A Crises that started as a simple grievance by community members in the two English Regions of Cameroon in 2016 ended up in a civil war. This situation pushed hundreds of local community members to flee the ravages of an eternal war and flee to safe zones. Most people fled to neighboring Nigeria, while others crossed over to the French-speaking regions with no fighting. Thousands have lost their lives. There have been no schools, especially in some parts of the North West region, since the end of 2016 until today. One of the affected schools is the ACOHOF Family Farm School, where we trained over 100 students on Agriculture, livestock technics and rural entrepreneurship.
In December 2019, we reacted to the outcry of our people and decided to do something. First, we rushed to the rescue of students of the ACOHOF Family School, Tatum now scattered and those from other schools. Most of them had fled to the neighboring regions. Some live with relatives and others in makeshift homes.
When we saw how much our people were suffering, it pushed us to start the ACOHOF Family Farm School Bankim in the neighboring Adamaoua Region of Cameroon. As a result, thirty students were registered and attended full-time classes in the 2020-2021 academic year. For 2021-2022, registration started, and several have already registered.
The Afoni Children of Hope Foundation, the parent organization to the ACOHOF Family Farm Schools Project, has qualified staff and a good school site. Still, unfortunately, we face a considerable financial challenge. Our funds are limited, and without the support and sponsorship of friendly organizations and partners, it wouldn't be an easy task. Nevertheless, we aim to bring them together, train them on petty trading technics, register them in our school and take care of their basic health needs.
The coming of the coronavirus pandemic came in to make an already bad situation worse. However, we joined and are now fully engaged in the fight against the coronavirus. However, the welfare of Internally Displaced Persons is still a priority. We do this by carrying out sensitization campaigns in remote villages. We also intend to buy and distribute face masks and hand sanitizers to individuals, meeting groups, and schools and colleges.
Another way to serve our Internally Displaced shall be to reopen the ACOHOF Community Radio Station in Bankim. This Radio Station had existed in Tatum since 2013 and was promoted by ACOHOF. However, we closed and fled to safety. We are seeking a credible partner to fund or sponsor this project to help our vulnerable community members.
We need your support. Send us an e-mail to acohof-care@acohof.org, and we shall discuss how you can help. Thanks very much for your support. No donation is small to make a difference.
ACOHOF IDP Care Initiative
