Refugee Education & Development Project: Plan Int’l Cameroon, stakeholders review phase II achievements….

The READ project is funded by Global Affairs Canada to the tune of over 14 million Canadian dollars (approximately over six billion FCFA).

It targets vulnerable populations, including refugees, displaced individuals, and returnees in the Far North Region and Niger’s Diffa Region. 

Speaking during the meeting, the Country Director of Plan International Cameroon, Mohamed Ibrahima Bah, reaffirmed the organisation’s dedication to quality, inclusive education for refugees and displaced populations in Cameroon. 

The project, he added, has as primary goal to improve learning outcomes by enhancing access to quality, inclusive education with a particular focus on gender equality. Bah said over half of the 39,859 beneficiaries of the project are girls.

He noted that the READ project operates in some of Cameroon’s most fragile environments, notably in the Logone and Chari, Mayo Sava, and Mayo Tsanaga Divisions of the Far North Region with 25 sites.

Bah explained that Plan International Cameroon and Plan International Niger, are the implementing partners of the project with technical support from Plan International Canada and other partners like Big Bad Boo and local NGOs.

According to Bah, the project focuses on building local capacity of communities in designing and implementing solutions tailored to their specific needs.

Challenges amidst successes 

The Plan Cameroon boss regretted that despite the project’s successes, challenges are still abound.

Bah cited the complex legal environment surrounding the funding of refugee-directed organisations, particularly in refugee camps like Minawao in the Far North Region of Cameroon. 

The Plan International Cameroon boss emphasised the need for collaboration with local authorities to overcome challenges and meet project goals.

Project components

According to Bah, key components of the project include; strengthening refugee and internally displaced organisations, providing grants to improve access to education, and fostering collective action for gender-sensitive education.

The project, he furthered, focuses on other aspects such as entrepreneurship, and sustainable livelihoods, to create a holistic approach to community resilience. He lauded the government for constantly supporting the project implementation.

Enter committee chair lady

To the Chairperson of the National Steering Committee of the READ project, Elobo Ambassa Lisette, the scheme in place since 2022 focuses on people living in fragile contexts.

Elobo mentioned refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, with emphasis on girls. He told reporters that there is also, “particular focus on developing the intellectual potential of children of all origins”.

In the Far North Region, the Steering Committee Chairperson regretted that security, environmental and social challenges abound. She called for synergy to work to safeguard the future of children and adolescents.

Yesterday’s meeting, she said, was to appreciate the true value of the initiatives implemented under READ scheme and to begin preparations for the third phase of the project. The scheme is expected to last till 2028.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3260 of Tuesday October 15, 2024