About Cameroon
The Republic of Cameroon is a unitary Republic of central and western Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and the Republic of Congo to the south. Cameroon is 475.442 km² and has a population of 18.467.692.
The country is called “Africa in miniature” for its geological and cultural diversity. Natural features include beaches, deserts, mountains, rainforests, and savannas.
Cameroon is home to 286 different etnic and linguistic groups. English and French are the official languages.
Compared to other African countries, Cameroon enjoys political and social stability. Nevertheless, large numbers of cameroonians live in poverty as subsistence farmers. Cameroon has one of the highest school attendance rates in Africa. Girls attend school less regulary than boys do because of cultural attitudes, domestic duties, early marriage, pregnancy and sexual harassment. Although attendance rates are higher in the south, a disproportionate number of teachers are stationed there, leaving northern schools chronically understaffed.
The quality of health care is genarally low. Outside the major cities, facilities are often dirty and poorly equipped.
( resource : wikipedia )
About Djalingo
A very little village in the northeast of the adamaoua province of Cameroon, Djalingo has a population of 395 with 2 ethnic groups. There are the Bororos who are nomades, living from their cows and the Gbayas who are farmers. The first nomade people came in 1932 because of the green pasture in the area, but in 1972 an epidemic of cholera killed many people. Twelve years later, in 1984 Djalingo received a well from unicef, the people have access to potable water, and the goverment constructed one room school. Today, there are 5 different classes in one room with 2 teachers. The next city close to Djalingo, called Meiganga, is about 2 hours walk away.
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How it started
Since Jacques was a child his dream was to become a Diplomat and build Orphanages for children. He was used to being around many children and knew about their needs since his parents had adopted eight kids.
It was only many years later (in 2005) when the idea of helping became more concrete. Jacques had studied Political Science in Aachen (Germany) for four years and could finally visit his family, together with Julia, his fiancée, for the first time since he had left home.
That same year, some weeks after their wedding, Marta and Jonas visited them in Cameroon so they could get a first hand experience of the culture and the people, and also meet Jacques’ family. Marta and Jonas suggested the idea of building the orphanage in Djalingo, a small village near his mother’s hometown Meiganga. The clear need of people and the good relationship between Jacques and the chief of Djalingo made this village the perfect starting place.
Beginning July 2006, they met regularly in Aachen to plan and pray for the project. The team expanded that same year with Juan, who later married Marta.
After doing some research on orphans and orphanages and talking to people who had had experience working in Africa the vision started to expand and it became more clear. They saw that the idea of an orphanage wasn’t actually the best way to help. They realized it would be much better to support families who take care of orphans.
After a few more visits to Djalingo, the vision broadened. They realized that it is not only the children who are in dire need but that whole communities were practically uneducated, malnourished, plagued with infections and very under-privileged. Just at the same time, it also came to their knowledge that refugees from neighbouring countries (Chad and Central African Republic) were flocking into the area and living in very dismal conditions. Right there they decided that although the project was mainly for children, they were also going to be involved in community empowerment programmes with the main focus on the support of socially weak and under-privileged families.
Since then, the team has been working vigorously to see this dream of bringing hope and laughter to the less privileged become a reality.
In 2008 Mount Carmel e.V. (NGO) was officially founded together with their friends Martin and Beate Strösser.