Field Reports
NORTH WEST PIG FARMERS COOPERATIVE SOCIETY
(NOWEPIFAC)
ACTIVITY/FINANCIAL REPORT ON
MOBILE LIVESTOCK INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (BIO-SECURITY FENCING)
SUPPORT TO INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPs)
SUPPORT TO CHURCH PROJECT - (PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH MBOMASSA)
Period of activity; - October 18th TO October 31st 2018
Written Submitted by;-
Atomba Tegwi Titus
CEO/ Project Coordinator
NOWEPIFAC - Cameroon
Tel (237) 677 57 85 99
mobilelivestock1995@gmail.com
http//nowepifac.com
INTRODUCTION:
The pig farmers cooperative as many other civil society organizations whose geographical location falls within the marginalized English speaking ethnic minority could not stay indifferent after listening to the distress calls of its people who have relocated due to the on-going sociopolitical crisis in Cameroon. When there is social instability, people cannot rear animals and so the cooperative cannot attain its mission therefore an urgent need to pay attention to the worries of people before thinking of animals whose survival depend solely on the peace of mind of its owners. Reasoning in this direction, a new element surfaced in the activity line of the pig farmers' cooperative this year 2018, which is giving support to a church and giving support to internally displaced persons. The situation on the ground in Cameroon was made known to our Japanese development partners by the cooperative chief executive officer and project coordinator Mr. Atomba Tegwi Titus.
Activity Schedule/Time frame:
INVENTRY OF IPDs TO BENEFIT FROM THE SUPPORT FUND:
HOUSE-HOLD ATTENDANCE LIST OF IDPs CONTACT PERSONS:
SUPPORT TO THE IDPs:
It was not our intension to make a public announcement that we have provision for some IDPs but rather through a careful inquiry to neighbors and church members.
Reasons of not publicizing the support are because people will be tempted to introduce fake IDPs because they want to benefit from the free donation.
In this way, we were able to locate some 15 deserving homes with IDPs. These beneficiaries were invited to the Pig cooperative hall on Monday 22nd October 2018 at 8.00AM.
Considering the amount allocated for that task, we were able to buy 4bags of 50kg rice and a carton of soap (detergent). - 60 cubes of soap in a carton, so divided by 15 people (OR household), we got 4 cubes of soap per person (OR household).
Scaling and putting into shopping bags, preparing for the next day distribution.
Monday 22nd October 2018 was the chosen day to distribute the gift to the beneficiaries and this day coincided with the day the constitutional council was to declare the result of the October 7th 2018 presidential elections.
We programmed the distribution exercise in the early morning starting from 8.00Am since declaration of election results was to begin at 11.00AM yet some beneficiaries were afraid to move since the day culminated with the usual ghost town call upon by the separatist.
Ano Joan gave an opening prayer.
Monday, 22nd October 2018 FIRST BATCH OF BENEFICIARIES COLLECTED:
It all started with the registration of participants, followed by an opening prayers offered by Madame Ano Joan. She called on God almighty to bless the hands that gave the donation and replenish the source double fold. She also ask for God's protection over the depressed beneficiaries as well as over the entire Cameroonian nation as we undergo trial moments in life. The pastor of PC Mbomassa was invited but since he traveled to Douala, out of North West region, the congregational Chairman of the church, Mr. Azizieh Eric, Project chairman- Mr. Nchang Simon and Treasurer Madame Ngogang Geraldine came to represent him.
There was a short break to introduce the arrival of these church leaders and also to brief the entire audience on the source of the donation. Using an overhead projector, photos of Go komatsu, his father and mother we shown to the beneficiaries and church leaders to clarify doubt about the source of the gift,
because if it were from the state (Cameroon government), non of them was going to accept.
The church project coordinator Mr. Nchang Simon, after giving a speech of encouragement to the beneficiaries ask NOWEPIFAC project coordinator if the gesture shall be continuous or it is just for ones? We couldn't give a straight answer because we were not capable but rather said,
if the donation for IDPs shall have to keep coming then we shall inform the church and the people concern respectively.
We have no assurance from the donor on the sustainability of the food supply but rather we have to appreciate this first attempt and thank God for the donors.
Madame Ngogang Geraldine the church treasurer, graced the occasion with another prayer asking God to bless, guide and protect the donors,
giving them strength to continue with the good work.
PC Mbomassa chairman made a speech followed by a prayer from treasurer
Everybody representing each household took a shopping bag of 13kg rice and four cubes of soap in a black ripen each. All then went out and stood in front of the cooperative to take a group photograph.
After the group photo everybody dispersed and went to their various homes while NOWEPIFAC project coordinator and wife took the church leaders to their private seating apartment for some small reception, light refreshment with peanut chewable.
During discussions, we ended up programing the handing over of the church donation of 50.000FCFA on Sunday 28th October 2018 when the pastor shall be present.
