So my first real day in Cameroon has come and gone. Cameroonians are truly and amazing group of people. I cannot believe how friendly and warm they all are.
I started my day off by going to a Mass in the newer basilica that was said in the local language. Cameroonians definitely know how to put a little ‘umph’ in their Masses. The singing was boisterous with a lot of impressively in sync clapping from the audience, and some mild dancing from the choir. It was impressive to witness. All of the women had these beautiful brightly colored dresses on which added to the uplifting mood of the service. Another thing I noticed was how many children were at the mass. I did not notice this right away because they were all so quiet! I swear none of them, even the babies, uttered a peep during the 1 ½ hour long service. I should find out their secret for future reference.
After Mass I went to, Sorawell, the school for young women that Foundation SCA is funding. I was only at Sorawell briefly as it was Sunday and not many people were there. My contact Maria gave me a tour. I must say that I was very impressed. I could see the chaotic city around the school and wondered how any young woman could stay focused with the many distractions surrounding her. Clearly the administrators of Sorawell had this in mind when they designed the school. You walk in the door and immediately have a different vibe; a sense of safety and calmness. Sorawell has created such a wonderful learning and living environment for their students. The lower level has a kitchen, dining area, and a small common room. Upstairs there are classrooms and a sewing room. The next two levels are all rooms for the students to live. Many of the students come from the villages and their commute would be much too hard from their homes so Sorawell has created a place for them to stay while they are enrolled in the program. I was impressed by how clean all of the facilities were. Dare I say... I think cleaner than my hotel!!
I met a few of the students and teachers who I will be speaking with tomorrow more in depth. All were very cheerful and spoke a little bit of English (thank God, as I am swiftly learning my French is terrible).
After Sorawell, Maria took me to see the Center Village. Sorawell has done a lot of work for and with the people of this particular village. Maria has been so great so far. She has lived in Cameroon for 20 years and has such a deep understanding of the problems and needs of the Cameroonian people, specifically women. She knew so many women in the village! This is because Sorawell also has short term programs on business management for older women living in the villages. The last one they was in 2008, and they will have another this January 2010. These programs are run by both the teachers at Sorawell and the Students. I really liked the fact that the students were involved in the program. To me this creates a sense of community and unity that Cameroonians unfortunately lack. The work Sorawell does with the Cameroonians is so impressive. I could tell through Maria’s interaction with these women that she truly cared about their well-being and development, and they were eternally grateful for the education they received from Sorawell that had helped them better their lives.
The first woman I met was Ernestine. She participated in the program Sorawell had for the village women. As a result of her new business savvy, she was granted a ‘Nepad’ loan from the Chief and bought 1 pig. One year later she now has 6 pigs and a steady household income.
Next I met Lucy Julienne and Bijoux. Lucy Julienne participated in the business program for the village women as well. With her knowledge she now has 7 pigs, about 10 roosters, as well as fruit growing to sell. She has created a mini farm in her backyard to support herself, husband, and children. I also met Lucy Julienne’s sisters and their children. I shook the one little girl’s hand, who was probably a little over a year old, and she started hysterically crying. I awkwardly said “Je suis desolee!” and backed away. I’m usually good with children :(
Bijoux is about 14 and wants to go to Sorawell when she finishes her schooling.
I then went to see the well Sorawell had built for the village people. Before building this well, which functions very well and is the only well with nice little benches around it, these villagers had to walk very far to get water. Adorable little children were trailing behind me to see what I was up to. There were more children at the well pumping water. You aren’t technically allowed to take pictures outside, but no one was really around so I couldn’t miss this opportunity to capture these adorable children. They were fascinated by my camera and loved seeing their picture on the digital screen after I took the picture. So cute. I tried getting high fives from them and I don’t think they understood what I was doing and looked at me like I was an alien. So to make sure I wasn’t freaking them out I shook their hands and said, “Merci pour les photos!”
We then made our way down to the village kitchen. Here I met such a wonderful woman. She came charging at me with open arms and kisses before she even knew who I was. All of the villagers were like this! They all came over with handshakes and “Bonjours,” without even knowing what I was doing there. Maria must be some sort of savior or celebrity to them. This woman, whose name is escaping me now (I met so many people today), invited us into her house for uncooked peanuts and sugar cane. I still have a stash sitting on my desk she made me take with me.
The house had a spacious room, but very bare. All of the houses in the village are like this. They are made of mud bricks and sticks. The inside is very bare with dirt floors. I noticed that all of the women Maria introduced me to who had attended the business course were the ones who had TV’s in their houses. It was clear to me that these women had learned a great deal about business and were now enjoying a more stable income. Some villages still do not have electricity. This particular woman had a small TV in her home and some furniture. It’s kind of surreal seeing a TV, electrical outlets, and dirt floors all together. A large wooden cabinet, a small table and coffee table, as well as some simple wooden chairs. I can’t get over how warm and hospitable the women are. Even when you drive through the villages all of the people wave to you. I fully expected to be looked at as an alien outsider. You can’t help but to want to give them every opportunity they deserve after seeing them face to face and understanding their potential. It is so clear that these women deserve our help. All they need is education and they make the rest happen. It is truly amazing. I am so happy we are involved with Sorawell and I haven’t even seen the students in action yet!
Tomorrow is a big day stalking the students all day. I hope me being around snapping a picture in their face doesn’t freak them out! They have trimester exams Tuesday and Wednesday so I hope they aren’t nervous. I will keep you all posted!
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