Future in our hands
education and development fund

The FIOH Education and Development Fund
48 Churchward Avenue
Swindon
Wiltshire SN2 1NH
UK
Tel/Fax 01793 532353
Registered Charity Number 1047953

CAMEROON PROJECTS:

EUCALYPTUS REPLACEMENT PROJECT (EUREP)

BACKGROUND
The project area is located in the highlands of the Northwest Province around the small town of Kumbo in the districts of Donga Mantung and Bui. The climate is rarely excessively hot or cold. The rainy season starts in March/April and the dry season starts around November. The main project was launched in November 2000 following the establishment of two small pilot projects in April 1999 and April 2000.
The first introduction of eucalyptus trees to the area is not known exactly but the widespread popularity of the trees in this once grassland area, appears to have followed the extensive planting by German missionaries in the early 1900's.
A further boost to planting in the 1960's followed a collapse in the price of coffee, one of the main local cash crops.
Their spread throughout the area in recent years appears to have been as much the result of default as design. Seeds germinate easily where they fall from established trees and many millions are spread throughout the area.
What was once considered a useful cash crop for both fuelwood and timber is now regarded by government and Water Company officials to be the main reason why a quarter of all standpipe taps in the area no longer supply water during the dry season.
Because of the encroachment of the trees into existing and potential farming areas, many women have to walk long distances (often 15 miles or more) to find new areas to farm. They will then live in temporary self-made huts for 2 to 4 weeks before returning home with whatever they can carry on their heads. Many will carry babies or take young children with them. People in general, usually women and children, have to walk further and further each year to fetch water.
The current population growth rate is likely to intensify the problem of the migration of rural people to urban slums.

The project is to fell 1.5 million eucalyptus trees in targeted water catchment and farming areas following written agreements with the local traditional leaders, Councils, Water Authorities and individual land owners.
More than 3 million, mainly indigenous, trees (over 27 different species) were grown in nurseries to replace the trees felled. Many of these were nitrogen-fixing and, unlike the eucalyptus, were grown in farming areas to the benefit of the crops. Many of these also have medicinal properties. Some species are good for craft work, others for carpentry and joinery. Other species are suitable for poles or can be coppiced for fuelwood.
The main advantage of the eucalyptus is that it grows quickly and easily. In most other respects, the indigenous tree species have many advantages over the eucalyptus and generally provide stronger and more durable timber. Some indigenous species are also very fast growing. See TABLE for details of seedlings grown at one of the main nurseries.

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REHABILITATION OF SEVERELY DISABLED CHILDREN (GLORES)

BACKGROUND

Disabled persons in the west region of Cameroon suffer from neglect and discrimination due to ignorance and cultural beliefs about disability and the absence of structured rehabilitation planning to assist disabled persons. Because of this absence of medical and rehabilitation plans, disabled people are often abandoned to fend for themselves. Since the management of such disabilities are absent, the society believes that they cannot be treated, managed or even healed in some cases. These frustrations have led to the belief that the problem must be the work of evil spirits and the disabled must suffer their fate. Often they are considered by families as a curse.

About 70% of disabled persons in the west region are neglected, discriminated against, abandoned and in some cases locked up at homes and fed like pets - especially those who are bedridden and totally dependent. The situation is even worse and regrettable for children. Since they are not mobile and unable to attend schools, learn a trade, or be employed, they are simply put aside and forgotten.

Due to the lack of financial resources to go to hospitals or health centres for pregnancy follow-ups, most children are delivered at home. The result is often infection, poor hygiene, poor nutrition, rickets and exposure to other problem that cause disabilities. Statistics show that most disabled persons in the west region of Cameroon are children. Studies carried out by the Ministry of Social Affairs have shown that disability is more prevalent in the West Region than any other region of the Cameroon. It is for this reason that GLORES has chosen the West Region to make its contribution to assisting these children, especially those from very poor families.

A Cameroonian man, Alfred Wingo, with many years of overseas training and qualifications in prosthetics and mental health care, established GLORES in Bafoussam, the regional capital. GLORES has for many years been correcting the deformed limbs of hundreds of disabled people, mainly children; including those who also have mental disabilities.

The FIOH Fund provided a grant of £1000 for a kitchen and residential facilities for disabled children at the GLORES centre in 2008 and is currently seeking funds to expand the organisation's work.

SCHOOLS ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT

The Project
The objects of the project are to establish the following programmes in 10 rural primary schools (average of 500 in each school) in the NW Province of Cameroon:

Establish a model school farm at each school where children will gain practical farming knowledge (seed selection, planting crops, nursing of seeds, growing crops, harvesting, storing, marketing etc).

Educate and convey practical knowledge on the importance of trees in the community; children will also influence their parents concerning environmental issues and rural development.

Provide skills for employment. The parents of as many as 60% of children will not be able to afford to pay secondary school fees. This programme will encourage many more children to gain skills in sustainable agriculture, so that they find interesting and gainful farming employment in villages.

Income from the sale of school farm produce will be used to pay the salary of at least one more teacher in each of the five schools.

Some of the income will be used to buy educational materials, equipment and teaching aids.

The programme will involve:

Acquiring land for the school farm: The school farm must be situated near the school for ease of mobility of pupils, so as not to waste too much time trekking to the farm.

Each of the five schools will own a farm of about 1 acre. The land will be divided into small plots. Each plot will grow a different crop or vegetable. Crop rotation will be practiced.

 

Seeds collection: Pupils will be organised to make trips to the forest and be taught how good seeds can be gathered. Thereafter there will be practical lessons on how to treat the seeds, nursing them in seedbeds, transferring them into polythene pots and finally planting at their permanent site. The children will continue to care for the seeds and the plants.

Environmental lectures will be organised once a month in each of the schools: The lectures will include: The economic and ecological advantages of different indigenous species; the social and environmental problems associated with eucalyptus, the danger of using chemical fertilisers etc.

School competitions: Quizzes will be conducted and -prizes awarded to deserving pupils.

Publication of a hand out: An educational illustrated booklet will be produced that can be used in schools.

Funding for schools project provided by the Funding Network and the Network for Social Change

Applicants for funds should note that the Charity's reserves are small
and unsolicited applications for grants are rarely considered