Sorflaten's Travels: Orphans and Vulnerable Children, Microcredit Women (Promoters)

Orphans and Vulnerable Children, Microcredit Women (Promoters)

IDF’s web site (http://idfbamenda.wordpress.com/ourwork/) has a wealth of history of its involvement in building programs in Wum area to help Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) and women with living with HIV AIDS. The web site has great detail. These two sections are particularly relevant to our visits in Wum.

Community Health (HIV/AIDS)

IDF has been active for over a decade working towards improving the quality of life of those living with HIV/AIDS, reducing the stigma associated with the disease, and sensitizing the population about positive living and preventative measures. IDF was among the first organizations in Cameroon to develop a program focused on providing home-based care to people living with HIV and AIDS through home visits and using community volunteers. Through its community health programs, IDF has supported more than 1500 orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) at various education levels; provided support and training to infected women through a partnership with savings and loans cooperatives and the International Labor Organization; and provided HIV and AIDS education campaigns in over 36 communities, 89 villages and 60 secondary schools.

Women empowerment

After becoming aware than many young girls wanted to become house girls and secretaries but did not have the means to obtain formal training in these areas, IDF developed a vocational training program for single adolescent mothers. IDF has trained 47 women to date providing them with skills for healthy living along with vocation training. IDF has also worked in the area of women’s empowerment through capacity building of saving and loans cooperatives and providing women living with HIV/AIDS with business knowledge in partnership with the International Labor Organization.

So, November 2011 we visited several orphans who are now apprentices and a number of women who have small businesses through the microcredit program set up by IDF. It was very rewarding to be able to visit each of these individuals again to see how their lives had changed. Each was invited to come to the IDF office later that day to pick up a package, gift of the Sorflatens! How better to share our Christmas than to give where the need is greatest. Each package contained three large bars of soap, a package containing several small boxed of matches, a roll of toilet paper (luxury!), and a bag of rice (another luxury). It was amazing to see how appreciative of this parcel each was but that is getting ahead of my story!

Early morning, we could hear Henry and staff preparing the packages.

The Store Keeper. Last year our visit found her doing well and operating her store successfully. Last year’s visit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTAeWA2fuwc

This year we were shocked to find her recovering from a long illness. She said ‘black lung’. She did go to the doctor and had one round of pills. People living with HIV AIDS must take their antiretroviral drugs daily and eat well, otherwise they get very sick very quickly. Her store was empty, her spirit low but she is determined to restock her store.

She came later for her parcel with her daughter. It is good to see her smiling!

Evodia: Farmer, Jewelery Maker, Village Guide

Last year, when we visited Evodia, she was so proud of her pigs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR1MH8Qf_xw

Unfortunately, her pigs died of African Swine Flu. Mother Oussematou, as Evodia calls her, has been Evodia’s guardian angel. Evodia got very sick when her pigs died and had to go to hospital. Evodia has been doing some farming but recently her crops were run over by free wandering livestock. Life is sure rough! But, Evodia was an excellent guide for our day of walking visits around the market and village in Wum. Here we are going up the hill to Evodia's village.

Walking to the Village (Wum)

African Swine Flu Killed The Pigs

Evodia hopes before long that she will be able to again have pigs.

Olga: Pig Farmer

We had a delightful visit with Olga, another pig farmer in the village. Her story is a little different. Not all of her pigs died with the African Swine Flu. Olga ingeniously makes a soup for her pigs each day by collecting fish water she calls it from the local fish seller, mixing it with banana skins, vegetable peelings, soya beans to make a very nutritious soup.

Visit Olga on utube. What a delightful person living a full and healthy life now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cit1psg7JM

Olga receiving her package from Amhad, an IDF worker in Wum

Visiting Microcredit Promoters at the Market in Wum

Storekeeper at the Market in Wum

This store keeper has a great sense of humour!

Visiting Apprentices in Training in Wum:
(OVC) Orphans and Vunerable Children)

One sad part of this story is that the government set this program up five years ago. The government abandoned the program but IDF continues to visit each orphan and do what it can for them.

Mechanic Apprentice: