The Children’s foundation is a charitable department of GAICAM which mission is to improve education and the welfare of disenfranchised children in order to help them successfully achieve their dreams and live a purposeful life. In achieving this mission, the Foundation has the following objective:

• To promote education in remote communities, improve the education and welfare of orphans and needy children, as well as the education of the girl child.
• To construct an affordable community school to enable the foundation promote quality education to less privileged kids to enable them compete with other children in the developed world.
• To build a peaceful and sustainable society through affordable education.
• To organize yearly social activities such as children’s Christmas party which seek to enable the less privileged kids have the chance to celebrate with friends, as well as receive Christmas gifts from GAICAM.
• To organize summer activities for the children to enable them learn how to co-exist with others in a bid to promote globalization, peace and to make the world safer.
• To educate the youth and reduce crime, early marriages, unwanted pregnancies, alcoholism, HIV/AIDS etc in Cameroon and beyond.

This initiatives is also sets out to promote not only primary but secondary schools through the provision of secondary educational structures to promote education in remote communities, and above all, keeping the GAICAM scholarship scheme active by providing continuous funding to the current beneficiaries of the scheme and others yet to be admitted. We envision a world where children are nurtured and supported physically, educationally and emotionally so they can grow up to be successful and serve their various communities and countries.

The rationale behind the creation of GAICAM children’s Foundation

The driving force behind the creation of GAICAM Children Foundation in two-fold:  First, way I grew up in a very struggling environment with no money to see me through school. I lost my both parents when I was barely a child and had to struggle to see myself through school. This experience made me vow never to allow other children go through what I went through as a kid. Secondly, the lifestyle I came face-to-face with in my neighborhood was one wherein, while other children went to school, others stayed back home crying and wishing they could go to school too. Others were simply deprived of the right to educate themselves because of their gender. Many of these kids who could not afford the means to school like some of their friends were either orphans or needy children whose parents or guardians either had disabilities or couldn’t even afford to feed the kids, not to talk of enrolling them in school. These two experiences underlie the creation of the GAICAM children’s Foundation. After listening to the stories of some of these kids, I couldn’t hold back but act. Currently we have 48 of them in school and still working hard to have sponsors and partners so we can either double or triple the number (this upcoming academic year). We are seriously thriving to give hope to these hopeless kids.

Our priorities in the GAICAM Children Foundation

Well, it’s difficult to choose one over the other but I think the main priority we have under the GAICAM Children Foundation is education for children and helping young women achieve their dreams, as well as enabling them grow up loving and caring for one another in order to promote peace and unity in Cameroon, Africa and the world. But notwithstanding, our greatest wish is to construct an affordable modern community school structure which is equipped to standard to enable these kids acquire the most affordable education. Providing a platform for the orphaned and needy children to school and better their lives, as well as helping young women grow up with much more confidence and enthusiasm as they face their challenges.  

Our Challenges/Prospects

Well, I know it will not be easy, but surely we must get there. The first step we have taken is acquiring a piece of land on which we would like to develop a primary school. We would like to start with an early childhood development center where we can start mentoring children and give them early learning opportunities. From there, they can scale up to the secondary school level and why not a university. But like I said earlier, we currently have 48 children in school and with some in the secondary school which is not bad I think.

Where will the funding comes from?

Well, funding is a very important issue in this project, but now we are looking for support from foundations as well as individuals who can help. Most of the funding for our activities are solely provided by individuals and from the proceeds from my books which I have dedicated to helping orphaned and needy children. We are constantly looking for help from corporate entities and foundations.

Is there support from the government of Cameroon?

We don’t yet have any support from the government, but if there will be any support from the government, it will take some time. I’m confident the government will support our project in due course.

How much does this project mean to you personally

I’m very passionate about the importance of children acquiring quality education from their earliest days, as well as helping those who don’t have the means to go to school. I also want to challenge the situation I have found in most neighborhoods, which is the fact that there are very bright children wasting away in the streets because they lack the means to school, but which if given the opportunity, they will be great persons tomorrow. Coupled with that fact, many of these children come from families that cannot afford to do anything; some don’t even have shelter. My greatest wish is see these kids happy and moving a step closer to their dreams. I’m so passionate about kids, the main reason why we have been organizing a Christmas party annually for the kids, where we present them with Christmas gifts and special parcels for those who performed well in school during the first term in order to promote hard work.

Any word for potential donors/Partners?

Yes, we count on your support to achieve this great vision. For more information on how to support, please contact our head office. Your support will go a long way to transform thousands of lives in Cameroon.