Self Reliance Promoters' NGO - Cameroon

The Self Reliance Promoters' NGO is a non-profit, non-governmental, faith-based organization with head office in Kumbo, in the North West Region of Cameroon. The purpose of the organization is to make a tangible contribution to fighting poverty in the local community. through education of the lesspriviledged youths, women empowerment programs and community development projects. This is achieved by a range of activities that promote self reliance and local initiatives.

SeRep owns and run a school for orphaned and vulnerable children in Kumbo called school of management, accountancy and computer studies.

Areas of focus. Education, Woment empowerment, Advocacy and community Development.

SEREP seeks to:

1. Assist in the promotion of local initiatives, and advocate for the masses.

2. Promote vocational education and work with women's farming groups to fight poverty. We work with Common initiative groups on agricultural projects. We also work on developmental projects in accordance to the felt needs of the communities.

3. Organize farming groups into unions for economic, social and comunity projects. These groups, which are all members of SEREP are situated across the Bui division and carry out similar and different activities, for example; Mbosha Women's Group run a women health centre while Bonker Social Group is a group of People living with HIVAIDS, etc. The overriding purpose of the NGO is to work in partnership with these community groups, in order to promote self reliant activities through local initiatives, reducing poverty and instigating action towards development.

In addition to working towards alleviating the widespread poverty experienced by group members, SEREP also initiated a project of its own. In 1999 SEREP set up a training centre for children aged between 12 and 16. The specific aim of the training centre is to provide education to orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC). Of the 82 current attendees enrolled 47 are considered as OVC. The training centre has allowed for orphaned and vulnerable children to gain access to education within an un-stigmatising environment. SEREP considers the training centre as an optimal way by which these youths can be integrated into society. In addition to providing OVC with necessary education, the centre allows less privileged youths to be identified and brought together for self help courses.

We are presently struggling to find funds for our activities and to launch new projects. We need volunteers to work on these projects such as women empowerment or capacity building on small income generating activities that can improve standards of living.

Less priviledged Children in rural communities in Kumbo-Cameroon are very keen to learn and improve their conversational English when they have an opportunity to do so. We put extra emphasis on English education as well as mathematics. We are looking for volunteers; the role of the volunteer goes far beyond assisting teaching. Children are attracted to school by the presence of volunteers and your presence also is a proven moral booster for parents and the limited teachers as well as a great inspiration for students. Inexperienced and experienced volunteers can teach vocabulary, assist with pronunciation and support students as they practice speaking English.You don.t have to be a teacher to volunteer drill them in any of our specialties and our community projects or programes.

INTERNATION AL PARTNERSHIP. We work in partnership with the the Original volunteers in UK, 2way Development in Uk and Internation Bun - Germany. We receive at least 10 volunteers years who come and work in our projects.

SEREP ICT Project volunteers

By sharing their knowledge of IT with students and teachers alike, volunteers increase the future prospects of each individual they help. The project aims to provide free access to computer education for young people in Kumbo – Cameroon who cannot afford the high cost of computer education. We have an I.T Center which is located in our Head office Building as can be seen in our Website first page. The training facility currently has about 16 computers including laptops. Volunteers are needed to help teach very basic computer programs like Microsoft Word, Micrsoft Excel, MS PowerPoint , internet training Mathematics, English Accounting etc. We also need volunteers on community developments, Women programmes and Economic development.

The most recent volunteers have contributed much towards our goals. At the moment we are really in need of volunteers to carry on their good work. If you are interested don't hesitate to contact us and we will help you with your plans or refer you to previous volunteers for more information about our organisation.

If you want to come to Cameroon, Kumbo is good in terms of climate, social life, peace, hospitality and above all great potential. We need your help either in fundraising or in training of orphans and vulnerable children especially those infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. This year we are trainin up to 53 Orphaned and vulnerable children in our school .

From July 2008 we took up a challenge to promote transparency within the communities through accounting seminars and awareness on financial records, reports, General group record keeping and activity reports.

Recently because of our work, Global giving has given us a position of a partner and we call on those who can help us to remain and even gain the position of leader with Global giving, rest assured that you are directing your hard earned income to the right cause. We are at work and our doors are open to any supporter to visit us and see what we are doing.