Change a Girl's Life Through Microentrepreneurship

In a bid to end poverty and reduce the risk of exposure of women and especially young girls to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, in the past two months Reach Out with funding from all of you, has been working hard and offering skills training to fourteen (14) girls from Tole, a vulnerable and poor community in the outskirts of the Buea Municipality of Cameroon. The training took high gear in the month of July with the introduction of lessons on the transformation of agricultural produce into finished products.

Cassava, a very common but important agricultural produce cultivated by many in the rural communities now has an added value as it can now be used as substitute for wheat flour. With the expertise of a consultant, Mme Mojoko Mariana of CEAC, 14 girls have been taught skills on how to transform cassava into flour and subsequently into pastries like Biscuits, Cake and Doughnuts. Other lessons included the transformation of Soya beans into milk and Tofu with collaboration from an American Peace Corps Volunteer Andrea Arendt. Tofu is a product made out of soya beans that can be used as substitute for meat. Beneficiaries also received both theoretical and practical lessons on the production of laundry soap and detergent commonly referred to as OMO in the local communities.

More visibility was given to the impact you all are creating on the lives of 14 girls during the Area Conference of the Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW) of the 6th and 7th of August, where Reach Out Cameroon was called upon to show case what she is doing to empower young girls in the communities. To add style and professionalism to their outputs, the girls were also schooled on packaging and branding to make their products more attractive, presentable and marketable.

Once again we thank you for continued support to make this project happen and we assure you that your contributions are making an impact on these girls and their families.

 Please expect our next report within the next three months and if you have any questions or suggestions, do not hesitate in contacting us at esther@reachoutcameroon.org or hans@reachoutcameroon.org

 We will keep you posted on our progress!

Hello dear donors,

During the past five months Reach Out has worked hard on conducting social inquiries, indentifying the girls,  organizing the training center, purchasing the materials to be used and integrating the participants/facilitators manual and  we now announce  with great pleasure the operational start (opening) of our Keep a Girl Alive Program on which 13 girls joined us   and there was a general introduction done  to set the pace  of the program for the coming months.

Participants were briefed on what Reach Out Cameroon is all about,  the organisation’s vision and mission were highlighted as well as its various programs, it’s target populations and areas of operations, followed by the  explanation of what exactly is the KGA program.

From Tole and Small Soppo the beneficiaries traveled to the Home Solace Center with a mind full of dreams, hopes and great enthusiasm to begin this new chapter on their lives. Throughout the ceremony the participants shared their expectations and fears of the KGA, chose the group leader and decided the best schedule for the
classes. Some rules and regulations were highlighted.

On Tuesday May 29th they will start getting lessons on Kitchen Gardening and for the next three months they will meet four hours a day, three times a week to get theory and practical knowledge on different topics of income generating activities. You can read some testimonies below.

Once again we thank you for continued support to make this project happen and we assure you
that your contributions are making an impact on these girls and their families.

 Please expect our next report within the next three months and if you have any questions or suggestions, do not hesitate in contacting us at esther@reachoutcameroon.org or hans@reachoutcameroon.org

Testimonies:

Esther: “ when the Identification process was going on, I told the reach Out staff who came to me that I would love to be among the very few that will be selected…. And when I was told that I am one of the 13 girls to benefit, I knew God has answered our prayers”

Edouane: Here is another testimony “ our parents are to be blamed because they did not care about us… see you, see how you cared and because of that, our lives will be changed… thank you so much, I am very happy
because I too will learn how to do things to better my life”

 “Please I want to learn how to do something to better my life...” by Mildred

 We will keep you posted in our progress!

Best regards,

Esther Oman & the entire Reach Out Cameroon Team