bwwccwc ’s contribution to the advancement of ggglobal...

Vol. 07Vol. 07Vol. 07Vol. 07 Issue NIssue NIssue NIssue N⁰⁰⁰⁰.... 001001001001

In This issue :

Summer Workcamp 2013 Pg. 3

Bwc Relaunches Operation 4,000 Trees Project Pg. 4

My First Experience at Better World Cameroon Pg. 5

Nature Club Makes 2013 A Year Of New Dreams Pg. 6

14th International Wildlife Law Conference BWC Scores High Pg. 7

BWB Starts Permaculture Garden To Help Orphans Pg. 8

VSO – BWC Partnership Review Pg. 8

Better World Bamenda Invests In Functional Education Pg. 9

Social Business Takes Root In BWB Pg. 11

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EEEEco village co village co village co village NNNNetwork (etwork (etwork (etwork (GENGENGENGEN) Africa’s objectives) Africa’s objectives) Africa’s objectives) Africa’s objectives

B.P 30801 Yaoundé – Tel.: (237)77891580 / (237)22310782 – Registration Nº: 00117/RDA/JO6/BAPP

Web site: www.betterworld-cameroon.com– Email: [email protected]

2



EDITORIAL

BWC’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF GLOBAL

ECO VILLAGE NETWORK (GEN) AFRICA’S OBJECTIVES

Better World Cameroon BWC set up Ndanifor Permaculture Eco village NPE as a promise to

unemployed youth and environmental sustainability and is using it promote a translational platform

for cooperation partnerships in Cameroon and Africa. NPE’s objective is to exploit innovations from

young entrepreneurs for the benefit of unemployed youth/women and the global sustainability

movement the world over.

In this light, NPE is sourcing for appropriate technologies and field testing them in its Permaculture

initiative for eventual transfer to sustainability practitioners in agribusiness. In so doing, NPE has

joined forces with GEN Europe with the intension of extending cooperation with professional

institutions and Cameroon universities.

Two meetings of GEN Cameroon registration committee have held on December 13th

, 2012 in

Yaoundé and January 25th

2013 in Bamenda. During the first constituent meeting in Yaoundé, GEN

Ambassador Rosemary Olive Mbone Enie enlightened members on what the proposed GEN Africa

was all about. In the Bamenda meeting, Joshua Konkankoh who took part in the creation of GEN

Africa in Egypt explained the procedures for setting up a national GEN. In pursuit of the GEN

principles, the constituent assembly discussed common objectives of their existing eco villages in

agriculture, eco tourism, renewable energies and youth exchange. These lofty missions have

captured the interest of three local councils in the region who have opted to work with the group.

Two working groups were subsequently formed.

One committee is in charge of the registration process and the other for the sensitization of civil

society, government the general public on the objectives of GEN Africa.

CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION: NPE Education for Global Responsibility

Through the NPE designed in association with Ndanifor Garden’s UK Trust, BWC intends to forge

collaborative efforts with the GEN Cameroon platform to raise awareness on the importance of

citizenship education in the Global Eco Villages Networks to bring about sustainable development in

Africa. The venture of “Commonwealth Institute of Eco Villages Studies”, BWC’s goal is to introduce

the idea of the cultural and emotional sides of development education as being equal partners of

science in Africa.

JOSHUA KONKANKOH

3



SUMMER WORKCAMP 2013

Better World Cameroon (BWC) has been successfully organizing ‘Together for a Better

World’ International Summer Workcamps for the past two years. Our main aim for this is to

bring together youths from the North and South for a common cause. It has always been

taking place at the Better World Ecological Literacy Centre in Yaoundé. This year, with the

creation of the Better World Permaculture Eco Village in Bafut, North West Region, BWC is

exploiting possibilities of carrying the workcamp over to Bafut.

The main objectives of this workcamp are to launch (Global Eco Village Network) GEN

Cameroon and to improve the living standards of orphans in the North West Region. With

this, we are sure to bring our workcamp to the doorsteps of the local population. They will,

therefore, be a part and parcel of the creation of this Eco village.

