MANYU ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE HEALTHCARE INITIATIVE

DISTRICT HOSPITAL MAMFE

By employing preventive health care practices, MEDWC hopes to improve the health care delivery system in Manyu Division. We strongly belief that preventive health care practices can both be taught and implemented as an integral part of prolonging human life. Care in maintaining and preserving the quality of our water supply, preparation of food, use of family planning techniques, education on HIV/AIDS and preventive medicine would all substantially reduce the high morbidity and mortality rates among our people.

Health care therefore, is of critical need in Manyu as primary health facilities are lacking and unequipped with modern equipments and medicine. In order to implement a comprehensive health education/care program aimed at the various villages in the region, MEDWC organizes an ambitious health fair during its bi-annual conferences by working closely with Manyu medical experts in diagnosis, treatment and distribution of free medication to the community.

Over the many years, Dr. Robinson Mbu and Dr. Enow Orock have led this effort in bringing a team of season medical professionals to conduct health campaigns during the various conferences. The success of the health fair can only be measured by the number of villagers who trek many miles to reach the conference grounds. Patients are screened for diabetes, hypertension, malaria, HIV and receive free medication donated by non profit organizations such as E-Meditech in the USA.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Modern computers with Software donated to Schools in Manyu:

Information and computer technology (ICT) greatly facilitates the acquisition and absorption of knowledge. It offers unprecedented opportunities to enhance education, improve policy formulation for local government, and widens the range of opportunities for business. Furthermore, new communication such as wireless telephones and internet promises to reduce isolation and open access to knowledge in ways unimaginable.

Despite these promises, the reality in most of Africa is that of a digital divide – the gap between those who have access to and control of technology and those who do not. It therefore means that the introduction and growth of ICT in Manyu will be a most challenging undertaking. Our failure to address this challenge would mean a further widening and deepening of the existing economic and social inequalities. It also means a Manyu child may not be able to compete in the 21st century as all new jobs require some computer knowledge.

Read more: http://www.medwc.org/InformationTechnology.html

DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE PROJECTS

Conference Participants listen to presentations.

MEDWC Short Term Conference Projects

MEDWC short term projects are projects that are usually initiated and completely executed during a world conference. These projects typically include organizing health fairs, supplying medications and medical supplies, supplying computers and generators to various institutions within the subdivision that is hosting the conference. Some of MEDWC's accomplished short term projects include the following:

Organized a health fair and distributed medications/medical supplies worth over 5 million Frs CFA to the residents/local clinics in the Upper Bayang and Eyumojock sub division during the Tinto conference in December 2005 and Eyumojock conference in April 2008.

Provided financial assistance worth 4 million Frs CFA to students of Mamfe Central (2003), Upper Bayang subdivision during the Tinto conference in December 2005 and Eyumojock subdivision (2008 conference). The following schools were beneficiaries: GHS Tinto, SAR Tinto, GBHS Eyumojock, GTC Eyumojock, GHS Kembong, GSS Bakogo, GHS Ossing, GSS Afap, SAR Ndekwai,GTC Kembong.

Donated computers and software worth over 10 million Frs CFA to Tinto Rural council, GHS Tinto, SAR Tinto, Mamfe District Hospital, GBHS Eyumojock, Eyumojock council, Eyumojock district hospital, D.O.'s office, GHS Kembong and GSS Ossing.

Supported the Tinto Rural Council, Tali Hospital, Eyumojock Council, CETIC Eyumojock and Eyumojock District Hospital with (5000w) electrical generators. Due to constant power outages, generators are indispensable in the hospitals and clinics.

MEDWC DONATES MEDICAL AND EDUCATIONAL SUPPLIES

Principal Receives computer equipment during Conference Rather than treating the symptoms of poverty, as development assistance too often does, investing in energy future for our communities is at the root of MEDWC’s development challenges. Sustainable energy solutions can promote long-term economic growth and a built-in capacity for self-reliance. Whereas, the electric power grid has touched some of our towns, most of our villages lack any form of energy. This shortage of energy hinders economic activity, health care and delivery of modern technology. We therefore support our communities in the short term by donating generators to schools, health centers and local government offices.

Students assist in arranging computer equipment & Generators during conference:

The opportunities for Africa to emerge as a champion in the growing renewable energy markets are enormous. Africa has vast, latent potential for wind and solar power generation. Recent studies show strong potential for wind power generation in some parts of south Africa. MEDWC thereby aims to embark on a long term plan to deliver and implement renewable SOLAR energy to our towns and villages.
Please visit our website for more info
http://www.medwc.org/

A VISIT TO LAKE EJAGHAM IN MANYU, CAMEROON

sitting in the comfortable and beautiful resort around Lake Ejagham

In the heartland of Manyu’s famous forestland, Lake Ejagham truly offers something for everyone in a natural setting. Once developed, this natural lake offers outstanding tourism and recreation opportunities as you visit Manyu or travel to neighboring Nigeria.
Lake Ejagham is a small volcanic crater lake located in Eyumojock.

