Turn Over Day GS Illum School Project

The full story in pictures is on slide share:
http://www.slideshare.net/LydiaSorflaten/gs-illum-school-project-presentation

Wednesday, December 5th, 2012,  was the turnover day for the school project.  Letters were written to officially turn over the project to the Department of Education, the Head Mistress of the school and the Parent Teacher Association.  Oussematou was careful to document each and every item and make all aware.  We were very aware of the concern about the community involvement in the project.  Their attitude was, because of the corruption in the country (for example, most often the first 30% of a government project is taken for government officials) that IDF and Mr. Tafrie were being paid for labour by Rotary and that they were not being paid.   Not true!   Oussematou had a plan.

We arrived at the school to the hillside entrance being lined with children chanting Canada and waving flags of the Cameroon.  A flag of the Cameroon was hung on a bamboo pole.  An organized group of children greeted us at the top of the hill.  We were introduced to the representative of the Chief Delegate and the Inspector of Schools.  We were ushered through a door with banana trees planted in a pail on each side of the door into a room set up with the new furniture along one side of the room, the bags for each child lined up under the blackboard, ledger books for teachers, a box of white chalk and a box of colored chalk for each teacher, all purchased from Rotary Club of Truro money.  The blackboard was decorated with balloons and welcome messages.  A group of at least fifty parents were seated on the children’s benches.  The teachers were dressed in matching dresses.  Students teachers with their supervisor wore yellow lab coats.  The children could not be part of the turnover ceremony.

The Headmistress welcomed all. The Representative of the Chief Delegate, a former teacher, gave a welcoming and congratulatory address.   A group of about 25 students entered and sang a delightful animated song:  Mummy Lydia, We Thank You. 

The Headmistress called upon Oussematou to speak.  Oussematou spoke in Pigeon but the message was loud and clear to the parents.  ‘You did not help when you were needed.  Are you going to pick up this project now and be a responsible community?  Are you going to keep a watchful eye?  Are you going to help when needed?  Are you going to support your teachers and your children to make this a great school?  What is your response?’  The President of the Parent Teacher Association rose to his feet.  He apologized and said very vehemently that they would stand behind the school and support the school in every way possible.  He continued to apologize for the rest of the morning. 

Another groups of children sang.  This time accompanied by drums.  The voices, the harmony, the quality was unsurpassed. 

When they called Lydia to the front, she put the Rotary Club of Truro banner on and explained that our club of 62 members was behind this project and that for the construction phase, the Hand Up group of Rotary Clubs helped.  Lydia did not give specific numbers but here is the breakdown: 

                Project to Rebuild Two Classrooms GS Illum:   Rotary Club of Truro $2000,  Canadian Rotary International $1000 through Hand Up.

                Project to Equip Two Classrooms GS Illum:    Rotary Club of Truro $1000, District Simplified Grant $1000  

Wearing the Rotary Club of Truro banner, Lydia went on to explain that Rotary provides funds for construction materials but does not provide funds for labour.  That must be supplied by the community.    She congratulated GS Illum on being such a great school (the parents clapped and cheered).  As Lydia spoke, Oussematou translated into Pigeon. 

Lydia then read each letter of presentation from the Rotary Club of Truro addressed to the Ministry of Education for the rebuilding project first, then the equipping of the classrooms.  The representative accepted each letter. 

The Sorflaten’s presented 40 books that they had brought from Canada.  Three were newly purchased written about Africa for small children.  One book about Baseball was accompanied by two baseballs and two baseball bats along with instruction how to lay out their field for a baseball diamond.  Two buckets of cubes from Marian Ward to be used for teaching Math were presented.  Each cube is one gram in weight and one centimeter in length.  Marian, a retired librarian, wrote a simple book about herself for the children.  Lydia read and showed this book telling them that the idea is for each child to write their own book.  A set of laminated maps were presented (Cameroon, Africa, World) along with rulers, etc.   All these things we take for granted but in a school that had nothing, these will be so appreciated and well used.  A Kobo reader was donated and presented as well.  This reader has 99 novels on it. Teachers will be able to read classic chapter books to their classes.  Lydia noted Anne of Green Gables was a special book for her as a child and this book is on the Kobo.  They will have to take the Kobo to the IDF office in Wum to have it charged.

