Cameroon-School Excellence: The Didier Edoa Foundation and its partners award prizes to more than 800 pupils in the Okola district
▌On 28th September 2023, the traditional caravan of the Didier Edoa Foundation, its partners ASCOVIM and the ONADUA SUD women’s association dropped off their donation boxes in some schools in the Okola district to reward academic excellence.
La Voix Des Décideurs – “They may forget what you said, but they won’t forget how you made them feel”. The words of a famous writer were echoed along the route as learners and teachers from private, Catholic and state primary schools in Yegassi, OBAK, Ngoya, Nkolondom and Carrefour 4 rejoiced at the arrival of their donors. For 4 years now, many of them have enjoyed receiving these gifts, and it’s safe to say that they have done so, given the growing number of people involved and the popular jubilation that is always in evidence.
This year, there were no exceptions to the rule, with over 800 pupils receiving donations, with a special feature for the top 3 in each grade. As the founder of the hyponymes foundation, Didier Edoa explained in an interview with the press: “This year, we have more than 800 students, and among the 800, we are awarding the top 3 in each class with the most important books, including a maths book, a French book for French speakers and an English book for the English speakers”.
In addition, the ONADOA SUD women’s association made a special donation of a green board, which is to replace the blackboard in some classes. This green chalkboard, so popular in Europe for its ease of use, was still a luxury for pupils in the locality and even in many schools across the country. This myth has now been shattered in schools in the Okola district, thanks to the combined efforts of the Didier Edoa Foundation and its partners, who are far from exhausting their ambitions to promote education in the area.
A project praised by the beneficiaries and the local population
Now in its 4th year, the charitable work of the Didier Edoa Foundation and its partners has become a harvest season for these teachers and their pupils. The pupils who are among the best, expect to receive kits when the caravan passes by, and the teaching materials offered to the teachers are a real support to the minimum package, which is often insignificant. This is why the various beneficiaries are so grateful to their benefactor.
Pupil Ewodo Apollinaire Patrice from the CE2 class at the Saint Jean Bosco Catholic Primary School in YEGASSI, proudly holding his gifts, expressed his gratitude to your newspaper in the following terms: “I would like to thank Papa Edoa for these gifts. I’m going to come out on top again next year”. These words speak volumes about the burning desire for excellence that this project is sowing in the minds of these children.
The Headmaster of the OBAK public school, in his remarks on the occasion, did not fail, like his other colleagues, to emphasise the importance of this annual contribution to the benefactors: “Mr Chairman (addressing to Didier Edoa), the usual gesture you make to the OBAK public school creates a sense of emulation among the pupils and relief among the parents, and stimulates the teachers to work harder. Working with better-equipped teachers makes it easier for them to carry out their duties,” said Mr Nkolo Laurent.
For the promoter of this event, this outpouring of enthusiasm is driven by a desire to give future generations a better chance of success: “We are expressing a wish that is dear to us, namely that the children we teach should also be able to follow in our own footsteps. Because what we have received, we feel we must also give back. We want to give them hope, the opportunity to express themselves and to be the kind of people we want them to be.
The organisers of this event are hoping to reach the 1,000-student mark in future editions, so that as many students as possible can benefit from the event.
Reactions to the ceremony for the distribution of school kits in the okola district by the Didier Edoa Foundation and its partners
Gilbert Didier Edoa, Philantrophy
‘’ This year, we have more than 800 entries, and among the 800, we are awarding prizes to the top 3 in each class with the most important books, including: the maths book, the French book for English speakers and the English book for English speakers. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate our partners, ASCOVIM and the Mvog-Namnyé Women’s Association, who are supporting our work. The 800 figure… We want to pass the 1,000 mark and even go beyond that, so that the seed we are sowing can bear fruit.
Today is the 4th edition of the school kit distribution in the Okola district. We’re expressing a wish that’s very dear to us, namely that the children we follow should also succeed in following in our own footsteps. Because what we have received, we feel we must also give back. We want to give them hope, we want to give them the means, the opportunity to express themselves and to be able to train, to be the kind of men we want them to be as parents, as big brothers and as human beings quite simply. ‘’
A student : I’d like to thank Papa Edoa.
‘’ I’d like to thank Papa Edoa. These gifts will help me for the second term. I’m going to work hard to get the gifts again next year. I’d like to say thank you to Mum and Dad Edoa who always think of us by keeping these presents for us ’’.
Mesmin Nanfang, SG of ASCOVIM
‘’ ASCOVIM is an association created by Dr Boéle Georges, and we are in partnership with the Didier Edoa Foundation. We are presently at the 4th edition of the distribution of school kits to pupils in the Okola district. At the end of this solemn ceremony, we passed the milestone of 850 pupils. And among the 850, the Didier Edoa Foundation was kind enough to reward the 3 best in each level by giving them a schoolbag and 2 books – a maths book and a French book. It’s the same thing for the English-speaking students, who will receive an English-language book. I believe that the school equipment provided by ASCOVIM is valued at more than 20.5 million, including what the Foundation is providing so that we can also contribute to education in our beloved and beautiful country, Cameroon ’’.
La Voix Des Décideurs – Martin Ngane
Translation : French to English Joe Ayangma
