Safe Center for Vulnerable Children in Douala

HELP ME, HELP US. MAY THE DEATH OF ALEXANDRE NOT BE IN VAIN !

No more children's lives lost in the streets. Rest in peace Alexander !

Since 2013 when AGAPE was created I have not written down my personal feelings. Today I am writing, for Alexandre. My heart is heavy, my soul is deeply saddened, I am sad and cannot be silent.

I want to talk to you about Alexandre. When I started AGAPE, he was one of the boys we met. I confess that I don't even remember where I saw him for the first time, but I remember he was thin, tall and slender for his age, I remember him with a green and orange T-shirt slightly ripped, red shorts. He often smiled and dragged his leg to walk due to a previous disability. I remember he couldn't read, he had to pick up the pieces of iron to sell them; but I remember he often had a big smile on his face. I liked this easy boy ...

Tata Ruth, the supervisor, cook of AGAPE reminded me a few months ago that I went with her to meet Alexandre's father who worked in the muddy port of Youpwé. He couldn't take care of Alexander properly. Her mother died a short time ago; so that the boy hung out in the streets very often and with distant relatives.

Apparently one day, the father had returned to the Central African Republic, leaving Alexandre in the streets of Douala. Alexandre was unable to stay at the AGAPE Center despite the efforts made; perhaps I should say, AGAPE did not know how to keep Alexandre. It doesn't matter… it doesn't matter.… The result is the same today for my greatest pain. Alexandre was fascinated by football as Emma, Ruth and I had observed him. He had a target in the viewfinder; go play soccer and become a footballer. Little by little, he stopped coming to the Center, we were absorbed in the functioning of the Center with the cases of all the other children and could not follow him.

I lost his tracks, from time to time he came back to my thoughts, but I forgot him, how we forget their looks and their lives to all these children we meet in the streets ...

A few months ago, Tata Ruth told us at the weekly AGAPE meeting that Alexandre had contacted her. She tried in vain to remind me who he was, but I couldn't see who she was talking about, it's like a veil was covering my face… I don't know why… He was in jail in New Bell for being involved with a group of young people who allegedly committed theft. He was sick, he was hungry. We discussed whether this was our mandate since Alexandre was no longer with us. At the end, we agreed to help him despite a tight budget, we gathered enough to buy him a minimum to be able to sleep, eat a little warm and a supply of gari, peanuts, antibiotic treatment and other drugs prescribed by the prison doctor. Tata Ruth gathered everything with Christian books without text for some because he still could not read. Alexandre was released from prison about two months ago. We promised to follow up with him. We never had the chance, overwhelmed by the kids at the Center, the fundraisers, the fundraising, the move; to name just a part.

We were unable to follow up with Alexandre. Alexandre left the world around August 7, 2021; stabbed, worse than an animal,... in the street for a phone he certainly didn't steal; because the victim of the stolen phone having testified only belatedly that Alexander was not the author of the theft. My heart is so heavy, it's like a big pebble of tears in my heart and I who hardly ever cry have tears in my eyes. Even writing to you I have tears in my eyes. How many Alexandr lost their lives outside ???? STOP !!!!! HELP ME !!!! HELP US !!! PLEASE DON'T FORGET THEM !!!!! NEVER ANY CHILD OR YOUNG OR YOUNG ADULT SHOULD LOSE THEIR LIFE ON THE STREET.

Christophe, one of the kids we didn't keep in the center largely because of his father's refusal, also died in a robbery a few years ago. My message ends with this cry that comes from deep within me for these children:

LET'S STOP BEING INDIFFERENT! GIVE THEM A ROOF, ATTENTION, WARMTH, TO EAT, HELP THEM TO BE EDUCATED, TO HAVE A FUTURE, TO HAVE A DESTINY. HELP !!!! HELP ME ! HELP US HELP THEM SO THAT DEATH OF ALEXANDRE NOT BE IN VAIN  AND FORGOTTEN! May no child ever lose their life on the streets again!

REST IN PEACE ALEXANDER!

Discussion and preparation for the 2nd term

 All the young people from the AGAPE center returned to school on Monday, January 04, 2021, after 12 days of rest related to Christmas holidays and the end of year celebrations. Usually, we usually organize an evaluation session with the young people at the start of each term, in order to motivate them and set the goals for the term. The organization of this working session was not easy, because it was difficult this time, to have all the young people at the same time. We finally found a date that suited everyone. Considering the mixed results of the first quarter, the various constraints could not prevent us from carrying out this reframing in order to put the young people back in front of their duties and responsibilities.

Beyond the impact of Covid-19 on the school performance of young people, they themselves noted certain attitudes unfavorable to the production of good school performance, namely the excess of distraction, interest in video games, and inadequate use of computers and social media. We also noted that young people need to be constantly motivated so as not to lose sight of their goal

 We have therefore decided to increase these collective interviews, to further galvanize them. And in order to create a healthy emulation between the young people, we rewarded all the young people who performed well during the quarter 1. We then set together the objectives for the quarter 2, with the promise to reward any child who will have reached his goal.

As a result of this interview, we observed a better engagement on the part of the young people, who became even more studious.

The new AGAPE Center in Japoma

A visit to the construction site shows the progress of the work. The escape of the great hall began on January 13 and will continue in all the other rooms of the basement of the building. The plastering of the walls of the other rooms had already been done. It is now a matter of squirting the walls of the traditional kitchen and installing the level cleats.

The preparatory work for the paving of the basement is completely done. The trails are laid with a view to leveling the paving. The team is waiting for electricians and plumbers for the passage of pipes and ducts before laying concrete on the ground.

The material for the paving is already available. These are cement, sand and gravel.

Connection work has started on the ground floor. It is more precisely the removal of planks passed through the walls whose purpose was to assemble the scaffolding. Once the boards have been removed, the holes are filled with concrete.

 Planning to integrate the Center in Japoma during the school vacation period, we requested the services of a dowser who was to locate an abundant water crossing point, since we are considering the installation of a borehole.

The start of Alberto's electrical training

Alberto, is one of the young people supported by the AGAPE center. Like most of these young people, he is drawn to money. He preferred to opt for training in either electricity or refrigeration and air conditioning in order to obtain a qualification that will allow him to quickly take charge of himself, to integrate into working life and the professional world. The research here and there enabled us to entrust it to Mr. Georges, an electrician within the company Universal Logistic. He started his training on Wednesday January 13, 2021.

Note from MINAS (Ministry of Social Affairs) on children placed in institutions

During the month of January, we received a note from MINAS (Ministry of Social Affairs) indicating that all social centers which house children must separate from those who have already spent 5 years or more and whose family background is known. This aims to unclog social centers and give other children in distress a chance. Three days later following this correspondence, that is to say on Thursday 22 January, the CESO (social center) of New Bell Bassa, made a working visit to the AGAPE Center. It was intended to verify and focus on the implementation of this ministerial measure. This working session was not exclusively focused on exhorting the application of these directives, but it also enabled CESO to verify whether our request to the hierarchy for a tax exemption in favor of the company in charge of the construction of the future AGAPE Center, had a favorable outcome. The head of the CESO of New Bell Bassa did not fail to extend his encouragement to the team on site, and to congratulate them for the work done.

Ndip Yanick at CAO for welding training

the AGAPE Association works in a multidimensional manner in the care of vulnerable children; this with the aim of facilitating their socio-educational and professional reintegration. It is with this in mind that We accompanied Ndip Yanick, one of the minors taken into care at the AGAPE Center. He was placed at the Bépanda CAO on Wednesday March 3, 2021, for better support and training in metal welding.

Draw the kids attention after the resurgence of Covid 19

The resurgence of the a corona virus pandemic prompted us to organize an interview with the young people of the Center. During this interview, we insisted on the implementation of barrier measures, namely systematic hand washing, wearing a mask, respecting physical distancing as much as possible. We are seeing more and more deaths of people in our more or less immediate environment linked to Covid-19. This reminds everyone of the need to take this threat seriously. Young people should therefore start putting the hand washing device purchased in March 2020, when the pandemic first appeared on Cameroonian territory, at the entrance of the center.

External children must do everything in their home environment to put into practice all the barrier measures enacted. And we will support them in this process.

In addition to the corona virus pandemic, we also discussed their studies and the goals that have been set. The purpose of this point was to allow young people to stay the course and stay focused.

Finally, it was about getting the young people to realize their lack of interest and involvement in the maintenance of the Center, which suffers from their neglect. We reminded them that sustainable development involves the preservation and safeguarding of resources for the benefit of future generations. And if they start to degrade what they have today, what about the future center and those who come after? It made them think and so invest again, as they did in the past.

The organization of an open House day at the AGAPE Center

The AGAPE association organized an open house day in its Center. The objective of this activity was to make the center, its functioning, its activities and its projects known to visitors who came there for the first time. As for those who already knew the center, the goal was more to make them appreciate the evolution of things, young people as well as the various projects underway. We took the opportunity to market plantain chips, bissap, baobab juice and kebabs. We also sold masks to visitors who did not have them. All measures were taken today to block the road to the corona virus: masks, hydroalcoholic gels, water and soap for washing hands and respecting physical distancing .