Events

The programme started as early as 8.am with participants from the various centres arriving the CEAC hall colorfully dressed in black and white. Participants came all the way from Lysoka, Maumu, Mile 14 Dibanda and the host Ekona village, carrying placards with messages such as

v Education For All … Not A Mere Slogan!
v We Shall Break The Silence…Through Literacy!
v Adult Literacy For Rural Women… Breaking Barriers!
v We Women Farmers Want To Read And Write.

At about 9.30am, the participants then marched past through Ekona town with their placards with the various messages and came back to the hall. There was total animation during this period. Then came the Deputy Mayor for Muyuka Rural Council, invitees, and the local population. The sub divisional delegates of women's affairs for Buea and Muyuka, the Provincial Coordinator for adult literacy programme from the South West Province, chiefs, partner NGOs and formal school headmasters.
While waiting for the Assistant Divisional Officer for Muyuka, participants gave life and touching experiences on what made them interested in the program. Experiences included a mother who could not to read her name on her maternity card. Another one said she could not recognize figures and couldn't sing in church. Yet another wanted to at least know how to sign her own signature and even read posters on the road. Just to mention a few. Then came the arrival of the Assistant Divisional Officer. This was immediately followed by singing of the National Anthem.

The programme continued with motivational songs on adult literacy by the Lysoka centre. Then the Ekona centre presented a heavily-applauded sketch to show the importance of literacy for rural women.
A welcome address was presented by the Delegate for NCIG Mr. Anu Vincent Folefac. He spelt out the objectives of the programme and elaborated a little on the approach being used for the programme known as REFLECT. This is basically a structured participatory learning process, which facilitates people's critical analysis of their environment placing empowerment at the heart of sustainable and equitable development. It is based on reflection and action where people empower themselves to work. He mentioned one challenge as being the growing enthusiasm for learning in the target communities.

More women were interested in the programme but the funds were limited. He further went on to say the government should help to support NGOs carry out other programmes to help eradicate rural poverty.

Group picture of participants at launching

Then came the speech from the Coordinator of adult literacy programme from the delegation of youth and sports. He promised massive support from their ministry and to march words with action, he promised to assist in the small sketch that the centre in Ekona had acted.

The next speech was from the Sub delegate for women's affairs Buea. She first of all thanked NCIG for the wonderful job they are doing in the field and praised the women for taking the classes seriously. She said "You can be a very good farmer, but if you don't know how to manage your farm and keep good records, you will obviously not make much from your effort." She was very pleased with the massive attendance of the various centres and the local population, hoping that the educational programme continuesand spreads to other locations.

The president of one of the partner NGOs encouraged the women to carry on with the literacy programme. She was pleased to know that the programme was already being attended by many women, approximately 105 participants.

Finally the Assistant Divisional Officer rounded it all up calling on the women and Nkong Hill Top to do every thing to merit the confidence of the funding partners, the Gender and Development Fund by working hard. He was very pleased because this was not the first time he had been called to preside over NCIG activities.

The occasion ended with a family photograph and light refreshments.