By Elias Ngalame
In alignment with the pursuit of Sustainable Development Goal 4, which focuses on ensuring quality education, Education Partnership Cameroon, EDUPAC, a fast growing philanthropic organisation based in Buea has made a significant contribution by donating books, didactic materials and financial support to some less-privileged children in Muakwe- Bangem in KupeMuanenguba division.
This initiative by the organization is aimed at enhancing the overall learning process of less privileged pupils, students in the area.
According to EDUPAC coordinator, Rosin Nyake, back to school support to less-privileged children is a year exercise since the creation of the organization in 2014.
“We aim to facilitate the enhancement of educational opportunities for the younger generation, thereby broadening their perspectives and fostering intellectual growth,” Nyake says.
EDUPAC accordingly supports orphans and vulnerable children from nursery to university by donating didactic materials, books, school bags. Pay school fees for some.
“We have two kinds of assistance, general support and special sponsor. General receive text and exercise books while special receive 100k per academic year. This year we supported 253 general and 38 special,” she said.
Historically EDUPAC has been carrying philanthropic support in other communities like donated beds, chairs, and other hospital equipment such as hemoglobin machines to the Bangem district hospital in 2022.
“We are presently constructing a five classroom block at the moment. It consists of classrooms, IT lab. and an office,” she announced.
The organization says it hopes with more support from well-meaning sponsors to carry out these lofty and promising academic venture.
CHALLENGES
Since 2017, EDUPAC has allocated 6 million frs CFA to help support families in Muakwe and the surrounding villages right up to Muangwekan. The numbers of recipients increase yearly.
“ Last year was our peak. We gave textbooks and exercise books to a total of 300 pupils/students. We are very limited with our resources to reach more people,” Nyake said.
She however notes to ensure sustainability, the textbooks provided are returned at the end of the school year for those who got promoted to the next class.
“ These books are then given to the next generation of students. The year where some textbooks are taken out of the curriculum means we have fewer books to give out, “ she said.
EDUPAC’s global objective is focused on sustaining development and cooperation through charitable and productive socio-economic activities in the bid to transform the lives of disadvantaged, have-nots and the less privileged populations in both rural urban poor communities of Cameroon.
Its specific objectives seeks to network with stakeholders and development actors to scheme and run a synergy of poverty reduction in under-served communities, offer individual assistance to orphans, widows, the underprivileged and disinherited women and children, provide basic educational needs for pupils and students especially the underprivileged and handicapped.
EDUPAC also supports underprivileged communities in planning, developing and evaluating self-help projects, support and encourage community development projects such as schools, health centers, training and capacity building centers, intercultural centers, and social housing as well as provide Home-based care and psychosocial support to orphans and vulnerable children.
