Passing on the Rotary spirit -- Cameroon 2013

Our main project area was in the North West Province of Cameroon in a large 30,000 Christian and Muslim tribal village of Awing, ruled by His Royal Majesty  King Fo Fonzo 2^nd.  Awing is a rich agricultural valley nestled in the foothills of Mount Cameroon.  The fruit, vegetable and coffee crops are tended to by the Christians while the Muslims raise primarily livestock.  Harmony prevails with the sharing of the abundant food supplies.

Many schools exist up to the technical college level. The primary schools received cement or clay block latrines which were dug to a depth of 6 meters or 20ft giving them a lifetime of twenty plus years.   Water is piped throughout Awing coming from water catchment areas in the foothills. This made it easy to extend the water piping to the latrine wash stations.  Each latrine was “Turkish “style divided into three cubicles for the teachers, girls and boys providing privacy. Doors were being installed with locks so they were only available during school hours.

To fully understand the local Awing tribal culture Cameron attended school. He was well received and enjoyed teaching them how to play Frisbee. Discipline, politeness and respect are a cornerstone taught in the African school system.

Polio immunizations have always been forefront with me since my first NID in 2003.  On my seventh humanitarian trip I continued with another Polio clinic at the local Awing hospital.    It was very humbling to see my grandson immunizing his first African child. An experience I trust will stay with him and mold his future with true Rotary ideals. What better gift could a grandfather pass on?

HRM King Fozo called a gathering of all primary schools which were to receive State approved school books.  Children and their teachers trekked up to nine kilometers to arrive at the Palace for 11am.  Approximately 850 children attended the event where we distributed boxes of books to them, a rare gift. This donation from D7820 and TRF enhances their future and they take great care in looking after this valuable donation.  After the ceremony consisting of speeches, dancing and singing we were invited to a traditional meal by the King.  Two years ago I was inducted into the tribe as a Notable Signatory and Chief, given the title of Mbah-ntiante and a section of land.

All the roads are single lane and hand built by the residents.  Electricity is throughout the village but sporadic in availability. 

After Awing we travelled the Trans African Highway to Bali where I was meeting the President of the Bali Christian University.  Last year they received one of four 70 passenger school buses D7820 shipped from Canada. The unit was in good condition and undergoing routine maintenance. Their campus is spread out over a large area and a second bus is urgently needed.

On returning from Bali and Bamenda we travelled on a very rough highway with several armed check points which are to prevent foreigners, mainly Nigerians from entering the country without papers. Limbe was our destination some seven hours away.              

It was interesting to expose Cameron to Cameroon’s culture, to watch him eat fish with his hands and experience the many different foods and spices.  Not once in the two weeks did he complain and had accepted the lack of modern facilities and foods.

Cameroon/Cameroun is a bi-lingual country of eleven million.  Their life expectancy is now 52 yrs, in 2003 it was 47 yrs

So progress is evident. Literacy is high at 80%, HIV/Aids low at 15% and dropping. They stay ahead of polio infections due to regular immunizations since the Nigerian people due enter the country possibly bringing the virus with them. French is more predominant than English, however both languages are taught in school and understood in varying degrees. Cameroon is rich with many plantations of coffee, tea, cocoa, palm oil, pineapple, banana’s, rubber, sugarcane and almost every vegetable you can think of.  Livestock are plentiful in the rural areas while oil is produced and refined from both offshore and land based rigs. Corruption is ever present, but I feel no worse than what we see and read about in our local communities. So I cannot criticize the country for that.  We must clean up our own house before we dictate or expect better from other countries.

Awing village enjoys 20c to 28c temperatures year round with a short rainy season.  Their houses are of mud brick construction with tin roofs.  They live in an open door community where all travellers are welcomed.  Their new hospital has some of our equipment shipped several years ago but they do need an operating table and sterilization unit.  Awings young doctor had just performed a cesarian operation and an appendectomy.  His operating table was a trolley and 60W bulb for light. Family members were blood typed for needed transfusions.

It has always been a humbling excursion to Cameroon, a trip I will no doubt take again and give Service.

PDG Pete Smith