Bafoussam, Mbouda & Dschang: Germany driving social wellbeing, sustainable resources management.

The host communities and their authorities have also channeled similar messages of appreciation to the cooperation for other crucial interventions geared towards promoting their well-being especially in areas of the sustainable management of natural resources.

The declarations were made Tuesday, during the visit of the German Cooperation-led press delegation currently touring the West Region. The visit is part of a four-region tour by the press team. 

The team is on mission to highlight projects that Germany has executed in Cameroon in the last six decades. The initiative is also to get the media professionals up to speed with the strides of the German Cooperation.

During day two of the 14-day tour yesterday, the delegation made eight stops, notably in Bafoussam, Mbouda, Batcham and Dschang in the Bamboutos, Menoua and Mifi Divisions, respectively.

In the respective localities, the team visited projects that the German Cooperation has over the years, supported with the goal to improve the livelihoods.

Cooperation, partners changing lives

The press team visited some five individuals and groups made up notably of IDPs and vulnerable host populations that the German Cooperation has assisted both financially and materially in setting up income-generating activities.

Two of the groups visited in Bafoussam; the Mendzi Production Association and Adenas Farm, said they received financial, technical and material support from the cooperation to set up businesses. Most of them are into the production of cosmetic and sanitary products and creation of an incubator producing chicks.

According to the Head of the Mendzi Production Association, Nfoh Genevieve, the German Cooperation trained the close to 20-person team in the production of cosmetic products and sanitary tools last year and assisted the team with materials and equipment required to launch the business.

“Thanks to the support, we have been able to survive economically. With the money we make from the sales, we are able to feed ourselves, send our children to school and do other needy things,” she said. 

Nfoh also reiterated that the business has boosted the spirit of cohesion among the host population and the IDPs.

Tahakam Fredricene, 34 engaged in the production of seedlings for table birds and poultry farming, told pressmen that his life has changed for the better since the German institution took the risk and decided to invest in him.

According to the young farmer, he went through a training thanks to the German Cooperation via the development agency, the GIZ which enabled him to set up an incubator for the production of the seedlings for table birds. He said the institution invested hundreds of thousands FCFA in the project last year.

“I produce at least 50 chicks every week and sell. I also produce and sell incubators to other aspiring farmers and do consultancy works which is helping me to survive,” he said, expressing gratitude to the cooperation. 

Besides the two projects in Bafoussam, the German Cooperation has also assisted IDPs in Mbouda and Nkong-Zem in the Bamboutos and Menoua Divisions, respectively.

The institution assisted Wirsungniw Solivan, an IDP from Nso in Bui Division of the North West Region in boosting his petty business after he participated in a paid community project initiated by the German Cooperation in Mbouda.

“The intervention was very crucial for me. Before the scheme, I had a lot of difficulties because I had very few of the goods that customers were demanding at my shop but after stocking up as a result of the support, things have changed for good for me,” Wirsungniw said.

A similar show of appreciation is channeled towards the German Cooperation by another group of poultry farmers in Mbouda. 

The German Cooperation assisted the group of 17 persons both materially and financially late last year.

The group told pressmen that their lives continue improving as the production capacity of the poultry farm keeps increasing thanks to the project.  

Per the team, the farm currently has over 700 birds and is working towards having over a thousand and more.

Mbororo IDPs in Menoua not forgotten

In partnership with the Special Council Support Fund for Mutual Assistance, FEICOM, the German Cooperation also intervened in bettering the lives of Mbororo IDPs in Nkong-Zem in the Menoua Division. 

The project was executed through the Economic and Social Development Program for Secondary Cities Exposed to Factors of instability, PRODESV. 

Via the scheme financed by the German Cooperation through the German development bank, the KfW, and executed by FEICOM, some 10 women were trained on tailoring. Well-equipped shops were also set-up for the beneficiaries.

The beneficiaries who expressed gratitude to the German Cooperation, told journalists that the project is driving them towards effective independence and is boosting social cohesion among them and the host populations. 

Promoting good governance, natural resources protection

In Batcham in the Bamboutos Division, the media delegation was thrilled with investments that the German Cooperation has made in promoting the sustainable management of natural resources.

According to the Mayor of the Batcham Council, Mirene Guetsa, the German Cooperation has been working in partnership with institutions on ground notably in strengthening forest and land restoration.

She said some three million Euros ( close to 2 billion FCFA)  has been invested by the German Cooperation and its partners in restoring land and forest in the locality via the African Forest and Land Restoration Project, AREECA which has as aim to restore some 12million hectares of land in Cameroon. 

Administrative and local authorities on ground said the project launched in 2020 to run through 2025, is already yielding fruits and will completely change the face of Batcham and its environments. It covers notably the Bamboutos Mountain area and the Mekop Sacred Forest. 

Dschang fully involved in German Cooperation largesse

In Dschang, the German Cooperation partnered with other institutions in installing solar street lamps in the town last year. The project was worth over 180 million FCFA. 

Addressing journalists, Mekui Georges, the director of the agency said the project has improved security in the areas covered by the scheme. 

The German Cooperation has since last year, also invested a sum of over 15 million FCFA on the youth association, Horizon Jeune, which focuses on promoting peace and living together in Dschang.

The Executive Coordinator of the Group said the German Cooperation assistance which falls under the German institution’s good governance decentralisation, peace and social cohesion scheme, has helped changed the face of their activities. 

The story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3157 of Wednesday July 3, 2024