ImageRotary Club of Truro launches a project to renovate and equip a rural school in Wum area of North West Cameroon, Africa.

RCT-CLR-150pxOn a recent volunteer  assignment with CESO (Canadian Executive Services Organization) ,  Rotarian Lydia and husband Allan Sorflaten visited this school to deliver a soccer ball donated by Truro Rotarian Bart Hinze, Manager of the Canadian Tire store.  Having spent her career in a Canadian classroom, Lydia was determined to somehow find help to improve the school learning environment.  Allan and Lydia interviewed the school principal to determine what improvements would be priority.  Working with Integrated Development Foundation, the NGO (Non Governmental Organization) steps to make a plan were initiated.  Allan and Lydia met with two key members of the Rotary Club of Bafoussam:  RotarianYmele Paul, Coordinator for International project work and Rotarian Awetua Samuel.  

The two room school was built by the parents and is used for first and second year students (Primary).  Many of the children are orphans.  The school situation at present is described as follows:    The floor is bare dirt, always dusty and contributes to persistent bronchial problems. The floor is also a source of the ‘zigger’ worm that burrows up into the soles of the children’s feet in certain seasons of the year and is a very painful condition for them. Though there is a roof (of sorts) in place, the classroom is more or less wide open to the elements, wind and rain in wet season, wind, dust and cooler temperatures in dry season, not to mention insects, domestic livestock and other nuisances. Domestic livestock actually wander into the classroom at night and the teachers must clean up the manure droppings from the dirt floor before classes can begin in the morning. The children are like children everywhere and are terrified by the thunder and lightning to which they are so directly exposed in this building.                                                                                                                                                                             

The International Committee looked into ways to finance this school project.  Initial funding of $3000 was committed to the project.  An application for District Simplified funding was applied for to match the monies to build desks, bookcases and supply textbooks, pencils and scribblers.   Hand Up, an organization of 17 plus Rotary Clubs from Ontario have been working in the Cameroon since 1993, was contacted.  They have given valuable mentoring over the several months of planning for this project.  By channeling $2000 for this project through Hand Up, our $2000 will be matched by Canadian Rotary Collaboration for International Development.  It has been very rewarding to see this project come together.  It will be even more exciting to see this school with a new concrete platform and floor, doors, windows, a new roof, mortared walls, teacher’s desks, bookcases, books, scribblers and pencils. 

Links to further bring this project to life:

On site visit to GS Illum School:

An on site visit to the school with IDF Coordinator, Mme Oussematou is described by Rotarian Sorflaten as follows:  (this gives background and shows pictures of the school)

http://sorflatentravels.blogspot.ca/2011/12/second-soccer-ball-second-school-bana.html

As well, utube video done on location at the school:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2r_ONBXF8s&list=UUKLdLUrOXVJPkIJuTTJxaAQ&index=34&feature=plpp_video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze-2_Lh-mvM&list=UUKLdLUrOXVJPkIJuTTJxaAQ&index=33&feature=plpp_video

interview with Ymele Paul telling how this Rotary Club approaches an international project.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq1pkptvRys&list=UUKLdLUrOXVJPkIJuTTJxaAQ&index=2&feature=plcp

An interview with the school principal describing enrolment, student profile and history of the school.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0SCE4G-zlg&list=UUKLdLUrOXVJPkIJuTTJxaAQ&index=1&feature=plcp

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As well, Rotarian Lydia met with Rotarian Awetau Samuel on several occasions to discuss first hand the work of Rotary in the Cameroon through the Hand Up program.

http://sorflatentravels.blogspot.ca/2012_01_01_archive.html

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