Auteur/autrice : TimesNews2

Another cohort of 30 refugee students registered under the DAFI scholarship programme piloted by UNHCR and Plan International has received brand new ICT tools in Yaounde, Cameroon. 25-year-old Abdarahman Ibrahim, from the Central African Republic and who is the current president of the group of DAFI scholarship programme beneficiaries has expressed gratitude to all donors who relentlessly vest efforts on refugee students to achieve their studies. The young student praised the initiative which to him shall improve on his research works. “With the advent of information and communication technologies, ICTs, we need kits such as these tablets that will help us to improve our research assignments because it is not easy to undertake such tasks with a smartphone. The phone is very limited and cannot help us to type our reports at the end of the month. Now, these tablets will ease us in typing and research. It will also help us to renew our scholarships as indicated by UNHCR officials, the DAFI scholarship programme will solely be done online.” Abdarahman Ibrahim said. Abdarahman Ibrahim was speaking on Friday, 5th of May 2023 in Yaounde during a ceremony to officially hand over tablets to the new cohort of 30 refugee students of the DAFI scholarship programme for 2022-2023 academic. There are in total 13 young men and 17 young women from neighbouring countries of Cameroon. Mrs. Koko Boti Felicite, Principal Administrator for Protection in the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR called on the refugee students to make productive use of these brand-new tablets and challenged them to work hard to be role models for their peers. Speaking on behalf of the Country Director of Plan International Cameroon, Mr Fabien Ongono Program Implementation Manager, in his keynote address said the DAFI programme is out to accompany both female and male refugee youths who merit to follow higher education studies. This programme as he said, permits them to secure their rights and protection. Fabien Ongono stress on the fact that Plan International, partner in the DAFI scholarship programme is a major actor in promoting access to quality and inclusive education as well as entrepreneurial opportunities and decent work. The Spokesperson of Plan International Cameroon also outlined the importance of ICTs nowadays and the key role they play in socio-professional insertion. Mr Ongono indicated that one of the main challenges to address is that of enrolling in the higher education level close to 15% of refugees by 2030. The occasion was equally seized by Plan International Cameroon to salute the collaboration with the government through the Ministry of Higher Education (Minesup). About the DAFI scholarship programme The DAFI (Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative) scholarship programme offers qualified refugee students the possibility to earn an undergraduate degree in their country of asylum. Through the dedicated support of the German Government, UNHCR and private donors, the programme has supported over 15,000 young refugees to undertake tertiary studies since 1992. The strategic priorities of the DAFI programme are to: promote the self-reliance of sponsored students through opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship; empower students to contribute knowledge, skills and leadership, and facilitate peaceful coexistence with host communities during displacement and upon return; Strengthen the protective impact of education by encouraging lifelong learning; Provide role models for refugee children and youth to demonstrate the impact of education on individuals, communities and societies. The scholarship covers a range of costs, including tuition, fees, study materials, food, transportation, accommodation and other expenses. To amplify academic achievement and skills development, DAFI scholars receive additional support through close monitoring, academic preparatory and language classes based on students’ needs, as well as mentoring and networking opportunities. Elise Kenimbeni

A travers la campagne « We ring the bell » en anglais et « Tirer la sonnette » en français, les cinq départements ministériels et l’ONG entendent mobiliser les acteurs sociaux à envoyer à l’école les enfants en situation de handicap. Le lancement officiel a eu lieu le 04 mai 2023. Mme Abang Grâce Larissa, maman d’un enfant vivant avec handicap, plus précisement un autiste, dans un témoignage poignant a représenté le prototype des efforts déjà fournis pour une meilleure inclusion des personnes vivants avec handicaps. Elle a en effet contacté la Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Service (CBCHS) pour qu’on l’aide dans la prise en charge de sa fille. Aujourd’hui, son enfant peut préparer. Elle a obtenu son diplôme. Elle accomplit d’autres tâches. Malheureusement, de nombreuses femmes dans cette situation n’ont pas eu cette opportunité d’offrir un avenir peu stigmatisant à leurs enfants. Du coup, la campagne « We ring the bell » en anglais et « Tirer la sonnette » en français, qui a officiellement pris son envol le 04 mai 2023 dans les locaux de la mairie de Yaoundé VI, vient à point nommé, selon l’ensemble des acteurs impliqués dans son opérationnalisation. Elle est d’ailleurs placée sous le thème « De la politique à la pratique : éducation inclusive pour les enfants handicapés au Cameroun ». Le