Volunteers needed

United action for children has many projects in progress that benefit the children of Buea tremendously. The trouble is keeping them going when volunteers leave.

After looking at the folders of projects gone by, it has become clear to me that many brilliant programmes have fallen by the way side as volunteers who've started them depart for home. It's sad and frustrating because it's obvious that they were excellant projects enjoyed by many kids. Youth clubs, drawing classes, french lessons and a once thriving football club are to name but a few.

However there is currently a computer workshop in the cyber cafe which seems fruitful enough but there has been no internet at the school since i've been here.
Also there is vocational workshops for elder kids who desire to go on to learn a trade, which i would like to help with if i wasn't so busy with other activities and projects.

The programmes i have chosen to help with are 'remedial reading' and 'school on wheels'. And of course i'm teaching at jamadianle in the mornings and afternoons (more about that in another blog)

Bonnie, a lovely Canadian girl here on her governments' dime, revived the remedial reading programme after two Spanish dudes left and it subsequently dissapated.
It runs on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at jamadianle nursey school. About 25-30 kids show up who are of all ages and of who are at varying levels of literacy. We play word games with the use of phonics and we practice the alphabet with them and then we read them a story. That's if they're not climbing the walls that is.
None of them know the alphabet and their spelling needs a lot of work but again i experience the absolut willingness to learn and constant effort Cameroonian kids adhere to with respect to education. It's a great, effective programme and i enjoy helping out immensely.

The school on wheels is a project headed by Henry. It involves us packing a suitcase full of flashcards, alphabet and number games, puzzles and drawing books and driving out to the neighbouring villages of Molyko. It runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Tueseday was my first day doing it.

We went to Bockova and rocked up outside this magnificent community centre which looked like it had flown in from the 1970's, it was sooo out of place amongst these humble wee wooden shacks. Henry went to get the keys from the chief of the village as all the while these kids kept streaming towards us "uncle, uncle, teach me, teach me, I can count you know".

It was a truly amazing experience and a wonderful feeling i got doing this. It felt like i was doing something worthwhile and constuctive. I didn't even care how stupid i looked as i danced about singing the alphabet song to a bunch of five year olds, It was cool and one of the wee girls had the most infectious laugh i've ever had the fortune to enjoy. She was hilarious and i hope she is there the next time we go back as she was a wee ray of sunshine who brightened up my week.

So to go back to my earler point about what will happen to these worthy projects when we all leave. Well the wheels come off basically until other volunteers arrive or maybe not if UAC can co-ordinate volunteers to arrive as others leave thus creating a more steady stream of helping hands and not in dribs and drabs as they are now.

I wish the latter can be achieved as i hope i have elucidated to you. These are wonderful, inspirational programmes well worth saving.

www.unitedactionforchildren.org