Wednesday, 24th October 2018 ;- ANOTHER BATCH OF BENEFICIARIES:
Without performing the formalities of the first day, in the presence of the cooperative board chair Mr. Nju Charles, who was absent on the first day, we started with telling the beneficiaries the source of the gifts since almost all IDPs are not willing to collect any gift from the government.
We then went on straight away to give these persons who were unable to come due to fear of the unknown during the declaration of the presidential election results last Monday 22nd October 2018. After having a group picture with all who were present,
some of them decided to pay a visit to the mobile livestock piggery project site just below the cooperative hall.
They were able to see the on-going bio-security fense project.
Center: In front of the cooperative
Right: Visit of IDPs to piggery
BIO-SECURITY FENCE PROJECT:
This project was on-going and so we had to continue from where it ended.
With the last donation for this project which came in July 2018, we had bought some sand and then needed to buy cement, rods and concrete to continue the work.
We equally needed some planks (wood) to use for making concrete boxes etc.
We made enough cement bricks to proceed with the work and allow it to get dry and ready for use behind my house.
Center/Right: Making of cement bricks
It was easy to walk on the fence while building days after the bottom layers have solidified.
Looking together with previous photos, it will be easy to know the side of the fence on which work is in progress.
You can also notice from the pictures bellow that an extension bellow the piggery is in progress to stop the collapsing/erosion from damaging the bottom part of the concreted floor of the piggery.
The water protective cap on the fence and plastering of the walls is still to be accomplished meanwhile the back side on which work is currently in progress is still not finished.
Center: Back side view from inside
Right: Back side view from out side
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS:
INCOME TOTAL - 231,738 Francs CFA, Distributed as follows;-1.) SUPPORT TO IDPs … -109,896 FCFA,
2.) BIO-SECURITY FENCE … -71,671 FCFA,
3.) SUPPORT TO PC MBOMASSA- 50,170 FCFA
CASH RECEIPTS OF SOME MAJOR ITEMS PURCHASED;-
HANDING OF CHURCH SUPPORT:
It was on Sunday 28th that Rev. Anye Ivo was present in church so the money, 50,000FCFA in an envelope was handed to the project committee chair person Mr. Nchang Simon standing beside the treasurer Mde Ngongang Geraldine.
The project chairman who had been briefed before the day now inform the entire congregation about the support while asking me to stand (see photo).
He then extended a word of thanks on behalf of the entire congregation through me to the donor. He promised also to give a written appreciation letter, while at the same time expressing the desire for more support from the donor since the church construction project is an ongoing continuous process.
Church service, Sunday 28th October 2018
SOME MAJOR CHALLENGES:
We will like to remark that other IDPs were identified shortly after we finished with the distribution exercise and they were actually curious to have been included in the fold of beneficiaries.
My strategy of being selective with the IDPs was not welcomed even though our choices of IDPs were actually those who deserved. Normally those who did not benefit were not happy because the thought they should have been the ones benefiting.
It is often believed by many that before giving to others I should have received more than enough for my family. Many people could not imagine how a man of my social status and family size that they know very well can be sharing gifts to others rather than keeping for himself. People believe that all Cameroonians have the same mentality and perception on issues of this nature.
Some people suspected that it could be a gift from the government and so will not want to receive it since they are angry with the government for the continuous killings and increasing numbers of refugees fleeing to Neighboring Nigeria and IDPs everywhere in our region. I had to go extra mile making efforts to convince them to believe that it was a personal gesture of some Japanese friends and not the government as they thought.
The curfew time that government imposed on our population (6.00PM to 6.00AM) daily affects our day to day running of cooperative and other activities.
OBSERVATIONS /COMMENTS:
In Cameroon, the on-going sociopolitical crisis is causing a lot of chaos, hatred and divorce within family circles. Now no schools are going on with a corresponding increase in food consumption by kids at home, low business turn out, drop in house rent and in some regions increase because of inter-urban migration, decrease in the supply of some basic domestic needs with a corresponding price increase.
Considering the joy/happiness expressed by the beneficiary IDPs as well as the church leaders, it will be a welcome idea if this kind of gesture is repeated at least for some time in the near future.
The choice of items we bought for the IDPs was highly appreciated by the IDPs considering their importance as basic household necessities.
We feel that the impact of this gesture to IDPs and the church will be felt by a greater majority of persons within a wide range of different communities same like some of the support that our pig cooperative through its partners have been giving to individuals within groups registered with the pig cooperative.
The Beneficiaries through their spokesperson, Madam Ano Joan send their sincere appreciation to all the donors and said God should richly bless the hands that gave so that they could be able to continue assisting. She also advised that the spirit of sharing should be their watch word during these trial moments in life.
Many people in church on Sunday 28th October 2018 have learnt from my example that honesty pays then earning from dishonesty especially as the pastors sermon came from the bible book of Amos 5;6-15 and Micah 6;8-10.
He was actually speaking to everyone who is unjust, particularly to our Cameroonian leaders who have plunged our country into a war and may be also to every other leader like me leading a cooperative.
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