One meeting out of many that I attended, still stands out.  ASSYSGOD, the association in Godola, is about 20 extremely bumpy miles north of Maroua.  Alim, Amada, and I arrived to the warm greetings of several members of the association including Mairamou, the female president of the group and also a local community health worker.  After an orientation to the group’s activities and finances, I was invited to see their enterprise projects; onion fields and grain storage.

As we wound through the small town, our discussion was interrupted by many greetings to Mairamou, and also children scurrying to cower in shadows and doorways as we passed – her humorous explanation was, “They all know me as the nurse who comes to give vaccinations!”  We arrived at a field of blue, knee-high stalks as far as the eye could see…Onions galore! Then we went to a small barn, and Miramou threw open the doors so that I could count all 32 huge bags of grain being stored until the price rose for re-sale at a profit.  I was astounded and delighted!

This group of about 15 women and men had, in just a few years since their group’s formation by EFA, turned a small grant that enabled them to embark on a collective enterprise, into two income generating machines!  ASSYSGOD now manages several acres of various crops each season: onions, tomatoes, couscous, millet, etc., and they buy and sell grain at a profit.  From the small initial grant, the group established and continues to increase their savings account (used  as insurance to take care of members and their families who fall ill, and to reinvest in new enterprise projects) to the point that they are now self-sustaining and even dispensing small amounts of profits to each member!  Members use their income to send their children to school, buy medications and food – all things that would have been impossible before their membership in ASSYSGOD.

Another day, almost all 52 Peer Educators came to Maroua to give their feedback on the community health talks they had conducted in the previous three months through the Trust Africa grant focusing on Sexual & Gender Based Violence (S-GBV).  I was completely overwhelmed with the Peer Educators’ (PE’s) gratitude for the S-GBV training sessions (given by EFA staff and the Peace Corps volunteer) and the fresh message they were giving to their male dominated communities.  The PE’s found the theme empowering and refreshing – and no wonder!  For once the focus was on the value of women, and of creating more balanced and equal relationships between men and women.  PE’s reported that members of their communities wanted to learn more about gender equity and wanted repeat community talks on the same subject!

My time in Maroua was short, but I was once again honored to work with Alim and Amada, the Regional Director and Program Manager, and again witnessed how tirelessly these two work on behalf of EFA International.  Peace Corps Volunteer Gena Barnabee (like each of the PCV’s before her) truly serves EFA International and beneficiaries, with passion and enthusiasm.  These three spend long hours in the office and also attend meetings that are hours and hours along bumpy dirt roads in 100+ degree heat, sometimes spending the night in villages with no electricity and little food, and they do it all with a smile!  I felt like a weak and too privileged person in their presence.  They are genuinely knowledgeable, thoughtful, and invested in their guidance roles for EFA International and the Youth Empowerment network.

Education and enterprise truly do fight AIDs. It may not sound innovative, but when you witness (like I did) the simplicity of the EFA model of content delivery and support, EFA’s strong partnerships with local government and health centers, and the unparalleled positive outcomes, you easily understand that EFA International is a unique resource for those who need it most.  And you are proud to be a part of it all!

Thank you for helping EFA come so far! Did you see the 2010 Annual Report? Without friends like you, we wouldn’t see the results we have already attained.  Can you help us take this a step further today?  Could you consider becoming a regular monthly donor?  Spreading the word of EFA’s good work, and continuing your valuable support, will ensure that EFA International is able to continue to support African youth in their want and right, to live positively.    Please support EFA International in the best way you can, today!

Kathryn McKissick
Secretary, Board of Directors

Addie arrived with significant applicable experience. Prior to working with EFA, Addie graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 2008 with International Management and French majors and a Peace Studies minor. Afterwards, she spent a year living in Morocco on a Fulbright scholarship where she studied Moroccan Arabic, audited university courses in “Women & Gender Studies” and interned with a non-profit organization where she researched micro-credit, focusing on the challenges and successes of group lending to poor women. In 2007, she interned for a nonprofit organization in Nantes, France where she studied abroad.

Addie had a great undertaking set out for her: to systematically begin EFAs Monitoring and Evaluation process. She was specifically charged with collecting information and working with stakeholders, and synthesizing inputs to develop the M&E system. One of her first undertakings was to take a significant amount of time to interview each and every member of the EFA associations. She carefully recorded each and every response to a lengthy interview. Her work has proven to be an invaluable resource—we can now prove, by the testimonials of our beneficiaries, that what we do has positively impacted those we serve.