ATABE SENGE LAURA

Working with underprivileged children is one of the most exciting activities during our

Workcamps. It gives them hope and makes them feel wanted and important.

Field trips are also moments to

remember

It is also fun to learn how to cook and eat various traditional dishes together

4



BWC RELAUNCHES OPERATION 4,000 TREES PROJECT

It is no news that our climatic conditions are getting worse as days unfold – Global warming

causing the melting of polar ice that in turn causes flooding in the low lands. This has also

provoked a lot of associated health problems. As a contribution to the regulation of this

problem, Better World Cameroon (BWC) in association with the Yaoundé III Council is

carrying on a tree planting project in Yaoundé. So far, in 2012 about 300 trees have been

planted in 3 institutions. These trees include cypress, eucalyptus, Moringa oleifera and some

fruit trees. Our target is to litter the city of Yaoundé with moringa due to its immense

nutritional, decorative and medicinal values.

At the moment, routine checks are being done by the Projects Officer, Sampson Nuvaga

Ntangtang, to see how the already planted trees are growing.

The other institutions still to have their trees planted expressed concern of not being able to

constantly water them during this dry season. So, the tree planting exercise generally halted

in order not to plant for planting sake. We will start again when the rains begin in March so

as to ensure the survival of the trees.

Meanwhile, the nursery has grown by some new species and is well taken care of by the

BWC team.

ATABE SENGE LAURA

Germinating moringa (left) and maintenance of moringa nursery (right)

Watering the new species of plants in our nursery

5



MY FIRST EXPERIENCE AT BETTER WORLD CAMEROON

Worth mentioning too is my 1st

experience on

the field after a very long time. We were drilled

on data collection and field techniques that are

perfect for the collection of data by Sampson

Nuvuga. Going to the field brought me close to

the plight of the sample population in the Tam

Tam neighborhood which we interviewed, and

thus, gave me the zeal to focus on learning

more while concentrating on the area of

research and also taking into consideration the

growth opportunities for a better life.

I was particularly impressed with the staff I

met at Better World Cameroon (BWC), a

group of dynamic, proactive and vision filled

young people who are putting in their all for a

Better Cameroon. The two I met : Laura

Atabe and Sampson Nuvaga did not only give

me a warm welcome, they were well

disposed to share their knowledge gained and

skills acquired at BWC and school with me.

Coming to BWC has brought me very close to

nature and has given me a deeper insight of

what Nature Conservation and Environmental

Protection are all about.

I’ve had the opportunity to know a variety

of plant species and their importance.

Worthy of note is Moringa oleifera which

is consumed by many households for its

medicinal and nutritional value. Gardening

is something I’ve always loved to do but

have never known any gardening

technique. Through the “Permaculture”,

I’ve gained considerable knowledge on

how to nurse and grow plants, the dos

and don’ts of gardening and actually

maintaining a garden.

I came to BWC as a novice and I am proud

to say that I have gained considerable

knowledge which can help me start up my

own garden at home, and I am happy to be

part of this dynamic team.

KAMNE EUPHRASIA

(A)Maintenance of young

moringa nursery

(B) Moringa ready to be

transplanted

(C) Watering flower nurseries

A

Kamne Euphrasia, BWC’s

new volunteer, Sociology and

Anthropology graduate from

University of Buea

B

C

6



NATURE CLUB MAKES 2013 A YEAR OF NEW DREAMS

Through the years, BSNC (Better World Students Nature Club) has been finding it difficult to

set up activities that are practical, feasible and sustainable due to lack of funds and

materials. The year 2013, so far, seems to be a year with a difference. We started the year

by engaging in small scale Permaculture demonstration. Our Permaculture demonstration

site includes poultry, snail farm, medicinal plants garden, mixed vegetables and spices. More

vegetables are still in the nursery. For now, we intend to make this small for consumption

and then with time enlarge it for income generation.

