Our wonderful experience in NKUV

Hi,

Today is our last day in Cameroon, on our way to Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso. Although we have 3 meetings scheduled, maybe more, (there is always a last minute and unexpected here, which is actually quite fun), but for that reason I have some time and updating you and this time I hope no typos and spelling mistakes.

So, so much to tell about NKUV,

So, so many stories about NKUV, first of all NKUV is a small village around 1500 people about one and a half hours from Kumbo around 150-200K population, in the northwest of Cameroon, which is about 8 hours from the capital of Yaounde. The view is majestic, as Avi likes to call it, beautiful green and flourishing mountains with water falls and breathe taking sites. Kumbo is distinct for its ethnicity these are the people of the Lamso language.

Picture of view and church in Kumbo.

the church is celebrating 100 years this year

 

Our partners in this area are LWDGC – Life Water Development Group Cameroon, headed by Peter Njodzeka. See their work : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdQOVDOBJb0&feature=share& list=UUdh7HMltMPq9hvmE1zKJICA

Joined us from LWDGC was: Fi the village project coordinator and responsible for hygiene and health and Gills the development manger.

Picture of team near our hotel in Kumbo

 

 

We arrived in Nkuv at 09:00 and were greeted by the school children and their teacher, it was very moving, then we gathered in the meeting area and their the children and hosts sang and danced for us, this too was very beautiful and moving because while the girls were dancing the said the words " we are coming to welcome our visitors".

Picture of dance – I will try to download the video, once I am back

Then the meeting started, a wonderful welcome speech in English, by a lady from the village council, her words of welcome included the fact that we have come with an idea to be discussed with the villagers, approved by them and then to see how everyone can pitch in and make happen, this was a wonderful start for us, because we have started this project with the number one factor of 'the holistic Methodology" which we created saying build community buy-in and preplanning with community participation. Number one step – being implemented as we speak……

Pictures of meeting

 

 

Later one I introduced the community to the VEC – Village Eco Center, which as we spoke turned into the VBC – Village business Center. This center will be a place of community gathering, will enough electricity and a production and service area. We came with about 10 ideas, they came up with 10 additional ideas and together we decided on 3 major issues. A water treatment solution – regardless of the VBC; communal electricity and Production area.

We were all delighted and now it is time to do the work.

the village

Here we come to we want the first pilot VBC to be funded by crowd funding, we will offer contributors a lottery that 2 people will be able to join this journey once it gets on the ground – many more details later. Share this link to as many people as you can to start mobilizing the hype.

We left after they have offered us FU FU , the maize – "sticky rice" dish and engama engama, a very tasty spinach dish with palm oil.

That’s it for now, join us later.

Yours Ornit