OGCEYOD Falcons expands!

Following negotiations with the Head Teacher of Unity Quarter Government School, OGCEYOD was given special permission from the inspector of Basic Education Limbe I Subdivision to use government premises for the venue of a brand new and exciting Children’s Group. Unity Falcons met for the first time at the beginning of October. The second of its kind; this OGCEYOD group meets every week to learn and have fun using non-formal education methods and cooperative games to teach about issues such as children’s rights and the environment. By the second meeting word had spread and there was as many as 50 children taking part in the activities lead by Laura and supported by Ruth – both OGCEYOD Volunteers.

Confident Falcon represents the voice of children at the international day of the elderly.

9 year old Otte Providence from the New Town Falcon group impressed at the international day of the elderly where she was asked to represent the children of Limbe by performing a special poem to almost 100 elderly people who had gathered for celebrations at the Council Hall. The poem written in collaboration with her Falcon leader Laura and other children from the group was well received by the audience who were impressed by Otte’s brilliant public speaking skills and confidence. The poem reads as follows:

How The Young Can Help The Old.

It’s good to help an old person when they carry a heavy load,

And when they carry water or when a blind man crosses the road,

We should listen to their experiences, their knowledge and their stories,

For they have seen change, sorrow and failure as well as past glories,

We must respect and not abuse them, this the young must learn,

The old take care of the young therefore we must take care in turn,

Aging is a natural process of life, it begins the moment we are born,

So we are not different after all, as we all wake to the same golden dawn,

They say that anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old,

Please remember you were young once and we’re all just on different parts of the same road.

CIVIL SOCIETY STRENGTHENING PROGRAM

 

The European Union is a key development partner to the government, national and grass root development organizations in Cameroon. A European Sub program for the Structuring of Civil Society in Cameroon (PASOC) which came to an end months ago, played a major role and impacted on the operations of many civil society organizations (CSOs) and networks in Cameroon. On the basis of these achievements and the challenges ahead of the already structured CSOs  and those not affected by PASOC, the EU saw the need to support CSOs in Cameroon through an intense regional actor-base focused approach towards ensuring proper links between citizen and public authorities. Certainly, there is a strong sense that increasing technical capacity of CSOs compounded with advocacy campaign packages will fulfill grassroots actions and further sustainable development pathways.  After the South West regional consultative meeting in Buea to launch PASC, another meeting at Fakoship Plaza, Buea gathered CSOs of the SW Region to cross-examine the different levels for support by PASC while also building in-roads towards corporate social responsibility.  On the 18 of August, CSOs once again united in Buea at MINEPAT conference Hall for an explanatory and clarification mission of first phase of PASC. This meeting achieved its objectives as given by the questions and answers that preceded the presentation of work program 1. At the end of the day, nearly all CSOs approved of the necessity of the explanatory and clarification meeting. Once the modalities for access to EU-PASC funds have been made known, CSOs will not have to doubt what is needed to be done. PASC is thus a great opportunity that has demonstrated uniqueness in its approach towards informing the target stakeholders.

OGCEYOD celebrates World Ozone layer Day 2012 under LEONET

On December 19, 1994, the UN General Assembly proclaimed September 16 to be the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, commemorating the date when the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed in 1987.
This year under the theme: "Protecting our atmosphere for generations to come", members of he Limbe Environmental Organizations Network (LEONET) came together to reverse ozone depletion by organizing sensitization activities, tree planting and round table conference. These events witnessed the participation of civil society organizations, local schools and communities and above all the Divisional Delegation of the Ministry of Environment, Protection of Nature and Sustainable Development (MINEP). There are many climate related epidemic such as cholera, malaria and typhoid which have been reported in the hospitals and health centers. While farmers continuous to experience crop failures, there is a general outcry of water and energy shortages added with floods and mudflow scenarios.
On the recognition of the above impacts, LEONET members on Monday 17th September, 2012 under the framework of the Montreal Protocol and the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer committed to:
1.    Working in strong collaboration with the relevant Ministries and stakeholders to halt all forms of environmental degradation by humans and corporate bodies in the Fako Division
2.    Vulgarize information sharing about the preservation of the ozone layer and to denounce all ozone depleting chemicals
3.    Continue to promote all activities aimed at combating climate change , health problems for most living things such as skin cancers, cataracts, and immune suppression in humans; changes in plant growth rates, form, and development; loss in biodiversity, orientation and motility in phytoplankton, etc. This year under the theme: "Protecting our atmosphere for generations to come", members of the Limbe Environmental Organizations Network (LEONET) came together to reverse ozone depletion by organizing sensitization activities, tree planting and round table conference. These events witnessed the participation of civil society organizations, local schools and communities and above all the Divisional Delegation of MINEP.