ATABE SENGE LAURA

Mixed vegetable garden

Chickens in the poultry –

two at the moment

Leeks and spinache Corianda

(A) Mint

(B) Lemon grass and other

medicinal plants

(C) Rosemary plant

A B C

Chifon Sharon who is in charge of the snails giving updates on the

state of the snail farm

7



14th INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE LAW CONFERENCE, BWC

SCORES HIGH

Buea, capital of South West Region, situated at the foot of Mount Cameroon welcomed participants

and guest speakers on the occasion of the 14th

International Wildlife Conference co-organized by

STETSON LAW Institute for Biodiversity Law and policy, USA and Environment Governance Institute,

Buea. The two days conference from 6th

– 7th

December, 2012, at ETA PALACE HOTEL, turned out to

be very rich in knowledge sharing and experience. In fact, participants declared at the end that it was

a volcano of wisdom and melting pot of cross-pollination of taught and ideas. 15 guest speakers (9

from USA and 6 from Cameroon) animated the show amongst which was BETTER WORLD

CAMEROON’s representative, Sampson Nuvaga Ntangtang, Projects Officer. He presented a paper

on: Addressing Poverty and Conservation of Wildlife, case of Cameroon. In his paper he highlighted

the fact that poverty and biodiversity cannot be reconciled not because they are irreconcilable but

because both have to be addressed in order to achieve the objectives of either. The paper was given

an opportunity to be published in the “International Wildlife Journal”, USA.

After the presentation, many participants caught interest in BWC and requested partnership and

networking in future. The conference ended with a safari trip to the Korup National Park in Ndian

Division of the South West Region.

SAMPSON NUVAGA NTANGTANG

BWC projects officer presenting a paper on conservation and

poverty

Mr. Royal Gardner, STETSON

LAW Institute opening the

conference

Guest speaker from USA Ms .Rosemary ENIE, guest

speaker from TANZANIA

College of guest speakers: Dr.

Chia, Prof. LAMBI, Nuvaga

Ntangtang and Mr. Nkeng Philip

Fonju (From left to right)

8



BWB STARTS PERMACULTURE GARDEN TO HELP ORPHANS

The orphanage which was created to give hope to the less privileged and bring youth

entrepreneurship to the most vulnerable has been another focal point in Better World Bamenda

(BWB). Because of the need for these orphans to survive, the BWB team saw a need to make a

Permaculture Community Garden for the orphans to rely on. This initiative took precedence when

with 15 profiled orphans it became difficult if not impossible to provide for their daily needs.

As BWB sees into it that these youths do not lose their value and place in the society, it calls on

others to see that such situations do not reach their full potentials.

Growing vegetables, Corn, Cassava and Yams for them goes to affirm BWB's Agric Business Concept

for 2013 which is using Permaculture to improve Sustainable Agriculture.

MBAH SONITA

VSO – BWC PARTNERSHIP REVIEW APR; INSPIRATION AND

STRENGTH

The Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) - Better World Cameroon (BWC) APR is a Monitoring and

Learning tool that supports VSO-BWC partnership’s accountability.

It took place in BWC’s Regional Office for the North West Region in Bamenda on 25th

February, 2013.

Present on behalf of VSO were Wynne White, BWC’s Caseload Manager at VSO and Luciatte VSO

National Volunteer. On the part of BWC were Konkankoh Joshua BWC Director and Programmes

Manager in Bamenda, Wirsungnin Florence, Agricultural Economist and Jokwi Irene, expert on

Women’s Issues, Akongnwi Edwin, beneficiary representative from God is Great Orphanage.

The 2013 APR has provided a key opportunity for reflection, learning and planning ahead fed by

volunteer reports and data gathered since 2008 when BWC first received a VSO placement for its

Organizational Development process. We looked at the past, revisited capacities and priorities of

beneficiary needs, up dated our partnership plan and developed ideas for new types of support

(activities, volunteer support from Bamenda Geographic Cluster Group and VSO’s role in the recently

approved project tilled “Enhancing Leadership Participation of Women in Bafut Sub Division in the

North West Region of Cameroon”)

OUTCOMES

In setting up the new development agenda for VSO - BWC Participation and Partnership for

Sustainable Development in the North West Region, both parties resolved to VSO’s participation in

BWC’s project with Global Eco Village Network (GEN Europe); “Commonwealth Institute of Eco

Village Studies” as facilitator. VSO will consider level of involvement in the domain of curriculum,

educational tools that facilitate women/youth empowerment and developing a professional team of

national and international partners. VSO will play the role of Coach, Business Partner and External

Moderator in Monitoring and Evaluation.