but est en effet : « d’accroître le taux de scolarisation des enfants vivants avec handicaps en créant une société où chaque enfant, en particulier les personnes handicapées, ont accès à une éducation de qualité » l’idée étant « d’accélérer l’atteinte de l’ODD4 au Cameroun et de poursuivre la mise en œuvre de l’éducation inclusive ». Le Cameroun engagé pour l’inclusion Pauline Irène Nguéné, ministre des affaires sociales (MINAS), rappelle à ce propos que depuis 2016 le Cameroun participe à la campagne « We ring the bell » et « Tirer la sonnette », une initiative de Liliane Funds à travers la Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services. Mme la ministre a d’emblée pris l’engagement dans ce sens de mettre en œuvre la politique du chef de l’Etat en matière inclusive. « Dans le monde, a-t-elle indiqué, 90% des enfants handicapés ne sont pas scolarisés ». Soit 33 millions d’enfants « en termes absolus » dans un contexte où 15% environ de la population mondiale vit avec un handicap. Plus loin, la ministre souligne que la problématique de la prise en charge de l’enfant handicapé au Cameroun fait l’objet des politiques publiques dont l’objectif est d’assurer « le continuum » de l’éducation pour cette catégorie d’enfant. C’est à ce titre qu’elle salue la co-organisation de cet événement avec les ministères en charge de l’éducation de base (Minedub), des enseignements secondaires (Minesec), de l’enseignement supérieur (Minesup) et de l’emploi et de la formation professionnelle (Minefop). La ministre de la promotion de la femme et de la famille (Minproff) a également pris part aux travaux. Mais d’après la MINAS, beaucoup reste encore à faire quant à cette préoccupation à caractère mondial. Les personnes vivants avec handicaps font face à « certaines barrières et obstacles multiformes ». Certains sont liés aux coûts et méthodes d’enseignement, d’autres à l’accès aux technologies de l’information et de la communication tandis qu’on en trouve qui sont propres à l’accessibilité aux infrastructures scolaires. La conséquence directe est « l’exclusion sociale des personnes handicapées », dénonce la ministre car celles-ci « font l’objet de discrimination » et ne bénéficient pas toujours « d’une éducation et d’une formation professionnelle appropriées », retient-on de la MINAS qui a « tiré la sonnette » pour l’éducation inclusive. Lui emboitant le pas, le maire de la Commune de Yaoundé 6 a rappelé que « l’éducation est à la base du développement ». Pour Yoki Onana, « les conditions d’existence des personnes demeurent encore difficiles » d’autant plus qu’elles les « empêchent de jouir de nombreux droits, donc celui de l’éducation. » La première barrière est l’accès à l’éducation, a-t-il réitéré. Pour lui, des initiatives de cette nature supposent assurément une action collective surtout dans l’optique de l’émergence du Cameroun à l’horizon 2035. Cela passe clairement par l’inclusion prônée par le président de la République, a soutenu l’exécutif communal notamment en contexte de décentralisation. Une lutte commune L’accès à l’école pour les enfants handicapés connait des avancées, selon le directeur de la protection sociale des personnes handicapées et des personnes âgées au MINAS. Aussi, au-delà de l’existence d’un cadre légal, le Cameroun abrite de nombreuses institutions publiques et privées qui travaillent à promouvoir l’inclusion des personnes en situation de handicap et qui soutiennent l’éducation puis la formation professionnelle via les départements ministériels sollicités. Le pays a par exemple signé et ratifié des conventions internationales relatives à l’inclusion des personnes en situation de handicap dont l’une des manifestations est le Décret N°2021/250 du 27 avril 2021 portant ratification du Traité de Marrakech visant à faciliter l’accès des aveugles, des déficients visuels et des personnes ayant d’autres difficultés de lecture des textes imprimés aux œuvres publiées. Toujours dans la même veine, des écoles essentiellement inclusives ont été créées par le ministère des affaires (MINAS) à côté de celles qui ont été réadaptées pour les besoins de la cause. Avec les organisations de la société civile (Osc), des ordinateurs adaptés pour les personnes déficientes visuelles ont été mis en place. Le personnel enseignant a bénéficié des sessilns de renforcement des capacités. Plus de 4000 enseignants ont été formés en matière d’enseignement inclusif. Le rôle de la société civile L’Ong Sightsavers, qui est l’un des partenaire des départements ministériels impliqués dans le projet d’inclusion des enfants handicapés, travaille avec ces ministères pour une plus grande inclusion notamment dans la promotion de l’éducation. Selon ses responsables, plusieurs conventions et engagements ont été signés ou passés avec les administrations publiques, les Communes, les acteurs de la société civile, les familles et les communautés. Deux programmes ont été élaborés. Le dernier est intitulé « A better world », explique Acha Rita de Sightsavers. Un cahier de charges en cours d’élaboration avec le MINAS pour diverses activités est sur les rails, a-t-elle indiqué. Dans sa demarche, l’ong a instauré la notion de « Champion de l’inclusion » à destination des écoles afin de distinguer « les meilleures en matière d’inclusion ». Elle se deploie en outre à travers près de 70

