In July, 2005, Etoko women were selected among 28 Community Based Organizations (CBOs) on how to go out in the
Community and Identify orphans and vulnerable children and support them according to their priority needs. We had a 3 Day Training Seminar in Kumba coordinated by the Regional Coordinator of Reach Out NGO in the person of Madam Omam Esther based in Buea the Head Quarter of South West Region. The Project was sponsored by PLAN CAMEROON alongside with the Ministries of Social Affairs and Health. The Priority Needs for Orphans and Vulnerable children as we were trained were said to be NUTRITION, CLOTHING, EDUCATION AND HEALTH.

There were so many Trainers during the 3 – Day Seminar who did their best to train trainees in the 28 Communities in order to have Positive results. After the training, Etoko Women were accorded 0ne Million 0ne Hundred Thousand, One Hundred francs (1,100,100 frs, CFA) for the purchase of immediate Priority Needs worth Six Hundred Thousand One Hundred francs(600 ,100 francs) which was disbursed in December 2005 while that of the future Project was Five Hundred Thousand Francs ( 500 000 francs).

Etoko women took as their Project, the Sale of Palm Oil. The 500 000 francs was used to purchase Empty Oil Containers such as Drums, buckets, Funnels, empty liter containers and 300 Liters of Palm Oil. A Store was rented as project site where everything was packed and was paid on monthly basis. The profit from the sale of oil was for rents, purchase of priority needs and purchase of more oil. This exercise continued slowly as rents chopped three quarter of the money until members started to contribute from pockets each time that disbursement of needs was to take place. We could not meet up with the profits from the sale of oil due to slow purchase by the population.

As trained, we were advised to go to the field for Identification of more Orphans every month as Parents die day in day out in the Communities. A register was drawn in a tabulated manner according to Number on Roll, Name of child, Sex, Age, School/College Attending, Class, Priority Needs, Name of Guardian/Carer, Identity Card Number and Telephone Number. For the past 8 years that was from July 2005 till 2013, Etoko women had been very active in their activities and were able to identify Four Hundred and twelve(412) Children in their Community. Out of this number, some of them are above 18 years and no longer considered as those to be assisted by this group, some have died, others have been transferred to different towns or Cities while those still below 18 are almost 350.

There are still lots in the Community who have not been identified for fear of not giving them immediate needs as expected since we are not meeting up with the demands. That is to say some of the Priority Needs are not given to the 350 children at the same time. But Where there is need especially on the part of MEDICAL and CLOTHING, we do the disbursement at different levels for some children and is the case with EDUCATION and NUTRITION, we offer gifts twice a year that is at the beginning of School Year and Christmas. We could even give Educational Needs in all the three Terms if there were means. Reports of Activities were always written and submitted to the Chief of Centre, Social Affairs Kumba to know exactly what we are doing in the field, while the staff Members of Social Affairs were all the times invited to witness the disbursement of Needs in the Community. After that, they circulate copies of the Reports to the Ministry of Social Affairs Yaounde – Cameroon. This is an attached example of one of the Reports among the Lots we had been submitting and some filed for future references. Also a sample of some pictures during disbursement and list of current/active members.

Considering that Etoko Women are involved in food stuff production in addition to supporting and taking Care of
Orphans and Vulnerable Children, they also take part in Women’s Activities. Such as celebration of Women’s Day on the
8th of March yearly, Celebration of the Day of the African Woman on the 31st of July yearly and Celebration of Day of
the Rural Woman on the 15th of October yearly. Besides these Ceremonies, we take part in Seminars on HIV/AIDS, Workshops
on soap making and Exchange visits by different groups to share ideas etc.

It should be recalled that on the 5th of May 2012, Madam Chantal Biya (The 1st Lady and wife of the President of the Republic of
Cameroon) sent a consignment of Farm Tools through CERAC Women to Kumba Women and Youths who are involved in
Agricultural Production and Processing and Etoko Women were among the Groups that benefitted some of the Gifts.
Those of Etoko Women were 2 push trucks, 10 cutlasses,15 hoes, 5 wheel barrows, 3 pairs of boots, 2 Watering Cans,
an Engine Saw, just to mention a few. We appreciated the gifts and were very grateful to receive them from CERAC
WOMEN. We shared some of the Gifts to ourselves (Individually) while some kept aside for the Group during general
labor.