Another letter was read.  Gail Kolach, Allan’s sister gave money some of which will be used to finish the ceiling and paint inside and outside.  The parents will be painting! 

The representative of the Ministry of Education responded.  He said he was most surprised by all of this.  The Head Mistress gave a lovely response and presented many letters of thanks from the children. 

An experience of a lifetime.  The model has been set.  It can be reapplied to another community, another school.    As we drive past school after school, one can see and know what the situation is.  Some have no benches.  Most have NO textbooks.  Many children have no pencil or notebook.  Some teachers have a blackboard. 

Matter of fact, we went from this incredible event to another school which is one we feel would be a good next project for our club.  This school has 200 students.  The community is strong.  It is actually Joseph Tafrie’s community.  Would you believe that, when we arrived school had dismissed.  The teachers called the children back and when they saw us, they ran up the hill and took their seats enthusiastically!   The building for the youngest children again is two classrooms if you want to call them that.  Dirt floor, one teacher has a table, one teacher only a chair.    There are benches but just benches-no place for a child to put their scribbler.  Lighting is terrible. The community has chosen a site for building from scratch a two room school for these two classes.  It is a Presbyterian School.  One child was using a small piece of board to write on. 

Here is the link to take you to this proposed next project:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdoV760SIR8

To hear Allan's reaction to the school project:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MRwd6rG3I4

IDF Shows Its Appreciation With Open Hearts

IDF Shows Its Appreciation With Open Hearts

We arrived at the IDF office, ready to travel to Bana for the closing.  To our surprise, IDF had Golf Shirts especially made with CESO, the Rotary Club of Truro, IDF and ‘A Rewarding, Valorising and Sustaining Partnership, CESO-IDF on the back.  They remembered everyone, CESO, Rotary Club of Truro, Marian, and our family with each golf shirt placed in a bag made in the Cameroon.  What a lovely surprise.  As well, Oussematou had invited a lady who makes jewellery to have a display at the office.  Lydia chose several necklaces to take back to Canada.  Oussematou plans to have workshops where this lady will train women to make beads from paper and teach them to crochet coverings for wooden beads. 

Terence again travelled separately.  We stopped at Winsoft in Bafoussam.  Paul Yemele, Winsoft owner, teacher and member of the Rotary Club of Bafoussam was still at school.  His cell phone was turned off.  Lydia was able to transfer pictures of the renovations at GS Illum and the opening of the school direct to the Winsoft computer.Yemele called later to thank us and to inquire about the possibility of a Farm Field School/Nutrition program for Bafoussam area.  The two Bafoussam ladies from Dchang that attended the FFS/Nutition workshops in Bana (at our invitation) were very excited about the program and want  the workshops to be held in  their area(s) as well.

After the stop in Bafoussam, on we travelled to Bana.  This time, rather than at the Calypso in nearby Bafang, we stayed at the Bana Hotel (CEHOTOBA) (where we stayed last year) and where the final closing and our send-off was held on Saturday.  Right away, Oussematou was off to organize things for the following day. Once again, she is leading by example to encourage a community (her own home village in fact) to care for those in need. Psycho-social engineering is what she likes to call it.

Remember, there are no social safety nets whatsoever in this country (For those who do not have paid job and those who have not been ensure in the social insurance. Some community insurance are going on in some town now and are stii very weak) IDF works with the Psycho-Social needs of the community. One of the purposes of the program on this day was to attempt to prod the conscience of the community through those attending, to demonstrate care for those in their midst who are especially in need.  Three special  guests had been invited to the closing:  a 66 year old diabetic man (former catechist Mr Louis  who is terminally ill, becoming blind man in his 90’s Mr Weladji Jean  deaf, diabetic and hypertensive also, no child and living alone who often goes several days without food and a single woman Odette Nansi who is the mother of seven children and is terribly stigmatized by the community, her family including her parents . The woman (Odette) arrived. She was rather shabbily dressed but Oussematou was prepared and had a new dress created for her.  A nutrition workshop participant Mrs Ngassa helped Odette get dressed. These three people each were presented with 25 kg of rice, five large bars of soap, a tooth brush and tooth paste, boxes of matches to light fire and lamp and other essentials.  Each was brought to the front and introduced.  The 66 year old was totally devoid of any extra flesh.  His shoulders and knees were protruding bones.  There were many round bumps on his arms and legs.  His ribs and collar bone protruded under his shirt.  He literally cried from diabetic nerve pain.  Later Allan gave Oussematou Ibuprofen (from the drug store at home) and this was to be divided up between the two men.  The 94 year old is becoming blind and had to be led to the front.  After Oussematou’s very persuasive appeal, including her own brand of scolding and gentle admonishment, all sat down to an excellent feast prepared by the hotel kitchen staff.  Each of them brought back home a packet of food enough for two dinners. She told us later that she had talked with the hotel management who agreed to regularly deliver food (leftovers presumably) from the kitchen to the one individual (the oldest man) who lives right in back of the hotel and goes for days at a time without eating. 

 

 

The mother of seven children, Odette, was extremely withdrawn and  would not look up.  Oussematou will work with her over the next year and get her involved in the farm project.  Oussematou feels that she will develop self esteem and grow to be proud of herself.  So important for her to feel good about herself so she can help her seven children grow to be effective members of society.  Oussematou is also giving Odette a role, volunteering at first, to regularly visit the two men and help them as a community volunteer.

We told Oussematou about our Food Bank, how large quantities are divided into small portions and given out over a period of time.   

A lady travelled 12 hours to come to the closing.  Again, Oussematou had a motive, to make the community more aware of HIV AIDS, to encourage each and every person to be tested and know their status and take action if positive and be preventative regardless.  This woman Shey is from the community of Kumbo.  She got tested and found herself positive.  As a responsible individual, she moved ahead to encourage her family, her friends and relatives to get tested.  At that time, like the community of Bana now, her community was not aware, was not promoting testing for HIV AIDS and not encouraging the use of anti retro viral drugs.  This person has moved the community of Kumbo forward to test, treat, prevent and reduce stigmatization.   This is the reason she travelled 24 hours (here and back) on rough roads-to help mobilize Bana to action, reduce stigmatization, test and treat when necessary.

As well as being HIV positive, she is diabetic and hypertensive.  She attended Lydia’s seminar on Nutrition in Bamenda and found the day very helpful.  She takes medication for HIV but must cope with diabetes and hypertension with diet only.  She found the dietary discussion for each helpful:  avoid salt, do not eat fufu dipped in salt and palm oil.  Rather, emphasize the Protective and Body Builders.  She wears dark glasses to help her eyes. 

It was great to see the participants of the FFS and the Nutrition Workshop.  The three government department people (The sub delegates of Agriculture of Bana and Bafang respectively Philippe Mouandjo and Jean Wouapi, the surveillant General of the Bana Hospital  and the Pastor of the Baptist Church of Bana Pastor Moses  Jab (what they call sub-delegates) attended from the Ministries of Agriculture and Health. 

Again, IDF surprised Allan and Lydia by taking them to another room and dressing them in the full costume of the Chief and (one) of his Wives.  The garments are all hand embroidered, very colorful with matching four cornered hat and headdress and complete with traditional hand painted pottery beads, artistically strung by Oussematou.   

 

They presented Allan and Lydia with two yam tubers and  a cassava tuber from the women of Wum.  The women carried a big bag of raw yam cassava to Bamenda for Allan and Lydia to take to Canada????  Ground nuts, about 15 pounds from GS Illum school, kola nut from Kumbo (a sign of respect). Also, a lovely wall hanging, three meters of wax dyed fabric from the Baptist group, (a cow horn drinking container,  a gift from IDF, a rattle  along with an incredible song especially prepared for the event by the Baptist Church participants. 

This was all followed by a feast for all:  chicken, fish, pork, yam, cassava, huckleberry, jama-jama, plantain, , Irish potatoes, rice and watermelon.  We had a ‘family’ picture taken, then one with the leaders and special guests.

             

With warm full hearts, we bid farewell.  What wonderful people.  What a great approach IDF has to community development! 

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:

 

He has been in the apprenticeship program training to be a mechanic for five years.

Hairdresser Apprentices:

 

Seamstress Apprentice:

She has been an apprentice for five years and is taking night school

 

Store Front Seamstress Apprentice
 

 

 









Henry recording the visit for IDF records.

Visit the Apprentice Seamstress at her shop:

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

 



 





Harry, the shoemaker, receiving his Nutrition Manual at the IDF Office in Wum
 

An opportunity arose to give money to purchase orthopedic shoes for this child.

 

What a fulfilling day in Wum!

 

The Sorflatens'



Wum: Farm Field School in Conservation Farming Field Day in Befang

The Morning Star Hotel, Wum

Rated one star, maybe.  We knew enough from our experience at the Morning Star last year to buy a foam to put under what was a foam mattress in its younger years.  (Allan said last year, don’t ask me to move, I have these slats lined up with my bones!)  We brought our electric kettle and took it to the desk in the am.  The entrance immediately blew!  The hotel person agreed to heat the water in the kitchen.  Although they were able to restore the electricity right away, the main source of electricity for the village of Wum failed to give us power for most of the three days we were there.  That meant no water.  Oh well, the pail works for flushing the waterless toilet (dry tank at the best of times!)  We are both looking forward to the luxury of a toilet seat!  We knew there was no meal service and ate well from our food box.  The bread molded over night but we had crackers, soya milk, juice and our ever reliable canned  tuna fish.   So, after a good night’s sleep, we were eager to move forward with our three activity filled days.

On our way to the Green Valley Farm in Befang, Menchum Valley, we stopped at the school to deliver the sign but it wasn't as easy as that. First we had to figure out how to transport the sign. We decided that buying a foam to put on top of the car was the right way to go. 

 

When we arrived at the school, no words were needed when Lydia met the Head Mistress. 

 

 

 

Farm Field School in Conservation Farming/Nutrition/Field Day in Befang.

Arriving at Joseph Tafrie's home, we found he had built an awning out from his platform to protect Farm Field School participants from the hot sun.  Farmers had already begun gathering. 

 

 

Mr. Tafrie opened the workshop by saying that they were there to learn new ways.

 

Terance, one of the IDF staff,  introduced the workshop using the home made for us bamboo rack to hang the flip chart guidelines from.

 

  Allan used his series of large diagrams to show the basic concepts. Oussematou translated from English to their native dialect.   

Discussion was animated. One topic that was widely discussed was contour farming.  Through the discussion that arose from Allan saying ' I don't see rows going across the hill, rather, going down the hill.'  Tafrie asked farmers 'Why do you do it this way?'  The answer seemed to be that when the heavy rains come, they wash the soil to the bottom not disturbing the row!

Conservation farming offers ideas to conserve soil, well explained by Allan using his diagrams to graphically illustrate concepts new to these farmers.  Mr Tafrie said that crucial to the area is that the  land on the flat (Mecham Valley floor)  is all taken up.  Hillside farming would expand available farm land.  So, contor farming is important to the development of this critical resource.

Last year, we walked into the Mechum Valley Rice Farming area.  This video shows the valley floor well used as Mr Tafrie guides us on the tour:

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

Menchum Green Valley Rice Growers Cooperative Farm Tour

 

Practical Field Plot:

From here we moved to the practical field demonstration.   A test plot had been designated for the Farm Field School to use.  Participants quickly went about slashing brush with their cutlasses and piling it for use as mulch, leaving the soil undisturbed (zero tillage).  (The usual practice would have been to thoroughly dig up the soil and make rows.)   Farmers are interested to see how much easier this would be.  Allan produced his twine to measure out planting distance.   He asked the participants to  mark the twine using bottle caps clamped on the twine at 1 meter intervals.  That all sounds simple until you introduce a tape measure and attempt to find one meter! 

