A Call to Mercy sponsored Orphan project begins implementation.

Feb1

Yesterday we began the work of implementing A Call to Mercy’s sponsored Orphan project with Project Hope. We rode by motorbike into the surrounding villages visiting schools and mud hut homes. Our visits to the schools with Project Hope staff was to introduce the new program to the teachers and principals. They will receive a notice from the ministry of education, who has agreed to help by sending a form to all nearby schools asking teachers for their assistance in identifying the most needy children. All children in this community are vulnerable. Identifying the most vulnerable children will be done systematically through home interviews. Project Hope staff and volunteers will go to the homes to interview the parent or caregiver and rank the specific needs of the children living there. Ultimately 300 will be selected based on those rankings. We visited 4 homes yesterday where vulnerable children were known to the PH staff because of the HIV status of their mothers. Some of the children also were HIV positive. We witnessed the interview process and met some of the children who will surely be selected to receive help from CTM through Project Hope. The day was filled with sadness and hope. The prolific poverty and conditions that people survive in is truly humbling. We felt honored to be welcomed into their homes. Click any image to go to Gallery Mode.

: Visit to school in remote mountain village.

: Visiting a school in a remote village. The children were a bit wary of us at first.

: Pre-School children. Many of these will be identified by Project Hope as eligible for our sponsorship.

: Children at nearby school.

: Children at school in village.

: School children gather for a picture with PH staff.

: Chialinda and her two sons live in a one room mud brick home. She is a widow and is HIV positive. She also takes care of her sick grandmother who is in her late 80’s.

: Chialinda’s grandmother, in her late 80’s lies ill in bed. In this room there are 4 beds and a fire pit in the middle of the room.

: Fire pit in the middle of room. This one is safer because of the large stones. Many children are burned in accidents by home cooking fires.

: This young boy falls when he runs because of the deformity of his legs. Receiving healthcare through our project will identify him as a candidate for free leg surgery when the doctors from Holland arrive in April.

: The warmth and smiles of this family is a testament to the resilience of the people of Njinikom. Notice the paper insulation, which keeps the rain out during the rainy season. These homes have no electricity or running water. They are quite dark with light coming only from the door and one window.

: This is Hycentha Mambu and Simone. She is a widow and HIV positive. Hycentha has stopped using her free meds because she cannot afford the lab tests that must be done every 3-4 months in order to determine if the meds are working. She was self-employed selling produce from a cart until recently when she was hit by a car while walking home in the dark. She lost her cart and was in the hospital for 4 weeks. She now walks with noticeable pain.

: Project Hope’s JonBennet conducts home interview.

: Simone standing in her one room home. She will be selected as one of the recipients of the Orphan and Vulnerable Children Project that we are sponsoring.

: Hycentha and daughter, during interview by PH staff.

: Hycentha looking for her daughters birth-certificate.

: There were many rodents scurrying around in this home. We were later told that she kills them and feeds herself and her child. “Protein”.

: Both mother and child marvel at the poloroid picture that Carol has taken of them.

: This is Bridget Mabi, her mother and two of her children. She is a widow, and is HIV positive as is her eldest daughter. During the day, many children from nearby come to her home while their parent work the fields in the mountain.

: Child at home visit. She is one of the children we will be sponsoring.

: Children at home visit. These children are not in school because their parent cannot afford the fees.

: Three children who will be identified as most vulnerable. These are the children who will benefit from donations to A Call to Mercy.

: Child at home visit. She is one of the children we will be sponsoring. She has bent legs and will benefit from receiving healthcare. Through that program she will be identified as a candidate for free surgery when the docs from Holland come in April.

: Siblings at a home visit.

: Child at home visit. She is one of the children we will be sponsoring.

: This little charmer could be President one day.