In addition, Addie offered great input into our new ventures into work surrounding the illumination of gender- and sex-based violence. She has created a community questionnaire and trained key members of EFA to collect responses within their communities. While Addie was just able, due to time constraints, to participate in the beginning stages of the new undertakings, she got the work started on the right foot with a solid foundation.

Addie was an invaluable addition to the EFA team. She made significant contributions in a short amount of time. While she will certainly be missed in Cameroon, her contributions will be ever remembered.

-Caitlyn Bradburn, Peace Corps Volunteer

MAROUA, CAMEROON — HIV is not the death-sentence it once was.  Anti-retroviral medications (ARVs) are free to those who qualify and recent research shows that young people, especially, in Cameroon have changed their behaviors to avoid HIV infection.  Yet, for the members of the EFA associations, life with HIV continues to be a challenge.  While he ARVs are “free”, they are not always widely available to the half-million people living with HIV in Cameroon, in fact, only 25% of people living with HIV in Cameroon are actually taking medication to treat it!  Many HIV+ individuals face significant barriers to receiving care.  Women and youth, in particular, often do not have the social power and standing to advocate for themselves; they often live their lives at the will of another.  Poverty and the lack of financial resources account for another barrier. The average Cameroonian lives on about $2 a day.  When transport and fees for the basic diagnostic tests can run $10, it is no wonder that basic medication does not receive a higher prioritization than food, shelter, and water.

When Laurel Doody and Kate Newton came to Cameroon to visit in April 2010, they were amazed at the beauties and wonders of Cameroon.  But, more so, they were endlessly impressed by the resolve and pluck of the members of the EFA associations they got to meet.  After spending a day making a quilt, The Circle of Love, with the female members of three of the EFA associations, the differences between the young Cameroonian women living with HIV and Laurel, Kate, and me all but disappeared.  It became obvious that we could do something to help the association members obtain the basic health care that they desperately need.

Without hesitation, Laurel and Kate mounted a great fundraising effort: The Circle of Love.  Through this campaign, you can be assured that your donation will go towards the diagnostic tests and necessary transport to obtain the tests for the youth in our associations who are living with HIV.  Imagine, in the United States, $5 can buy you a fancy coffee, but here, it can be used for a CD4 test to enroll someone in the free ARV program.  $20 in the United States can take you and a friend to the movies, $20 here can send someone to the doctor for an entire year.

When I think of my close friend, the Godola association president, Mairamou, I am frequently overwhelmed, often to tears, by my feelings of admiration for her.  She is a young, only 32 years old, single mother of five.  The father of her children left her when he discovered his HIV+ status.  Even though she was completely faithful throughout their marriage, he blamed her for their shared illness.  Instead of playing the easy role of victim, Mairamou rose up and, in the last several years, has become an influential person in her community. She tirelessly advocates for the infected and affected members of her association.  But, advocacy only goes so far.  This project help to assure that Mairamou, and the hundreds like her, can get the health care they need to live a positive life, support their families, and continue to fight this disease.

Mairamou

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Don’t forget to include “Circle of Love” in the designation box!

Given the ambitious nature of EFA’s strategic plans, the Cameroon regional office seeks a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Advisor to facilitate the establishment of a robust M&E system for all organizational activities. The M&E Advisor will work closely with program staff and beneficiaries in a participatory approach to gain stakeholder buy-in and ultimately implement the M&E system.

This is an excellent opportunity for an RPCV or an individual seeking to enrich their experience in the field.

Read the full job description here.

Here are some ideas for how you can make World AIDS Day 2008 a successful one for EFA:

1. Befriend. We’ve gone social! Connect with other EFA supporters, get the latest news and events, and raise awareness about how we can help African youth affected by HIV/AIDS. Join the EFA cause on Facebook.
2. Donate. All U.S.-based staff are full-time volunteers donating their time so that the full amount of money we collect goes directly to funding interventions overseas. All money raised will go to establishing new HIV+ youth support groups, and providing technical and financial assistance to existing groups. Make an online donation now.
3. Honor. Did you know you can give to EFA in memory of a friend or in honor of a loved one? Simply enter the person’s name and EFA will take care of the rest. You can choose to send an eCard notifying someone about your thoughtful gift. Dedicate your gift.
4. Volunteer. EFA International is always looking for motivated volunteers to assist us with technical, administrative and operational activities. If you’re interested in volunteering with EFA International, check out our website to learn more about our programs and e-mail: volunteer@efainternational.org