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DEVELOPING BELO
Editor’s Note
We wish a happy new year to both old and new readers of the BERUDEP newsletter. To the old readers we are sorry to have starved you of information for this length of time. To the new readers: “Welcome to the news in Belo.”
In this edition you will read about how BERUDEP has expanded its activities in orphan sponsorship, widows’ support groups, and after-school education programmes covering the whole of Boyo Division. BERUDEP has also initiated some new projects that will be beneficial to our environment and the preservation of our culture. We could not have gone that far without the support of our international and national volunteers who have made enormous sacrifices to ensure the success of these projects.
To conclude—God willing—this edition marks a step that will travel a thousand miles and throughout generations.
In this newsletter
Widows Support Groups Make Strides toward Empowerment, Self-Sufficiency
For the past year over 700 widows from Boyo Division have been receiving training on the use of medicinal plants, income generating activities, and soil conservation methods under the auspices of BERUDEP.
The organisation has as it’s vision the eradication of poverty and an increase in the living standards of these disadvantaged women through income generating projects and sustainable community development. It is within BERUDEP’s mission to identify and implement both short- and long-term solutions to the myriad of problems inextricably linked to widowhood in this division. Problems which occur as a result of the sudden death of their husbands, stress, sudden change in life-styles, lack of proper nutrition, and financial difficulties—especially given that men form the majority of the working population in Cameroon.
It is against this back-drop that BERUDEP-trained instructors, including Mr Ngwainmbi Simon—the Director of BERUDEP—have been disseminating useful information in the domains of health-care, use of medicinal plants, social and cultural heritage, the use of vetiver grass for soil conservation, and various income generating activities in a bid to empower these women economically, financially, and morally.
Given the fragile and susceptible nature of these women—to such ailments as malaria, arthritis, electrolyte deficiencies, and hypertension—BERUDEP instructors have been teaching about common local plants useful in the treatment of many of these ailments if well applied.
But, prevention is often better than cure. Remembering this old adage, BERUDEP staff have also instructed the widows on the prevention of some common ailments.
BERUDEP has changed the story of these women through the creation of income generating activities such as craftwork, bee farming, and marketing of medicinal plants.
BERUDEP has trained some of these participants on modern bee-farming techniques, thereby providing an independent source of income through the sale of raw honey to BERUDEP. BERUDEP then takes direct responsibility for the processing, packaging, and marketing of honey on behalf of its producers.
BERUDEP has also created restaurants to serve the local population, using the profits to assist the neediest women. Some of the sharpest women have changed their stories by producing and selling some medicinal plants to the local population. The most elderly have received training on craft work with the help of Johana, a Finnish volunteer. It is hoped that this guidance will eventually ensure the creation of a wide market for these projects.
The boundlessly enthusiastic women have expressed their gratitude through active participation in the projects, consistency in attendance, consumption of the medicinal plants, etc.
According to Mr Ngwainmbi Simon, the Director of this project, the sustainability of these projects has been possible with the help of international and home-based volunteers. Some partners include: Bees’ Abroad, A Q A, MIVA Swiss, Vetiver Network, as well as various friends and well-wishers.
BERUDEP Provides Direct Assistance to Orphans in Belo Subdivision
The BERUDEP direct assistance, Sponsor an Orphan project was initiated at the creation of BERUDEP in 1991 and further developed by Andy Burger-seed, an international volunteer, in 2006. The program helps provide education and healthcare for orphans and disadvantaged children who are suffering through poverty. The project helps find sponsors and link them with individual orphans on the basis of need. It is within BERUDEP’s framework to bridge the gap between the haves and have-nots and the educated and uneducated and, consequently, to help bring about a balanced lifestyle. Sponsors send monthly donations that cover educational, nutritional, and medical needs—as well as clothing and other basic supplies—for children up to twelve years.
As of 2008, BERUDEP has linked thirty orphans to sponsors across Europe and America. Donations from the sponsors are used to provide the following services to orphans: a healthy, balanced diet; primary and secondary education fees; school supplies such as books and uniforms; adequate clothing; biannual medical checkups and any necessary medication, as well as emergency medical treatment; university fees; counseling and advice; quarterly home visits from a field worker; and after-school programs led by international volunteers three days a week.
After-school education programs are used to educate children on health and hygiene, nutrition, arts and crafts, literacy, mathematics, and sports.
BERUDEP lauds the efforts of the international sponsors who have greatly improved the lives of these disadvantaged children.
Best Wishes to Volunteers and Graduates
BERUDEP staff and volunteers witnessed a send-round party for Chris Culver and Cori Huberty. They left Belo last Thursday, June 12th 2008 from the BERUDEP office. The participants also witnessed the award of beekeeping certificates to some three beekeeping trainees from APAS in Yaounde that had come to the end of their bee keeping training with BERUDEP. The ceremony was chaired by the Director of the organization, Mr Ngwainmbi Simon. The Director, aware of the difficulties and sacrifices inherent in volunteering for a development association like BERUDEP thanked the volunteers for bringing smiles to some less fortunate orphans and women within their five- and one-month stays—respectively—in Belo. The volunteers, not wanting to leave Belo, thanked BERUDEP staff for exhibiting such great hospitality and for creating a friendly working environment in which to discharge their duties. They recounted that the difficulties encountered in the course of executing their duties drew them closer to development work rather than pushing them away—as may be expected of less resilient volunteers.
