Community Development in Cameroon Program’s Successful Start
Posted on Wednesday, April 4th, 2012
On March 12, the first group of students arrived in Cameroon for Antioch Education Abroad’s inaugural “Community Development in Cameroon” program. The students come from colleges across the U.S., including Antioch University Los Angeles, Ohio Wesleyan University, and Saint Michael’s College (Vermont). Their academic interests range from Urban Community and Environment to International Studies to Women’s and Gender Studies.
Overlooking one of the villages in Buea where a student will investigate development needs of the community
During the first week in Buea, Cameroon, students were welcomed by the Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Buea (UB), staff of UB, the Lead Faculty Member – Dr. Agborbechem Peter Tambi, the Student Peer Counselor – Hilda Ngum Agah, and the AEA Program Advisor & Academic Cordinator – Kelly Brannan Trail. The students’ first weeks were filled with activities. They met with their service learning organizations where they will be volunteering throughout the semester. This year’s organizations include Green Cameroon – a grassroots group focusing on environmental education and capacity building in the local community, and the South West Development Authority – specifically with RUMPI, the Community Development Division. In just the first week, one student planted a tree, lent a hand in the garden, and learned basic phrases in Pidgin English, a language widely spoken in Buea.
Service learning is an integral component of the “Community Development Seminar,” co-taught by Dr. Tambi and Ms. Trail. As a part of this course, on April 3, the students, along with Dr. Tambi, Hilda, and a representative from RUMPI, took off for Mamfe, a rural village north of Buea. They will evaluate community development projects in the village, with a focus on a project to provide potable water to the community, and develop a report and proposal. This is an exciting opportunity for the students to work in the field alongside an expert from RUMPI!
The students have also selected their three additional program courses at the University of Buea. This year’s course options include Community Health Practice; Concepts of Environment; Waste Management; Women, Social Work, and Social Policy; Women, Economy, and Entrepreneurship; and Citizen Participation in Education. In addition, students have the option of studying French at a language institute in Buea.
Arriving by canoe at the island off the coast of Limbe
A number of cultural excursions have also been built into the program schedule. During the students’ first weekend in Cameroon, we took them on a trip to Foumban, a center of traditional African art. We toured the Sultan’s Palace and museum, and walked along the Rue des Artisans where sculptors, basket makers, and weavers were hard at work. Naturally, we were compelled to make a few purchases in Foumban, widely known as one of the best places to buy wood carvings in all of Central Africa. The following Saturday, we took students to the nearby coastal town of Limbe. We were invited by the Vice-Dean of Research and Cooperation in the Faculty of Education to visit the island village where he is the chief. After our trip in the wooden canoe to reach the island, we went across town to swim at Seme Beach.
All in all, the 2012 “Community Development in Cameroon” program is off to a great start! If you are interested in joining our 2013 program, the application deadline is October 30, 2012. Please contact Kelly Brannan Trail (ktrail@antioch.edu; (937) 769-1016) if you have any questions regarding the program.
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READ MORE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN CAMEROON PROGRAM