Visiting Schools with Project Hope to meet the Health Clubs

Jan31

Yesterday we visited 4 schools to witness Project Hope’s Youth outreach in the form of Health Clubs. Project Hope goes to schools and organizes health clubs for children of all ages to learn how to avoid diseases that are prevalent here. In villages where there is no running water in the homes, it is important to teach children about the importance of personal hygiene in preventing disease.They teach HIV/AIDS awareness, how to avoid diseases that are caused by contaminated food and water, and preach abstinence and fidelity as the only way to insure avoiding sexually transmitted diseases. They give the children free HIV testing and encourage everyone to know their status. If positive, they offer resources for treatment. One in ten people contract HIV/AIDS in this area of Cameroon. Most children have lost someone close to the disease. The clubs aren’t all serious. They also play games, sing songs, dance and work on being role models of health among their peers. They talked about the difficulties they face in telling people about the dangers of HIV, peers don’t want to listen. There is still a stigma about the disease even though it is rampant. But these kids understand through the work of Project Hope that ignorance is their enemy.

: Class listening to health lesson.

: Question and answer time.

: Classroom in Njinikom.

: Project Hope Staff talk to students.

: Three room school in the bush. No electricity.

: All children gathered in one class to listen to health talk.

: Terry and Carol with the teachers and Project Hope workers

: School children.

: Principal in secondary school.

: Secondary school in the bush. No electricity. No running water.

: Child talking about challenges they face in health club.

: Children gathered in auditorium for health talk.

: School Health Club, sponsored by Project Hope.

: Carol talking to large class of adolescents about HIV/AIDS prevention.

: Young adults at tech school talk about their Health Club.

Sylverine and Camerika

Jan30

Sylverine is 16 and lives alone with her little sister, Camerika. Their mother died giving birth to Camerika, 4 years ago. They used to be at the orphanage, arriving just after Camerika was born. At a certain age, children are sent back to their village to re-assimilate with their people; aunts, uncles, cousins. The thinking is that children should not live their whole lives in an orphanage. It is better to go back to family when they are older and require less care. To go back to where they belong. So they were sent home. But Sylverine’s family sent her back, insisting that she would be better off here because she has a school sponsor who pays her fees. They sent her little sister back with her. Camerika waits at the orphanage for her sister after school and then they go back to a rented room. There are many children who are in far worse situations, but we were so very touched by this young girl. We walked them home and asked Sylverine to describe her day. “I get up at 5am, walk to fetch water. Then I make the fire to warm the water to bathe the child. I make something for Camerika to eat and then for myself. We dress and go to school. After school, I fetch my sister and head home. Sometimes we eat at the orphanage. Sometimes my aunt sends money and I buy food for us. Sometimes she helps with the rent, which is equal to a few dollars a month.” We told her she is very brave and strong. She said, “No, I am afraid and alone.”

: Sylverine and Camerika.

: Sylverine, proud, strong and alone at 16.

A walk to town.

Jan29

One of our favorite things to do is to walk through the village to the town of Njinikom. The people we meet on the road, which is more like a trail, and at the homes by the side of the road are so warm and friendly. “You are Welcome, Welcome”, they shout out as we pass by. Sometimes we stop and chat. At the hospital, everyone is sick or caring for the sick, and there is a heaviness…but on our walks, it is such a delight to encounter people in the course of their daily lives. Click on any image to go to Gallery Mode.

: A very tidy compound on our walk to town.

: Children we passed on our walk to town.

: Children delighted to see their picture.

: This little mama was about 3ft tall.

: He carves beautiful furniture and sculptures. We’ve commissioned masks from him.

: Boyo Mountain

: Woman in village making pufpuf, a bread like food made from flour and yeast.

: Children in town, selling potatoes and avacados.

: Walking to town. No wonder the women have such great posture. They carry the heavy loads, often on their heads.

Yesterday at St Martin de Porres Mission Hospital, Njinikom.

Jan29

Yesterday we had a morning meeting with the directors of Project Hope, discussing the implementation of the Orphan Project that we are sponsoring. We left the meeting with a greater understanding of their process and full confidence in their skill and the level of transparency that they offer in regard to the use of funds. We are scheduled to visit a school tomorrow and go with them to a remote village on friday (by motorbike) to witness the process of identifying and checking in on vulnerable children who will become part of our sponsorship. After the meeting we hung out at the Hospital Orphanage and interacted with the kids. They hunger for attention and touch. We are so blessed to have the opportunity to give it to them.