Basic Information
Location: Cameroon
Contact: Monique Siewe Wansi
Email: swm2_2@hotmail.com
Team member contact: David Ku
Background
Introduced through Eric Osiakwan, GSW contacts.
Seems committed to the idea of OLPCorps
Is more than willing to sort out accommodations, customs, and a letter of support.
However, it seems like a pretty small school that will be out for the summer.
David has asked Wilfried (roommate) to contact his mother who works in the Cameroonian education system and his uncle who runs an NGO in the Congo.
Details
- Last year, during summer, the organization had activities in the center called "SPECIAL VACANCES" in English "SPECIAL HOLIDAY" where we gather about 30 children and youth age (from 4 to 25).
- It was very successful and appreciated by parents. Children were coming all from many towns in cameroon (even from villages).
Answers to Proposal Questions:
- Our stay will most likely be ten weeks during this summer. Are the children in school from June-August?
From mid June to early September, the children are on holliday, but to be precise, they are totally free from 1st July to end of august. - How long are they in school for?
The school year in Cameroon is from September to May or June (it is 9 months in school per year). - Do they all live near the school?
The children are living with thier parents. I don't undestand this question very well. We don't have a school. We just have a place where we gather children for weekly activities, but again this place have to be built if we intend to received children as in the classroom. Another option is to look for a secure place (a school) where we can use as classroom during the summer. That is possible to arrange, then the children will have to pay taxi or to be transport by bus to this place. - This program is focused on children ages 6-12, how many children do you have in this age group?
I want to suggest if possible to extend the age up to 15 or 16 years if possible because in Africa, children don't have access to computer very quick. So the age you have choosen is I thing for American children. If it is not possible then I will give you the number tomorrow (only children from 6 to 12). - Will you be able to receive a 230 kg package of laptops and equipment? Do you have a place to store this equipment during deployment?
Yes it is possible, the secure place is at home (center), we have a place where we keep our musical equipment, we will use it also to keep the computers and others. We will also help for customs cleareance at the airport. If possible we will asked for taxe exemption as we are legaly recognise by the goverment. If not we will tell you. - Would you be able to help with housing for our team of 5 students for 9 weeks from June-August?
Near the center we have a very cheap hotel where they can leave. We will help for booking and any other requirement. For food they is a team of staff that can cook for the 5 students; the only thing hear is budget. - What language is spoken at this school? If it is not English, then do you have any ideas for overcoming this barrier?
The children in Cameroon speacks French and ENglish at school. For most of they speaking French, we will use translator, we have some translators available if you think the level of English is very high but if it is just ABC English, the children will be able to follow you. - Will your organization be capable of maintaining the deployment of laptops after we leave? Will there be people willing to oversee the project after August?
I am able to say the project will be maintain, if we also traine some trainers in Yaoundé to keep the project available after you leave. If we mean to keep the project as a school, we will have some volonteers in the association to continue and to report to you and the headquater as requier. - Is Yaounde a safe place for foreign students? How many people in your NGO will we be in constant communication with?
Yaoundé is a safe place for foreign school. My dauther is schooling in Turkish school (English school) and they have been in Cameroon for many years. We have a lot of foreing programme in Yaoundé. - Will you be at the center in Yaounde yourself from June-August? Will Pain de Vie be willing to write a formal letter of support to the OLPCorps?
I will be in Yaoundé from June to August if the programme is confirm. I work in World Food Programme and for this purpose, I will even asked for annual leave to make myself available for the first programme of OLPC. But we have staff always available for any task. If you need any letter please just asked for it. It will be a pleasure for us to give our contribution for the project to be set up in our country. Thanks a lot. We hope our proposal will be accepted by the Grace of God.
Considerations to take into Account
- Possible problems with working with them
- Doesn't cater to enough children
Ways we can circumvent these problems
- We can work with Monique to attract more kids to the program
- We can work with the community to establish the program (huge thing is community buy-in)
- This might even be a positive thing because we would be making more of an impact
Notes: - We should email more to get a feel of the location:
- local population (how many people are in the community that we can reach)
extent of her involvement in the communit With the deployment of XO's, y (would she be able to get more kids involved in the program) - Location: distance from yaoude (would we be working primarily with urban or rural), ease of transportation to this place
- socioeconomic situations of the community
- percentage of urban kids vs rural in her program
- what other programs are in place
- condition of schools, level of attendance and success
- How easily we could contact rural villages and get involvement
- exact location of program
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