Vous voulez vous offrir une retraite paisible ? Pas de stress, votre solution c’est la MASO ! La Mutuelle d’Assistance et de Solidarité (MASO) de RENAPROV FINANCE S.A vous offre une garantie en termes de sécurité sociale. Commencez à cotiser des aujourd’hui 100 FCFA, ceci de Lundi a Vendredi dans le cadre de l’option MASO CLASSIQUE et 500 FCFA pour MASO GOLD. Avec la MASO un mutualiste ayant enregistré 20 années de cotisation consécutive et ayant atteint 60 ans bénéficie d’un capital de 5 Millions de FCFA pour investir et se relancer durant sa retraite. Ceci fait partie des avantages direct que vous confère le statut de mutualiste. A partir de 100 Francs CFA cela est possible. Il suffit juste de souscrire à la Mutuelle d’Assistance et de Solidarité de RENAPROV FINANCE S.A. Et pour participer à la grande TOMBOLA de la MASO Acte 3 le 9 juillet 2023 au palais polyvalent des sports de Yaoundé, cotisez et soyez à jour jusqu’au 29 Juin 2023 à 16 heures. Si vous n’êtes pas encore parmi les nombreux mutualistes de la MASO, n’hésitez plus, inscrivez-vous chez un agent MASO / RENAPROV FINANCE S.A ou rendez-vous dans une agence de RENAPROV FINANCE S.A ou encore à ROYAL FM 88.4 au deuxième étage de l’immeuble Binam face agence Camair co à Yaoundé. Pour plus d’informations voici les contacts du pool gestion MASO :   (+237) 699.44.29.77/ 674.39.27.46/ 695.33.95.03/690 20 28 40 Voici la version audio :

The new regional Head of BUNEC Centre was installed on April 27, 2023, in Yaounde by General Manager, Alexandre Marie Yomo. 52 years old Joseph Laurent Kamgue Abbe was officially installed on Thursday, 27th April 2023 in Yaounde during a ceremony that gathered several officials, traditional chiefs, and relatives. Appointed on December 22, 2022, by the executive board of the National Civil Status Registration Office, known by its French acronym as BUNEC, Joseph Laurent Kamgue Abbe replaces Joseph Sylvain Endezoumou who occupied this post for close to six years. As underscored by the General Manager of BUNEC, Alexandre Marie Yomo who chaired the ceremony, the appointment of Mr. Kamgue Abbe by the executive board comes in as a quest for the amelioration of governance, efficiency and to strengthen the different actions carried out by BUNEC all over the national territory. Bracing up Challenges In his keynote address, Mr Yomo Alexandre Marie, General Manager of BUNEC said the newly appointed regional Head of the Centre has to show proof of the choice bestowed on him by the executive board, which certainly focused on his intellectual and academic references. He outlined the challenges the new regional Head of the BUNEC Centre will face, which are diverse and need to be handled with a lot of precaution. Besides, he called on Mr. Kamgue Abbe Joseph Laurent to keep a fruitful collaboration with different administrative, judicial, health, and council authorities as well as other stakeholders who have a pivotal role to play in the identification ecosystem of the region. Mr Yomo in his speech equally invited the new regional Head of BUNEC Centre to pay specific attention to: the reinforcement of service offers of the civil status registry in terms of training of staff, distribution of registrars, follow-up campaigns linked to registration; and the reinforcement of the coordination between key actors of identification ecosystem. The General Manager of BUNEC, Alexandre Marie Yomo also cited some relevant figures which need to be curbed by Mr. Kamgue Abbe and his teammates, as he takes on duties. “At this moment, the annual rate of birth registration in the Centre region is estimated at 54.9% and which is under the national rate evaluated at 69%. In the same vein, I wish to outline that, in the course of 2022, we have identified more than 210.000 schooled children who do not have birth certificates.” Mr. Yomo Alexandre Marie said. These figures as he explained are key indicators of a drop-down on the civil status registry and must be tackled efficiently. Other key challenges which need to be braced up such as the reinforcement of massive sensitization campaigns on the importance of civil status registration were equally unveiled by the General Manager of BUNEC. He pointed out the fact that the civil status registry impacts various national policies drawn up by the Head of State. He indicated that to achieve Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, there is a need to accentuate birth registration in particular and amplify actions for people to register. BUNEC’s General Manager assured the newly installed regional Head of his full support and availability for the successful accomplishment of his missions. About Joseph Kamgue Abbe Joseph Laurent Kamgue Abbe, newly appointed and installed regional Head of BUNEC Centre was born on January 10, 1971, in Evodoula, Lekie division in the Centre. He grabbed in 1999, a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Law and later on a Professional Master II, both at the University of Yaounde 2. On the professional plan, he has occupied the post of Adviser in industrial property at Global and Trade firm, GTT in Paris, France from 2005 to 2020.  And from 2020 to 2022, he served as a Jurist consultant at MAETUR in Cameroon. Added to this professional career are series of training at the higher teachers’ college of CAHAN in France and at the University of Paris XI. After a professional internship at BUNEC, Mr. Kamgue was recruited in 2022 and has served as one of the staff in the administrative and financial department until he was appointed regional head of BUNEC Centre. Joseph Laurent Kamgue Abbe is a 2nd class traditional ruler of the Mvog Onamnye 2 village in Evodoula. Elise Kenimbeni