Conference attendees take a stroll along Lake Ejagham

It has a surface area of about 3 miles and measures 18 m deep, harboring over 5 species of Tilapia milling its waters. DNA of fish from the lake - compared with rivers in the vicinity, suggests the lake was colonized about 10,000 years ago.
Can Manyu convert this eye catching oasis into a boating, dinning, entertainment cruise or just a relaxing stroll on nature’s trail?

Written by Mr. Simon Etta

A TYPICAL DAY IN A MANYU VILLAGE

Girls return from farm in fetch of firewood:

The Manyu woman’s fundamental contribution to its household, food production, education and social needs has always been the economic engine of the family. Within the villages mothers perform most domestic task. They farm, trade, take care of the children, sick and perform other social functions. Food production is a major activity village women undertake, sometimes putting in many hours a day to cultivate the soil and plant.
In the past, the lack of access to formal education was key barrier to a girl’s advancemement and eventual development to womanhood. The reason was, parents preferred sending boys to school, seeing little need for education for girls. However, this trend has changed even at the village level with parents acknowledging that education of the girl child was equally more important. Today, there is an equal number of young girls attending primary, secondary and high school as boys?
As in many African countries, women are now becoming entrepreneurs. Although the Manyu woman has the potential for greatness, those who dare venture in business are hampered by access to financial resources and weak infrastructure. Is the Manyu woman then ready to take the risk and invest its limited funds into a business for fear of failure?

Written by
Simon Etta

THE CHALLENGING ROADS IN THE RAINY SEASONS

A stretch of the Mamfe-Ekok Road. Digging out to arrive the conference:

One of the most important and crucial facility in a country’s infrastructure is roads. Good roads can play a vital role in determining whether a community becomes equalitarian homogenous or further slips in poverty due to lack of social and economic development. Challenging road conditions further hamper productivity, especially lower trade and economic activity with neighboring communities.

Following the basic concepts of road building, a well constructed and maintained asphalt road should last 20 years without major repairs and reconstructions. The road has to be designed for the highest anticipated load; this implies that a road designed only for cars will not stand trucks. One truck with about 9 tons on a single rear axle does as much damage to a road as nearly as 10,000 cars.

The challenging road conditions in Manyu are therefore attributed to poor design and lack of maintenance. Without overemphasizing the importance of good drainage due to the heavy rains in Manyu, engineers estimate that at least 90% of a road’s problem can be related to excess water or to poor water drainage. Too much water in any layer of a road’s structure can weaken the layer, leading to failure. In the surface layer, water causes cracks and potholes. In the lower layers, it undermines support. The common argument has always been that our roads are bad because they are not paved. Indeed, it is not necessary to a pave all roads immediately. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a well built and well maintained road if traffic loads and volume do not require a paved surface. Three hundred vehicles per day is the recommended minimum to justify paving most roads.

In light of the challenging road conditions in Manyu, especially Kumba – Mamfe and Mamfe-Ekok, the emphasis should be on maintenance. This means cleaning of ditches regularly, taking care of culverts and bridges, retaining walls and potholes. Finally, keeping good records by knowing the roads construction, life and repair history. Records will help evaluate the effectiveness of the repair methods and materials used in maintaining a road over time. Without maintenance a road rapidly deteriorates and fail. Every year the government allocates funds for the the maintenance of roads but no one seems to know where the funds end up. As soon as the dry season passes by and the heavy rains approach during the raining season, the Manyu man is awaken by another nightmare where a journey of 10 KM can take 10 hours. The reason for this nightmare is because we have failed in one way or the other to monitor and take to tasks those awarded huge contracts for our road maintenance. The 2008 Eyumojock conference finally came up with a solution proposed by Dr. David Tambe. With the right strategy, maybe 2010 may be the dawn of new era with our challenging roads.

Read MEDWC final proceedings – Eyumojock 2008 at http://www.medwc.org/.

MEDWC SUPPORTS EDUCATION IN MANYU

Students receive financial aid during conference:

Although much progress has been made in Manyu with the establishment of secondary and technical schools all over the division, enormous challenges remain. Over 90% of the schools are created by the state and thereby need community participation. After all, development is a partnership between government and the various communities. Today, our children are falling behind in basic test scores as evident in the results of the general certificate of education over the last few years.


Secondary and High school students line up for financial aid packages:

It is widely known that investment in universal primary and secondary education have been widely recognized as a critical link to economic growth, reduction of poverty, improved health and the enhanced status of women. Girls' education, in particular, is considered the most important investment a nation can make to improve economic and social development.

School in Manyu