Promoting inclusive education: Orange Foundation invests 145 million FCFA on vulnerable kids.

The initiative was officially launched on Saturday, September 6. This was during simultaneous ceremonies in Douala, chaired by Orange Cameroun’s Chief Executive Officer and President of the Orange Foundation, Patrick Benon, and in Yaounde, by the company’s Director of Institutional Affairs and CSR, Alain-Blaise Batongue.

This year’s campaign, being part of the Foundation’s broader Education Plus programme, has directly benefit nearly 8,000 children nationwide through scholarships, school kits, rehabilitated classrooms, water supply projects, and digital learning initiatives.

150 scholarships for vulnerable children

The highlight of the Douala ceremony was the 20th edition of the back-to-school support drive spearheaded by the Association of Women of Orange Cameroun, ADFORC. 

With support from the Orange Foundation, the association awarded 150 scholarships to children from disadvantaged backgrounds, marking a 50% increase in the number of beneficiaries compared to last year.

“For over 20 years, ADFORC has been working tirelessly to ensure that vulnerable children gain access to education. This year, thanks to the commitment of the women themselves and a special endowment from the Foundation, we are able to extend our support to more children,” Benon told the audience 

He praised the women of Orange for being “true actors of solidarity and change”, stressing that their initiative not only protects the right to education, but also shields children from social ills such as delinquency, drug abuse, and early motherhood.

According to the association's president, Nyetam Ngono Marthe Carole, the support does not end with scholarships. 

Members maintain close contact with the children throughout the year, providing food, clothing, mentoring, and organising events such as Dream Christmas to give the youngsters a sense of belonging.

Concrete actions nationwide

Beyond the scholarships, Orange Foundation Secretary General, Elizabeth Mabom, said the Foundation’s 2025 School4All operation spans five regions with a comprehensive package of interventions, 32 mini-libraries equipped with essential textbooks in public primary schools across Ebolowa I and II Subdivisions, benefitting 4,173 pupils; school kits for nearly 3,000 children in the Centre, North West, and South West Regions, including those in conflict-affected zones.

The programme also includes three solar-powered boreholes in Mbalmayo, providing potable water for more than 700 pupils and surrounding communities, rehabilitation of classrooms at Government Primary School Gardens, Limbe I Subdivision, set for official handover later this year, strengthening of four digital schools, aimed at fostering digital inclusion and preparing pupils for a 21st century education.

Education is a development engine

Speaking to reporters, the Littoral Regional Delegate of Social Affairs, Mboma Ndongue Zacharie, said the government and Orange are unanimous in linking the initiative to Cameroon’s broader development goals.

“Education is the engine of development. Without it, a nation cannot move forward,” he noted, while emphasising that providing access to schooling for the most vulnerable prevents social exclusion and moral endangerment. 

"Indeed, Orange Cameroun’s action contributes to achieving a Sustainable Development Goal, particularly the one related to ensuring quality education for all. I believe that children's education is the engine of development, because, in reality, we cannot develop a nation with people who lack knowledge," he said.  

He continued to say ADFORC’s initiative ensures the protection of children's right to education so that no one is left behind

"…in reality, those who do not have access to education often end up on the wrong path. They become what we call morally endangered children—delinquents, street children, teenage mothers, and consumers of drugs and other substances. So, in fact, education helps reduce these risks, and we can only commend ADFORC initiative, as it supports the State in reducing issues affecting children," the delegate noted. 

A tradition of solidarity

It should be noted that Orange Foundation has been running the back-to-school solidarity campaign for over 15 years, with ADFORC remaining at its core.

“Supporting vulnerable children is our main mission,” a representative of ADFORC explained.  

“We want every child, regardless of background, to feel included and to have the chance to learn, dream, and succeed,” she added. 

As the 2025/2026 academic year unfolds, the Foundation’s message remains clear: “Education for all, a future for every child”. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3559 of Tuesday September 09, 2025