KONKANKOH JOSHUA

9



BETTER WORLD BAMENDA INVESTS IN FUNCTIONAL

EDUCATION

Accounting Secretaryship also called Administrative Assistant is a program organized by the National

Employment Fund in partnership with the Cameroon Centre for Micro Finance Management and

Entrepreneurship Development (CCEMMED) from 3rd

February to 30th

April 2013. This program is

aimed at training youths on practical skills in Accounting, Leadership and Management,

Entrepreneurship, Organizational Communication, Time Management, Business Correspondence,

Public Relations and Customer Care, and Computer Applications. This is to meet the demand for

skilled employees in the job market.

Undergoing this training were Honourine Tebi and Mbah Sonita who have both been specially

equipped with knowledge on filing systems in an organization and financial accountability.

Considering that BWB is engaged in social a business startup (Agri-Business and Youth

Entrepreneurship for Self Employment). That is going to positively affect the lives of thousands of

unemployed youth and small scale farmers in the region. I, therefore, call on the youths and women

to rise up to the opportunity and take responsibility as social entrepreneurs, to master their own

ideas, put them into action, and be aware that failure is not a barrier but a bridge to success.

We have learnt that ‘It is good to teach a man how to catch fish rather than giving him fish.’ In

order to ensure that people are wealthy, Better World Social businesses will teach young people and

women how to acquire wealth rather than looking up to their parents or government to give them

money. There is the need for youths to be passionate about whatever they do and believe in their

creativity.

TEBI HONOURINE

Classes and practical skills in Accounting, Leadership and Management,

Entrepreneurship Organizational Communication, Time Management, Business

Correspondence, Public Relations and Customer Care, and Computer Applications

10



Field trip at the Saddle Hill Ranch to learn

and know more about the environmental

social and cultural diversity in the North West

Region

11



SOCIAL BUSINESS TAKES ROOT IN BETTER WORLD

BAMENDA

Joshua Konkankoh, Tebi Honourine and Mbah Sonita undertook the Peace Corps Business Classes

from January 15 to February 12, 2013. This training came just in time with the execution of its project

on Women Participation in Leadership in the North West Region with Voluntary Service Oversea

(VSO) and planning of the Commonwealth Institute of Eco-Village Studies project with Global Eco-

Village Network.

This course has therefore empowered the team to effectively execute its objectives in the region.

With a mastery of Entrepreneurial Spirit, Feasibility Studies, SMART Goals, Action Plan and SWOT

Analysis, Accounting – Cash Book, Stock Book, Balance Sheets and income Statements, Budgeting,

Marketing, Management and Leadership, Business Plan and Financial Services, Better World will then

benefit from such competent staff to perform its activities on time and with accuracy.

With this, meeting deadlines and clean financial record of our activities is one of our objectives. It

cannot therefore go without notice that Better World Bamenda has taken a giant step towards

accomplishing its mission of shaping education to meeting youth and women's needs and making it

relevant to social Business for a Better World for All.

MBAH SONITA

BWC reprasentatives, Mbah Sonita and Tebi Honourine alongside other course mates

putting in their best to grasp knowledge from the inspiring teachers

Learning practical skills on IT, and Accounting – Cash Book, Stock Book, Balance

Sheets and income Statements and Budgeting for better organization

12



COMING SOONCOMING SOONCOMING SOONCOMING SOON!!!!!!!!!!!!

� BWC Celebrates World Water Day 2013

� WASH Data Collection

� Outcome of NGUKT visit to Cameroon � BWC CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL

WOMEN’S DAY 2013

� Summer Workcamp 2013

EDITORIAL TEAMEDITORIAL TEAMEDITORIAL TEAMEDITORIAL TEAM

Publisher:

Joshua KONKANKOH

Editor & Layout Design:

ATABE SENGE Laura

Reporters:

KAMNE Euphrasia

NUVAGA Sampson

TEBI Honourine

MBAH Sonita NEH

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