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-IDP STUDENT PROJECT-

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Thanks to your support and the funds raised at the Rainforest Ball held at Kew Gardens in London in 2019, we were able to fund the IDP Student Project. 

 

This 4-day education support program ran in Dschang in October 2019 for IDPs (Internationally displaced persons) of the Lebialem Highlands taking refuge there. This project provides a way to directly support the forest communities of Besali and Bechati; and in the process, to help develop a more positive attitude towards the conservation of the critically endangered Cross River Gorilla and the rain forest of the Lebialem Highlands.

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The project was run by Lucia Nkembi, CAWI Director and Mary Mbunya, Programs Officer of the ERuDeF Centre for the Advancement of Women’s Initiatives (CAWI).

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Students were provided with scholarship items including fees, books, bags, uniforms and pens, to support their education given that the Anglophone Crisis had uprooted them from their homes and deprived them of their sources of income. Students at both secondary and primary schools were granted scholarships.

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The Director of CAWI, Lucia Nkembi said that: 

"The expected outcome was to better academic performance and increase enrolment in schools. She then thanked the donor, The Cross River Gorilla Project UK and hoped that other individuals and organizations would come to their help so that CAWI can reach out to many more displaced persons and or displaced school children in need. Above all she prayed for an amicable solution to the Anglophone Crisis so that displaced persons can return to their original homes."

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Please contact us if you would like to partner with us so

that we can sustain the support for these children.

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Click here to learn how your school can help.

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-Pencil Case Project-

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Volunteers and intern students from Newcastle University successfully ran campaigns to collect filled pencil cases to send to children in South West Cameroon. 

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Thanks to the hard work and generosity of the Newcastle University students involved in this project, ERuDeF's Centre for the Advancement of Women’s Initiatives were able to run an art competition. 46 Female students were given pencil cases filled with pencils, pens, rulers, erasers, sharpeners, colours, highlighters and more which were not only used to design an inspirational rain forest in an art competition but will also be used by the contestants to further their art work.

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ERuDeF told us that the Director of CAWI, Lucia Nkembi urged the young girls to develop self-esteem and to be focused in their education with a career vision. She hoped the Pencil Cases will help them to produce excellent and wonderful drawings in the forth coming General Certificate of Education Examination thereby guarantee their successes.

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The students were excited to get involved with this project, this is what some of them said:

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Anyim Precious, first prize winner of the Pencil Case Project:

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"My life has changed from today, I can’t even express my joy. I’ve never heard of the Cross River Gorilla Project before, but today, my friends, family and whole community will hear of them. I want to thank them immensely for this wonderful support, they have touched our hearts. This money will help me so much, especially as we are about writing our GCE exams.”  

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" Manchum olga didn’t win a prize, but she was overjoyed, as she cheered her friends who made it to the first ten. “Even though I didn’t win anything, I have a free pencil case in my bag, I can’t wait for next year so that can I participate in the competition again, and I believe I will be in the first ten... I have learned a lot and I am very happy. I want to thanks ERuDeF, the Gross River Gorilla Project, CAWI and all those who made this project a success.” "         

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Click here to read ERuDeF's original article.

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