ASSISTANCE – ACTION

Birthing Assistance Action Partnership
At Cameroon Link
ASSISTANCE – ACTION is an organisation based in Douala and a partner of the Cameroon Link. Human Assistance Programme. The association was created by Mrs. Nfong Yette Marie Delphine on the 26th August 2006 to promote care and the rights of orphans and vulnerable street children in Cameroon.
The activities of ASSISTANCE – ACTION through the Cameroon Link Networking Group aim at reducing poverty and juvenile delinquency within communities, especially the big cities of Cameroon.. Since the creation of the organisation, it has successfully removed over 150 children from the streets of Douala and integrated them within families in well structured health areas with educational and health care facilities. Funding for assistance –action has been raised through contributions of its members, patronage and donations from the public during fund raising mass events.
The interventions of ASSISTANCE – ACTION NGO are direct on the field through counselling of the children on the needs before the search for families where they are integrated. After integration, the organisation through Cameroon Link undertakes action to raise funds for assuring the education and nutritional needs of the vulnerable child.
The organisation carries out mass sensitisation activities and campaigns to identify the origins of the children. I was discovered in Bonaberi-Douala during a house to house survey that most of the street children in some health areas are from countries bordering Cameroon, where there have been conflicts and instability due to war. Most of the former street children have refused to return to their countries, saying they do not know where they are going to restart their lives if back home. They have preferred Cameroon as their new home because it is difficult to establish original birth certificates for these children aged between 5 and 18 years in great need of shelter.
Children above primary school age identified are placed in private professional institutions for their initiation into a trade, which later leads to their settling autonomously. Before the creation of assistance action activities, the street girl children were abused and involved in child labour.
The ministry of social affairs in Cameroon has in the past two years supported the human programme through the payment of school fees of some of the children at the primary and secondary school levels.
Activities in favour of vulnerable street children and orphans
The partnership of Assistance Action and Cameroon Link encourages economic, social, educational and animation of the vulnerable children of Cameroon.. In the field of economic action, apprenticeship of motor-mechanics, carpentry, electricity technician, welding, IT training and secretariat functions, electronic maintenance, tailoring and hair dressing are amongst trade of training inclusion.
In the area of social assistance, material support is attributed to poor families housing the vulnerable and under advantaged children within the frame work of the inclusion action. The children are associated to health care facilities for the guarantee of their health.
In the area of education, the promotion literacy of the vulnerable children, especially the girl children is encouraged, through the creation of libraries within health area communities. IT training initiation is conducted at the Cameroon Link centre in Grand Hangar for secretariat training on information and communication.
Recreational activities are planned on weekly basis for the children to give them the opportunities to participate in games, leisure sports, and audio-visual arts animation like all other children in family homes.
Assistance Action Cameroon Link Approaches
Down-to-earth approaches are applied for cost effectiveness. Counselling centres have been created and these centres are managed by the Women Gender Councils (COGESID) put in place by Cameroon link through specialised training. It is in these centres that professional orientation sessions, educative talks and exchanges are organised with community leaders on how to get the population appropriate and own the vulnerable children inclusion programme.
Well placed individuals within the national and international communities are invited to patronise the vulnerable children action through sponsorship. Individuals interested receive profiles of the children with their specific needs, to facilitate the decision on the type of help the children can benefit like the sponsoring the their education or apprenticeship in an income generating trade.
At the end of each academic year, the report card of the child supported is sent to the sponsor for evaluation of the changes achieved during the inclusion period. Some individuals prefer to make a donation to cover the nutritional needs of the children, clothing and recreational needs.
The partners of the human assistance programme are currently reflecting on the possibility of creating a vulnerable children’s training home that would house children not integrated into families. Learning facilities, a library and children recreation tools will be installed in the vulnerable children’s home to be situated in Bonaberi-Douala.
We are using this opportunity to request for support from the public for the vulnerable children of Cameroon. This can be done by donating a book or sponsoring the nutritional or education needs of a child or sending essential health care materials and drugs for simple reoccurring diseases. For more information click on http://cameroonlink.blogspot.com or send a mail to camlink99@gmail.com in English or assistance-action@yahoo.fr in French. Click on the following link to sponsor a child in need http://www.assistance-action-parrainage.blogspot.com/