About the Project
The project consisted of providing school supplies to internally displaced children.
Location
Nkwen Village, Ntambang community, Bamenda Town, North West Region of Cameroon
Quick Project Stats
| Funding Date | March 2024 |
| Luena Investment | $1,500 |
| CBO Partner | Care – Hope Education |
| Village | Nkwen, Ntambang |
| Country | Cameroon |
| # of Children Impacted | 60 |
| Community Contribution | Volunteers, transportation, and security |
Gaps in Educational Resources for Internally Displaced Children
The on-going socio-political crisis in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon has had devastating effects on the population in general. In the North West Region at one point from 2019 – 2022, which saw the peak of the crisis, some villages were victims of arson, and some families lost their properties as well as lives, leading to hopelessness, frustration, and psychosocial torture. As a result of all these, some villagers moved to other places for safety. Many of these victims settled in Bamenda, the headquarters of the North West Region of Cameroon.
Among these internally displaced people were Fulanis, who were primarily rearing cattle for livelihood. Most of their cattle were looted, meaning that these families now live hand to mouth and with children who barely have basic needs met. Even though the children are in public schools, they still find it difficult to pay fees and keep up with basic school needs like books, bags, and other writing materials. A pilot study in some of the primary schools in Bamenda III revealed that the majority of internally displaced children, especially the Fulanis, go to school with improvised bags and with few and inadequate exercise books. Some, for example, use a 60-leaf book for three subjects, and many have to borrow writing materials from classmates and teachers. Some end up not copying notes in class or participating in some learning activities because of the lack of these basic materials.
Access to School Supplies Improves Attendance and Learning
The donation from Luena Foundation was used to purchase essential school materials to support 60 vulnerable children. Each child received an educational kit which consisted of 10 books, 10 pens, 12 pencils, 1 ruler, 2 erasers, and 1 water bottle. The community was overwhelmed with this support, and the school materials went a long way to improve on school attendance and the academic performance of the children. Before the end of the academic year a follow up was made, and the school bags, water bottles, and some writing materials were still in good shape to be used in the next academic year.
Meet our Partner Community-Based Organization
Care – Hope Education is a community based organization which focuses on assisting vulnerable children, adolescents, and youths through psychosocial support, career orientation, entrepreneurial skills/vocational rehabilitation for sustainable livelihood, and also offers other community intervention programs which can benefit the population.
To learn more about our partner organization, click here.