It is worth noting that Chris served fervently in the orphan’s project as the assistant field worker and project supervisor and performed his duties well. Cori worked with two women’s groups on micro finance schemes and has established some working links with them to continue the project after her departure. She was also instrumental in the improvement of internal control systems by donating twenty-four folders for the separation of documents according to subject. This reduced workloads throughout the office and ensured proper record keeping and accountability.
The Sponsor an Orphan supervisory position has been handed over to a one-week-old volunteer, Amanda, who has initiated a holiday theater programme for the kids drawing inspiration from Evis the Rooster Goes to Heaven, a novel she came across in the office. She hopes the play will help with English reading and speaking, help the children step outside of their shyness, and help in promoting colorful imaginations the development of independent thinking skills.
Sustainable Agriculture Programs to be Expanded in Boyo Division
Over 300 persons in Njinikom Subdivision have expressed the desire for the re-enforcement and expansion of BERUDEP services in their community. This was done during the director’s sensitization tour in some of the major villages in this subdivision last week. These villages include Baichi, Jinifoinbi, Kikfuini, Mgogoa, Afunkoni, and Mugheff. BERUDEP, discovering that the same request seems to be coming from all the villages in Kom, has decided to program work in these communities to run for two months non-stop. The trainings and refresher courses planned so far aim to increase soil fertility and reduce erosion by disseminating improved vetiver information and consequently bring about an increase in farm yields. Another focus area is to increase honey production and to promote environmental protection by encouraging the planting of bee-loving trees.
Explore Kom Tradition in Kitchu Village
If you want to learn more about the traditions and customs of the Kom people, this is a must for you. The quarterhead of Kechu presides over important village matters, and is part of a royal line that is related to the Fon himself (the Fon is like the king of the Kom). The quarterhead’s power is conferred by the Fon, and successors must typically be the brother or nephew of the previous quarter head.
The quarter head’s compound is located in a thicket of trees and vegetation. For a casual observer, it may appear similar to the rest of the flora in this area. However, it is very different: all of the trees in the compound’s forest are original, and it is prohibited for anyone to cut them down. The forest around the compound is believed to hold mystical powers, and it is a transgression to cut them down. Even the quarterhead cannot fell these trees.
Once inside the compound, you will notice that it is composed of several buildings. The quarterhead’s predecessors first constructed houses in this spot about 210 years ago. Today, some of the houses are still very old and some are more modern. The quarterhead believes it is important to stay up to date with modern building techniques but still maintain the traditional type of housing.
Generally, about eight to ten people live in the compound. In traditional Kom society, polygamy is a common practice. Thus, the quarterhead has multiple wives and houses them in the compound. They are responsible for cultivating the land that the quarterhead owns.
The compound is home also to the jujus and the njang. These are mysterious characters who emerge from the compound during festivals and celebrations donning masks and costumes.
A Message from the Quarterhead to Prospective Visitors:
“The compound doesn’t actually belong to me; it belongs to everyone and everybody is welcome. Anybody who visits the compound will enjoy the people and the conversation. The compound has many places for visitors to stay – you can come at night or during the day, no problem.”
Reawakening the Legends of Kom
BERUDEP is promoting a new project: a book of Kom legends and fables written in the Kom language and in English, and possibly French. It is intended to be an illustrated, bilingual childrens’ book and will be both educational and entertaining. This project was initiated by Yentin Boris, an Isreali volunteer, and some BERUDEP staff.
According to Boris, the project will offer one of the first steps towards creating written record of Kom folklore; he further explained that the riches of Kom culture, especially Kom fairy-tales, legends, and fables have not been documented in the Kom language, and very little is found in English and French.
“In Europe, the tradition of written folklore is long lasting. In Africa, however, most tribes have only an oral tradition and very little of the rich cultures have been documented,” he explained. Now, as Africa is going through globalization, even the tradition of oral folklore passing between generations is becoming scarcer. Today, children know less and less about their culture, origin and folklore. Composing such a book will, on the one hand, conserve the folklore that is in danger of becoming extinct and, on the other hand, increase literacy rates among the Kom people.
He concludes that the book could be a great window for people the world over, as well as to the people of Kom—bringing life to this unknown culture and inspiring interest in the Boyo region.
The project entails collecting local stories from the elderly with a tape recorder and transcribing them into the Kom language with the help of hired transcribers. The transcribed stories are then translated into English by local BERUDEP staff and some international volunteers.
Belo Rural Development Project (BERUDEP)
BERUDEP began in 1990 as a response to the poverty of rural women and the disabled. BERUDEP activities include disability rehabilitation, livestock and agricultural training, beekeeping, natural medicine, and income generating projects.
BERUDEP is a non-profit, non-denominational, non-governmental organisation working towards poverty alleviation headquartered in Belo sub-division and with branch offices in Njinikom and Fundong subdivisions.
BERUDEP recognises the importance of preserving the environment for future generations but also realises that protection and development of natural resources, such as medicinal plants and agricultural fertility, can go hand in hand. The North West Province lends itself naturally to the enjoyment of eco-tourism with a welcoming population and many exotic natural resources, traditions and craft. Visitors from all over can benefit from the region while helping the local people.
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