In line with the series of training sessions on the digitalization of the civil status registry in Cameroon, the PAMEC II programme has launched in Bafoussam, West region a three-day workshop for registrars and clerks of five targeted councils. Participants convened at this three-day workshop that takes place from the 25 to 27 April 2023 in Bafoussam, West region of the country are from the Foumban, Dschang, Bangou, Bafoussam II and Mbouda councils. These five councils targeted within the framework of the pilot phase of the Support Program for the Modernization of Cameroon’s Civil Status Registry known by its French acronym as PAMEC II have been identified as those with a crucial need to upgrade their registration process. One of the trainees at this workshop, Emmanuel Sejine said the teaching has been fruitful and will help them in fulfilling their daily activities. Emmanuel Sejine, municipal officer from Mbouda said: “This training will not only help us to upgrade our knowledge but it will boost our activities in terms of registration of birth certificates, marriages, etc. Thanks to this workshop we are getting new tools as this will change several issues in terms of time and financial constraints. Concretely, these IT skills will reduce the cost of registers, save time for the staff of councils and the population…” On her part, Diane Lambo Yenika, registrar officiating at the Dschang council confessed she knew little of information and communication technologies before this workshop. Thanks to the PAMEC II programme co-funded by the German cooperation, GIZ and the Korean International Cooperation Agency, KOICA, these other sets of trainees will upgrade their knowledge with basic information and technology skills. “I think the digitalization of the civil status registry is very important simply because it serves archives; it helps us to easily register our population; to fight against fake certificates and with the help of computers we have an advantage of automatic corrections made.” She indicated after the training session. Moreover, Diane thinks such training sessions should be extended to all councils’ staff. According to Essama Dieudonne, one of the trainers of this second cohort of registrars and clerks of the 20 councils selected for this pilot phase, the methodology used to school the various participants is based on 30% of theory and 70% of practices. He said: “We opted for an andragogical methodology that focuses on 70 % of practice and 30% of theory because we understood from previous workshops that participants assimilate easily when they practice themselves activities. Furthermore, there is a simplified guide with six modules that helps us as trainers to facilitate the training.” These training sessions mainly focus on: the genesis of digital technologies; the field of application; the benefits of using digital technologies; the architecture and functioning of a microcomputer; input devices; the output peripherals; storage devices; operating systems and application software; how to start and stop a computer.         The Support Program for the Modernization of Cameroon’s Civil Status Registry, PAMEC II has been initiated to fill the gaps observed in several councils where few staff are computer literate. It was observed that registrations for birth, death, and marriage certificates were fully manual. Therefore, the fulfillment of this gap in basic IT skills sounded like a critical issue to be addressed through this pilot project which is placed under the banner of the Ministry of Decentralization and Local Development and the National Civil Status Registration Office, BUNEC. Elise Kenimbeni

Do you need household equipment? You cannot afford them at higher prices but wish to purchase them? No stress, the Mutual Assistance and Solidarity, MASO is the key solution to your problem. Just register and contribute 100 Francs CFA from Monday to Friday to be amongst the various beneficiaries of the MASO packages. If your contributions are up to date by the 29th of June 2023 at 4 PM, then you will certainly be amongst the numerous mutualists who will benefit from one of the television sets, refrigerators, chairs, mattresses, gas stoves, etc. You can decide to go for the MASO CLASSIC option which is refundable and the MASO GOLD option which is not refundable and that gives root to contributions of 500 Francs CFA daily. Tackling poverty and the precarious living conditions of several Cameroonians remains the main preoccupation of MASO, a product offered by RENAPROV FINANCE S.A. Note that, the grand draw ceremony of MASO ACT 3 will take place on Saturday 9th July 2023 from 2 PM at the Warda multipurpose sports complex (Paposy), hundreds of mutualists will have the chance to win the various packages offered by MASO. Be among those who will witness the dream come true of many Cameroonians. To register call these contacts to get in touch with the MASO management pool: (+237) 699.44.29.77/ 674.39.27.46/ 695.33.95.03/690 20 28 40, you can equally go to any of the 27 agencies of RENAPROV FINANCE S.A or also to ROYAL FM Radio situated at the Binam white building just opposite Camair-co office in Yaounde. Here is the audio version: