Back to school campaign: Bright Light Projects Cameroon donates school materials to children in Buea amidst the Anglophone crisis and COVID-19
4 min read
“We saw a child, standing by the roadside, watching us shared gifts to some children, he could be imagining himself as a beneficiary. We were worried, one of the community leader Madam Menyoli told the BLPC team that the 6year old boy has not been to school for more than two years as a result of hardship and the ongoing armed conflict in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon. When our team called the boy and gave him some gifts, I could see joy and happiness as he walked to their home. If we helped many of such children, then we are building a peaceful and sustainable future for all” Mr Ekole Basil Najembe, the Program and Development Chair said to HRLRC. Click here to support BLPC Girls Shall Rise Program in Cameroon.
The Bright Light Projects Cameroon, an International NGO has donated school materials to the vulnerable children in some communities in Buea, the South West Region of Cameroon. The donations, ranging from school bags, didactic learning materials, exercise books, is part of the BLPC initiative to promote education in the Region wherein the majority of children have not been to school for five years as a result of the ongoing armed conflict.
Headed by the Program and Development Chair, Mr Ekole Basil, the humanitarian response took place in Bova1, Bonakanda and Bokwei communities on 10 September 2021. In Bova 1, the beneficiaries gathered at the Chief’s palace to receive the BLPC team. While opening the event and explaining the objectives of the event, Mr Ekole Basil reiterated that education is a human rights and that every child ought to be educated. He also emphasized the importance of education to peace and development in Cameroon and beyond. “We cannot do without education,” the Program and Development Chair said while talking to the beneficiaries and their guardians. Present during the humanitarian event was Chief Ndive Hans Moundoa and his councillors who joyfully welcome the BLPC team while encouraging them not to ceased their good work but to continue to other communities in need. The chief also promised the BLPC team to follow up on those who have benefited from the gift to ensure that they are making good use of the learning materials donated. The chief and his councillors also expressed to the BLPC team some of their challenges ranging from; Long Distance to school location, Insecurity (Fear of the unknown as a result of the crisis) to Lack of Portable water in his community.
After the Bova1 visit, the team also visited the Bonakanda community in the Chief’s palace where the community liaison officer, Favour Ndukong reminded the beneficiaries of their back to school campaign which was launched some months back. The Promised didactic materials were announced during the back to school campaign which has yielded fruits as more children are now enrolled in schools. While sharing the back to school materials, the liaison officer said the materials were to help vulnerable children in line with its motto ‘’rebuilding broken communities’’ to go back to school. Present during the event was madam Susan Menyoli Majokon assistant Head Teacher of G.S Bonakanda wherein she was grateful to the BLPC team for reaching out to the vulnerable kids in the community.
After the Bonakanda, the BLPC team visited the Bokwei village, wherein the beneficiaries and their guardians gathered at the village community hall and receive the BLPC team. According to Mr Jack Mafany Program associate who coordinated the activities in Bokwei, the humanitarian response will help foster education of the vulnerable population. While encouraging the kids, the Program associate encourages the beneficiaries to make their parents proud religiously using the learning materials provided to them.
Mr Locas the sectary of the local village council while addressing the beneficiaries thanked the BLPC team for contributing positively towards the future of vulnerable children and advises the beneficiaries not to take the learning materials for granted. He called on BLP to continue good works of supporting beneficiaries in becoming self-reliant.
About the Organisation:
Bright Lights Projects (BLP) is a United States-based Public Charity 501© (3) Non-Profit Organization with Headquarters in Houston, Texas. One of the cornerstones of BLP’s success is its ability to build strategic partnerships with organizations championing specific humanitarian needs, for example, concert for Ebola Relief in Maryland in 2014 which benefited Doctors Without Borders, and International Medical Corps. BLP is registered in Sierra Leone, in Guinea Conakry, with operations in Nigeria and Cameroon.
In May 2021, BLP was granted special consultative status as an NGO with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations is the principal organ to coordinate Economic, Social, and related work of the 14 UN specialized agencies, functional commissions and the five regional commissions.
You can support BLPC to help more children by supporting the Girls Shall Rise Program in Cameroon. Girls Shall Rise is a flagship program by Bright Light Projects with a focus on providing educational support, skills training and advocacy for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) specifically violence against women and children, Commercial Sex workers, and other vulnerable girls and women.
Bright Light Projects Cameroon (BLPC) began mapping for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Buea municipality in the South West Region of Cameroon in April of 2021 in collaboration with the regional delegation of the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and the Family in Buea Southwest region of Cameroon, community stakeholders, local chiefs, caregivers and community Counselors. Discover more through the link below: Girls Shall Rise (GSR) Program in Cameroon. An initiative of Bright Light Projects(BLP) | Human Rights and Legal Research Centre (hrlrc.org)
Berinyuy Cajetan is the founder and publisher of Human Rights and Legal Research Centre (HRLRC) since 2017. He has intensive experience in strategic communications for Civil Society Organizations, campaign and advocacy, and social issues. He has an intensive experiencing in human rights monitoring, documentation and reporting.