Lining up the rows with twine marked with bottle caps one meter apart.

 

Marking for digging holes.

Preparing cassava for planting right side up!



Girls, that looks like a big hole!  They are ready to add manure-see the scoop?

A wheelbarrow of goat manure is so valuable!

Mixing goat manure with soil.

 

Planting the cassava cutting upright, right side up.

 

 

Watering because it is the beginning of dry season.

 

One row of cassava is planted horizontal (the traditional way)
The second row, the cassava cuttings are planted upright (a new way)

 

 

Soil Testing. 
The group decided where soil of different types could be found.  The soil in this area is very fertile and they were challenged to determine where to find sandy soil.  The three samples were mixed with water and allowed to sit on a stump to settle for one hour. 

Waiting for soil samples to settle.

This workshop was different in a number of ways.  After the introduction to Conservation Farming Workshop last year, farmers led by Mr. Tafrie, have begun a large test plot to grow hot peppers.  We proceeded to the hillside plot where the hot pepper project is underway.  The hillside is quite steep.  They cleared the land, zero tillage.  The Sorflatens donated a water hose, a barrel and watering cans.  This project is aiming for a good market time for hot peppers because it is out of season (dry season) so the plants will have to be watered.

The hill is steeper than it looks.

 

Contouring walls will be built using rocks.
 

Small Hot Pepper Plant Grown in Nursery Planted on Hillside

Have a look at the utube to see the workshop in action!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lMNq9Pu7Ng

Befang Green Valley Farmers, Cameroon, Africa through Farm Field School Training in Conservation Farming plant Hot Peppers splitting the hillside to see if new ideas of coutour farming will retain soil better and produce a good crop.  Canadian Executive Service Organization volunteer advisor Allan Sorflaten conducts the Farm Field School, Joseph Tafrie leads the farm group in the hot pepper project.  Integrated Development Foundation under the direction of Mme. Oussematou coordinates the workshop to assist farmers to learn new methods.

 

 

 

 

 

Wum: Good Luck Getting There

Wum:  Good Luck Getting There

The Bus Station

The bus station is an experience in itself.  This is a picture of the bus station.  Buses are vans. 

 

Now, to get the sign to Wum.  We all went to the bus station.  Oussematou then hired a van to go to the sign makers shop to pick up the sign.  Again, she bought cardboard and lots of tape. 

 Scribblers and pens and pencils, teachers record book and boxes of white and colored chalk  and other gifts were soon to be on their way to Wum, in a seat paid for in the van!  We could not all fit in the car so Terrance of IDF went in the Van with the sign for the trip to Wum.   Now for our journey.  Little did we know! We did know that a major bridge had been washed out a year ago and two people were killed. 

Working on a New Bridge!

 

 

Present Bridge

 

 Everyone said the road was terrible but to experience it is something else.  This road is beyond a road grader.  It needs to be rebuilt.  It seems that decisions are made in the far away capital and remote regions are not priority.  This road is impassable when it rains and almost impassable when it is dry.    We dipped and climbed through the ruts and carefully eased our way over the exposed ledges.

 

When things like this happen, passengers just sit along the side of the road hoping someone will come to help.

 

 About half way to Wum, a truck overtook us, signalling for us to pull over.  ‘Did we know that we were leaking a stream of fuel behind us?’ 

 

 

  The driver jacked the car up to look at the damaged fuel line.

 

  He and Allan decided that the best thing to do was to travel as fast as we could as far as we could.  There is no help along this road.  I really don’t know what one would do if one encountered a breakdown but we saw several vans stopped with the people sitting waiting for help. 

Anyhow, about our dilemma.  Since the car was diesel, we felt there was not a danger of fire.  So, we headed out to again navigate the ruts, ridges, washouts and galleys.  

 We were very relieved to arrive in Wum.  Because of our fuel problem, we had to drive past the school without stopping!  Our driver dropped us at the Morning Star (I refuse to call it a Hotel) and went immediately to get the fuel line fixed (Sunday).