Akwaya, the divisional headquarters of Akwaya sub-division is known as an under-developed enclave municipality. Basic infrastructures such as electricity, water and health centers are lacking in the area. The development of Akwaya in economic and social terms is further hampered by lack of earth roads despite the region having 99 villages and by far the largest sub-division in Manyu. Lately, there has been an earth road project from the South heading North. It has been reported the project is currently half way completed and in future will ultimately disenclave Akwaya as we know it today.Although there are a few secondary and high schools in the subdivision as well as health centers, they still lack modern facilities. The development challenges of Akwaya are therefore many and urgent. They will certainly not be solved overnight but something must be done in the short term. With no infrastructure, how do families generate income activities, produce and market food crops or improve the quality of life of impoverished children? There is a growing need to promote long term sustainable economic development to break families out of the cycle of diseases and poverty. Children need educational opportunities to reduce illiteracy and develop their God given potentials for greater economic independence and sustainability. It has also been recorded that girls in some particular Akwaya tribes such as the Olitis, Yves, Assumbos and Becheves tend to get married too early. This practice deprives the girl child of an opportunity to attend school, achieve an education and be able to make informed life decisions due to lack of awareness.
Fundraising Kickoff for Akwaya 2010 in Burstonsville, Maryland USA
Within this backdrop of challenging development issues, the Manyu Economic and Development World conference (MEDWC) USA, kicked off its 2010 Akwaya fundraising campaign in Burtonsville, Maryland on Sunday July 5, 2009. The event took place at the residence of Mr. /Mrs. Cletus Ayuk former President of MECA Washington with a goal of raising $20,000. The occasion was presided by MEDWC USA Coordinator Sesekou Dr. David Tambe from Dallas Texas. Sesekou Tambe announced the Akwaya economic conference will be taking place in April 2010 on a soon to be established date and called on all sons and daughters of Akwaya in the Diaspora to help lift the sub division from neglect and under development. He additionally appealed to Manyu elements the world over to donate generously towards the success of Akwaya 2010 and help put a smile on the face of a young Akwaya boy or girl in need of an education or medicine.In keeping with the mission of MEDWC, the Akwaya conference follows the footsteps of Mamfe Central in 2003, Tinto 2005 and Eyumojock 2008. It is geared towards putting Akwaya subdivision on the economic development map of Manyu and highlighting the enormous potentials existing in the area.
Akwaya village women - backbone of the family:
Akwaya 2010 will be the first event of such Magnitude in the history of the subdivision to promote grass root development, bring elites and interested stakeholders together to take stock and develop a road map for economic prosperity and empowerment of the Akwaya people. In brief remarks, Sesekou David Tambe summed up the mission of MEDWC and hence Akwaya 2010 conference as a means to empower the Manyu people by encouraging and facilitating the creation of small business and hence jobs, promoting investments and business initiatives, alleviating poverty by promoting sustainable grass root self reliant development. For Akwaya 2010, MEDWC aims to improve the health care delivery system by providing medical assistance to local clinics, conducting a major health fair with free medications and increasing awareness on issues such as HIV/AIDS, female genital mutilation and empowerment of the girl child. The conference will promote education with assistance to schools in the form of financial aid and modern technology equipment. This will encourage students and teachers to work hard in producing citizens with self confidence, capable of tackling rapid scientific and technological changes of the 21st century. As a short term project delivery, the conference will also assist schools and local clinics with generators to address sustainable energy crisis.MEDWC Short term accomplishments:
In less than six years, the Manyu Economic Development Conference (MEDWC USA), has raised over 20 million CFA in contributions and provided financial assistance to well over 250 Manyu students in Secondary and high schools. As short term projects, electrical generators and modern computers with software have been donated to local government offices, hospital/ health centers and schools to assist with lack of energy as well as improve educational standards. With the support of Manyu medical professionals, health fairs are conducted during conferences providing free medication and consultation to women, children and the elderly. The Manyu participatory development fund (MAPADEF) was initiated in Tinto during the (2005) conference. Mapadef is tasked with building partnerships and creating access to resources. In 2006 after its official launching by H.E. Hilman Egbe, Mapadef raised approximately 21 million CFA. Some of the funds raised have been allocated to projects within the four subdivisions. One such project was assistance rendered Mamfe rural council to repair the roof of the town hall after a devastating thunder storm. Another extension of MEDWC is the Manyu government action committee (MGAC) created in 2008 at Eyumojock. MGAC serves the role of a supervisory watchdog team for all state funded projects within Manyu division through contractors or otherwise and to ensure such funds are fully utilized for the intended projects.
Donations for Akwaya 2010 are currently being accepted and can be mailed to:
MEDWC USA
P.O. Box 865002
Plano, Tx. 75086
Email: Davetambe@yahoo.com
For more information about MEDWC activities, visit http://www.medwc.org/
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