Providing HIV services to 20,000 Cameroonian youth

Brief Summary

As always and thanks to the continuous support of GlobalGiving, EFA Cameroon has never been indifferent in the face of communities plagued by diverse crises.  This is why following the Logone Birnie armed conflict in Logone et Chari; EFA Cameroon went to the assistance of children of displaced persons from the crises in terms of school to enable them continue their academic activities in host localities ( Bogo and Maroua Sport Complex, Domayo in Diamare Division) Between March 13 – 17, 2022.

Activities Realized in the Three Camps of Bogo and Domayo Sports Complex Maroua

Evaluations: Following the influx of IDPs from Logone Birnie, EFA Cameroon proceeded to an evaluation and need assessment during which academic and health needs in terms of HIV infected people and WASH were established.

Sensitizations: Parents were sensitized on the importance of registering their children in school with orientations on the schools that were closest to camps for protection purposes. Populations were sensitized on HIV and COVID-19 prevention given the vulnerable context. WASH educative talks were also part of the package.

School Kits distribution: EFA Cameroon identified 41 children of IDPs who benefited from school kits and the distribution took place on the 14^th and 15^th of March 2022 in the 03 IDP Camps of Bogo and the Domayo Sports Complex. The table below gives us the number of children assisted per site.

N                       Site                                   Girls    Boys    Total

1                         Bogo (03 site)                     14        7          21

2                         Domayo Sports Complex      7        13        20

                          Total                                     21    20         41

Testimonies: The parents and children (beneficiaries) were overwhelmed with the support and thanked the EFA Cameroon staff and asked EFA Cameroon to convey to GlobalGiving their deepest thanks and pray to the Almighty to give long life to GlobalGiving so that it continues to help the needy of the world like them.

10 year old Hadidja testified; “… I am very happy for your support. I thought I would not be able to go to school again but the bags, books and pens I have received will help me go back to school. That you EFA Cameroon and GlobalGiving for helping us”.

Impact

The Impact of the activities on the communities was that, many children who were out of school were encouraged to return to school in time to catch up with studies. Meanwhile sensitized populations continued to observe COVID-19 prevention measures; HIV infected people had orientations on humanitarian health workers to meet and WASH educative talks would go a long way to limit the spread of waterborne diseases and prevention of open air defecation.

Brief Summary

With the continual support of GlobalGiving, EFA Cameroon has always prioritized school kits aid to vulnerable children of members partner associations and identified vulnerable children in the community. The aim of this assistance is to maintain the children in school as long as possible to ensure a better future for them.

Activity

For the 2021-2022 school year, EFA Cameroon as usual assisted 20 vulnerable children of 04 associations in Maroua and Mokolo. To promote gender equality, EFA Cameroon accentuated the assistance of the girl child who accounted for 13 out of the 20 beneficiaries (see partition below):

ASSYSGOD - Godola: 3 girls; ABEPSA – Maroua 3 (2 girls and 1 boy); AJEPSMA – Maroua 3 (1 girl and 2 boys); AJEPSMO-Mokolo: 3 (2 girls and 1 boy); and community: 8 (5 girls and 3 boys).

The distribution took place from September 10, 2021 at the EFA Cameroon Head Office in Maroua and September 15, 2021 in Mokolo.

Pupils and parents joyfully went back with school packages with gratitude to EFA Cameroon and GlobalGiving who never spare any efforts concerning the constant aid and prayed the Almighty to bless their efforts so they could impact more needy people.

Testimony

A young secondary school girl and member of ASSYSGOD Godola testified; “Unlike my peers school year has never been interrupted and this is because EFA Cameroon and GlobalGiving never fail to reach out to me and other people in my condition. Thanks to this assistance in school materials, I have been able to go through school normally especially as a girl whose condition is exasperated by the gender gap that exists in this part of Cameroon. Thank you EFA Cameroon and GlobalGiving, I pray your sources are replenished so that you can be able to touch many more people like myself”

Conclusion

GlobalGiving’s aid impacts the lives of vulnerable pupils (children and young adults) to continue school thereby reducing the level of illiteracy among vulnerable people in the Far North region of Cameroon. Our gratitude at EFA Cameroon goes to GlobalGiving for the incessant support to reach out to the less privilege in the Far North Region of Cameroon and we hope that we will continue to be trusted in doing more given that more people still need to be touched.