SEX WORKERS OUT IN THEIR NUMBERS TO BETTER THEMSELVES ECONOMICALLY

The meeting began at 10:00 am and lasted for about an hour, 25 minutes. The sex workers, (97% girls not more that 35 years of age), a young guy who was the translator, the proprietor of the motel Mr. Nzume Epitieme (Head of Prostitutes), six interns from the University of Buea reading Gender studies, one international volunteer and the Executive Director of OGCEYOD, Mr. Elvis Wepngong were present at this meeting. The aim of the meeting is to provide another activity or job for the girls aside their normal prostitution. Since OGCEYOD is preparing a project that will benefit them in this light. And also to identify the challenges they face in the course of their job. The meeting began after everyone introduced themselves and then the proprietor made a small speech on behalf of the girls saying how he always advises the girls that their job doesn´t make them look like outcasts but they are the same like everyone other Cameroon look for means to have a sustainable livelihood. He also said that he feel bad when the girls are being laughed at. He said that he had a total of 90 girls under his supervision. He owns a motel with 15 rooms and a toilet (H2O System) where the girls stay the night with their clients. Mr Njume also talked of the imposed 3000 FCFA on the girls as small financial saving “Akawo” as their personal saving. This money is intended to pay their rents in his motel as well as help them take care of their kids back home with the parents or family for those who have.

After his welcome words, the Executive Director of OGCEYOD made his proposal known to them saying he wants to carry out a project that will benefit the sex workers, saying that the girls will need to undergo a training in whatever business they’d like to do aside prostitution. His strategy is to carry out a pilot phase with about 40 sex workers benefiting from the scheme. With the scheme being successful, he will advocate and lobby with the Cameroonian government to implement a national project with this target group of girls. He said that he doesn´t spend time criticising the government or worked against them but OGCEYOD seeks avenues to partner with them to aspiring change and  reach the common goal of sustainable development. At the end of his presentation he said that the targeted population has to accept this proposal will work for them before the organizations puts any proposal on paper for funding by donors. In addition, he said the social welfare is aware of this project so that they will give OGCEYOD the necessary technical support.  The 50 sex workers present at the meeting supported the idea since they don´t really make much lately from their present job because of the financial crisis. Mr. Njume and the sex workers thanked the OGCEYOD team for the initiative and the strong commitment  to partner with them  deeper.

EDITORIAL: OGCEYOD’S VOICE

As always life is a hurdle but as we keep searching for answers to mind-changing discovery within and without the surface of the earth, lets keep in mind that our actions impact others. It is evident that to give meaning to our life and to enjoy life to the fullest, your vision and purpose for existence must be defined and accomplished. Let your relics live on to serve as guide to future generations. Your drive for success should be developed from within; from your thoughts, mind and intuition. Your body and soul must possess a “never give up” motivation which is a mixture of determination and hard work with constant and hard thinking as ingredients. We need constant development and the ability to embrace  failures, in order to get to lasting success. View failures as opportunities and know behind every failure is a clean door to success.

We are a part of this reality movie designed by the Creator. Every contribution counts in making our world a better place for our children and our children´s children. No one can save us from us but us.

It is on this foundation that OGCEYOD stands to empower children, youths and women from vulnerable communities no matter their colour, race, ethnicity, background, etc. We hope this newsletter gives you fresh ideas and motivation for a sustainable livelihood for you, your family, friends, communities, nation and the world at large.

3 in all to break unemployment with goal-getting open door days event in Fako

A world with less poverty, hunger and disease, greater survival for women and their infants, better educated children, equal opportunities for women, and a healthier environment emanates from UN publication and condensed by Cameroon’s Growth and Employment Strategy Paper. Two emerging organizations; Organization for Gender, Civic Engagement and Youth Development (OGCEYOD) and the Environmental Protection and Development Association (EPDA) together with Ministry of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Social Economy and Handicraft (MINPMEESA) Fako, formed a trio coalition to promote social entrepreneurship in the Division. Grassroots efforts to promote Cameroon’s political vision 2035 in the Fako Division, brought OGCEYOD and EPDA in collaboration with MINPMEESA Fako, and the Chambers of Commerce Fako, in the organization of the first edition of Open Door Days Event that ran from 28 – 30 June 2012.   This event, which was carried out under the patronage of His Excellency the Minister of MINPMEESA who has always been quoted “je veux les résultats” witnessed the participation of local administration, councils, and individuals from all parts of Cameroon as well as international participants. This event focused on tackling the critical concerns of unemployment among youths, poverty reduction and the social wellbeing of women regarding promotion of profit and nonprofit initiatives. Unlike most open doors, this event was characterized by not by categorical exhibition of the product and service richness of the division, but also knowledge and information sharing of best practices and market opportunities through multifarious trainings. These trainings were powered through by experienced development think tanks from relevant civil society, corporate bodies and government agencies covering eight modules during which at least 20 participants attended each module.  Most prominent during this event were the blind people from Muyuka blessed with the skill of waste management creativity of transforming waste material into useful foot mats, shopping baskets among many other products; Nzimbistic arts using organic waste to fine decors and craft and agroforestry promotion through improved seedling production. The event strived on building relationships and redefining and development of identified value chains. Over 30 different products were exhibited and the event and the eight training modules included strategic planning in business operation; record keeping; the role of micro financial institution in small and medium sized business operations; business start up and management; role of ICT in business management, career orientation, business operational procedures, business tax awareness. Funding was sourced from local corporate bodies which value human development and business expansion in the division. The results of this event cannot be doubted and prominent impact will include raising the employment index in Fako by 40% in five years. Any measurable success of this initiative was not possible without a list of challenges. The 3 partners of this event also known as vision and concept carriers recommend pro-activeness on the part of corporate bodies through their corporate social responsibility policies, the mayors of councils, craftsmen and economic/nonprofit development actors and the international community to join in this initiative for the realization of the Minister’s call for “je veux les résultats” and President Paul Biya’s vision 2035.