A ceremony to hand over school kits to children affected by cancer took place on September 8, 2025, at the Chantal Biya Foundation in Yaoundé.
In line with the official launch of the new school year in Cameroon on Monday, September 8, 2025, Mori’s Child, a Humanitarian association supporting and assisting children affected by childhood cancers, provided sets of didactic materials and financial aid to pupils and students enrolled in its program, dubbed “Happy Class”.
As the newly implemented programme resumed for the ongoing 2025-2026, Mori’s Child seized the occasion to celebrate one of its greatest achievements during the end-of-year examinations.
Maximilien Fotso, an 18-year-old cancer patient, was acclaimed for his success at the “Probatoire D” examination of the francophone subsystem of education.
Despite health challenges and constant discomfort observed during the last academic year, Maximilien, nicknamed Max, was enrolled in the end-of-year exams by Mori’s Child.
The young male patient who is fully recovering from bone marrow cancer has expressed gratitude to Mori’s Child, which has given him the support needed and permits him to achieve his dream, that to be a hematologist-specialist in cancer treatment in the future.
Ruth Ngo Nyobe, founding president of Mori’s Child, took the floor to encourage parents to send their children to school.
She said a child affected by cancer should not be left aside. He or she needs to aspire to a better future, as all children have the right to education.
She seized the occasion to amplify the main advocacy of Mori’s Child on the fact that childhood cancers are curable and no child affected should be neglected. Early-stage diagnosis makes the difference.
Speaking to Simon Cardin Neyeng, Coordinator of this educational program, “Happy Class”, it was disclosed that children affected by cancer are very brave and engaged in classes despite their sanitary situation.
Mr. Neyeng said: “Happy Class is a specialized school programme that the humanitarian association, Mori’s Child, offers to children affected by cancer and who are followed up at the Chantal Biya Foundation. This school programme has been put in place in a bid to help children affected by cancer have access to education despite their health situation. We have trained teachers in the program who are devoted to the cause…”
Synthia Moguom, one of the teachers of the happy class programme, said it is not an easy task to interact with pupils affected by cancer because most often they forget the lessons taught to them, or when they feel tired or weak, they have to stop classes.
The young female teacher of the nursery and primary levels said she is mostly motivated by her love for children.
During an interview session with media practitioners, the founding president of the association, Mori’s Child, once more underscored the need to celebrate their young “hero” Maximillien, who is an example of perseverance and endurance.
“First of all, we celebrate and honor the young Maximilien, who had his end-of-year “Probatoire” examination. The particularity is that, Maximilien, during his academic year, felt ill. Immediately, he felt ill, and he was taken care of here at the hospital, which makes us see the difference. If he were in a classical school, he would have had to inform his parents first, then later on the administration. You see, the journey to get here would have been quite difficult…”
Ruth Ngo Nyobe also expressed with regret the passing away of some children affected by cancer, yet praised the work of Pr. Pondy and her collaborators.
“We also had children who passed away during our program. This is also what makes the particularity. Hence, my gratitude goes to the teachers who did not give up. They arrived in the morning, and saw these children leave, and the next day, they did not give up. Today, we have Maximilien, who was able to succeed in his exam. So it is only a continuation of our mission. We have the firm conviction that with the grace of God and the contribution of all stakeholders, I mean Prof. Pondy Angele and her team, the parents who even accept that their children come to this course, the children themselves who, despite moments of weakness, get up with drips. And we can only say thank you to God.”
The founding president of Mori’s Child also indicated that there is an ongoing fundraising campaign to help boost the happy class program and support parents who are desperately in need of a syringe, gloves, and chemotherapy sessions for their kids.
She said: “We launched a fundraising campaign, which is still going on, because September is a month-long campaign. These donations are dedicated not only to the Happy Class program but also to taking charge of the treatment of some children. We encourage other persons of goodwill to continue to donate for the golden month of cancer.”
To properly follow up on some children affected by cancer, health specialists at the Chantal Biya Foundation have recommended admission for positive treatment.
According to Dr. Ngnepi Diomo Justine, pediatric resident, the school environment created at the Chantal Biya Foundation in Yaoundé provides a climate of serenity and learning for the children.
“Since their immunity is generally weakened by the cancer, we have to prevent them from going to the community. For that reason, we have to create an environment for them here so that they continue feeling like normal children, though they have their own underground disease that they have to learn how to live with. So, actually, having this project by Mori’s Child that creates an environment where they can be taught like every other normal student. They can learn, they can progress in school without staying behind, like children of their very age. It’s actually very promoting good for the children…” She said.
As concerns the various challenges faced by the health staff with the children admitted, Dr. Ngnepi Diomo added.
“The challenge is that at every given time, actually, their system can be very weakened, either by the treatment or by the disease itself. So even in our environment here, we have to put a pause at the level of their education. In so doing, they cannot continue with the others. So we have to make sure, because if the child is actually very weakened, very tired, to such a point that he cannot learn, you cannot really force it on him. So you have to be patient until he gains more strength, more ability, and before he starts work with this.”
This programme, implemented for two years now by Mori’s Child, takes place at Chantal Biya’s Foundation in Yaoundé and the Mbingo Baptist hospital in the North-West region of the country.
About 300,000 children develop cancer each year around the world. About 80% of children with cancer can be cured if they are diagnosed and cared for at an early stage.
In Cameroon, the number of new cases is estimated at 1,400 per year.
Elise Kenimbeni
