a detailed cost analysis for the project—this will enable people who donated to the project to see exactly what each franc has been spent on, as well as help us to plan more precisely for the next round of widows.
So, until next time, thank you all so much for your support and interest in the project!
--The Team at Nkong Hill Top
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