Build a future for children in a conflict zone

Objective

To improve educational levels of conflict-affected children in the South West Region. Reach Out Cameroon has since 2018 been supporting both Mah DI’s orphanage and Hope Alive Foundation.

ReachOut NGO is happy to share with you the report for September to November 2024 which is the first report for the new academic year 2023/2024. The report covers our activities with Mah Di’s Christian Bilingual Nursery and Primary School (CBNPS) in Kumba and Hope Alive Foundation (HAF) Charity School in Tiko. 

The first week of the 2023/2024 academic year kicked off smoothly on the 4^th of September but was interrupted by a 03 weeks lockdown from September 18^th to October 5^th, 2024. Schools have resumed after the lockdown imposed on the population by the non-state armed group in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon. Mah Di’s Christian Bilingual Nursery and Primary School (CBNPS) registered a total enrolment of 190 pupils comprising 100 boys and 90 girls. This enrolment is made up of 43.2% IDPs (displaced from other communities), 19.12% returnees (previously displaced children from the host communities who have come back to the community), and 37.6% of community children (those who have never been displaced and orphans). For Hope Alive Foundation, a total enrolment of 160 children (76 boys and 84 Girls) has been registered with 31% of the total being IDPs.

The Project team from Reach Out will pay a visit to HAF and Mah Di scheduled for the weeks ahead. This year, Reach will continue to pay the monthly stipend for two teachers from each of the schools.

Both schools continue to face challenges that include a shortage of teachers, parents not being able to afford exercise and textbooks for most of the pupils, and the need for a more permanent structure with bigger classrooms especially for HAF which is experiencing increasing enrolment each academic year. 

As always, Reach Out is grateful to our donors for their continuous support and selfless donations which are keeping these schools running. 

Find below a few pictures for this academic year from the school Hope Alive Foundation.