PROJECTS THAT WORK
BERUDA programs are multi faceted to reduce the many and varied barriers that lead to poverty. Sustainable community development requires knowing the community, listening to the people and understanding the barriers they face.
Agriculture
BERUDA has its roots in farming, and agriculture is used as a primary key to poverty alleviation in North West Cameroon. The staff of BERUDA are farmers, and the people BERUDA work with are farmers. Successful agricultural projects can provide the following benefits:
Some of the methods used to achieve these objectives are:
- Income generation
- Added health and wellbeing
- Environmental protection for future generations to continue farming
Some of the methods used to achieve these objectives are:
- BEE KEEPING for income generation, health, livelihoods and environmental protection
- VETIVER TECHNOLOGY for income generation, ground stabilisation, pest eradication, medicinal benefits, and increased yield
- MEDICINAL PLANTS for health, income generation, livelihoods and environmental protection
Health
Communities cannot develop without healthy populations. Access to health care is essential at every age level in the community. Sadly, in rural communities in developing countries many people cannot afford the transport, time off from their daily routines, fees, medicines or follow up appointments needed to care for their health so they go without.
BERUDA address some of the main health issues in its community by providing:
BERUDA address some of the main health issues in its community by providing:
- Eye clinics - an essential service aimed especially at the elderly
- Free health consultations - conducted at the BERUDA medicinal plant clinics
- Medicinal Plant Technology - providing income generation, alternative health care, and forest protection
- Good Hope Clinic - providing cheap access to medical care
- Power Flour - an infants food formula to fight malnutrition
Education
Education after primary school is still the exception rather than the rule in the North West, due to the increased costs associated with attending high school. There are many barriers to formal education for the people of Cameroon so BERUDA works in the following areas to increase access to formal education:
BERUDA also focuses on informal education providing:
One of BERUDA's successful education projects is the Center for Rehabilitation and Education in Njinikom (CREN). CREN is a unique initiative of the Njinikom BERUDA Women's group created in 2003 to to help the most affected and most neglected people in the local community to improve their standard of living. CREN provides disadvantaged groups with skills training, education and psychological support to work their way out of poverty. CREN targets the disabled, widows and orphans who are currently dependent on others, and supports them to become less reliant on external aid, and to increase their self reliance. It is one of the very first projects of this type in North-West Province of Cameroon.
- providing free (or low cost) vocational training in agriculture and natural resources for post- primary-level youth and adults
- providing volunteer teachers
- providing financial resources for families who cannot afford to send their children to school
- In 2009 and 2010, BERUDA constructed 4 classrooms in GHS Mbingo including administrative offices. In 2010 BERUDA funded and facilitated the construction of 2 classrooms at Fundeng and in Abuh in 2015.
BERUDA also focuses on informal education providing:
- vocational training in a variety of areas including agriculture, business management and income generation
- literacy and computer training free or at a low cost
One of BERUDA's successful education projects is the Center for Rehabilitation and Education in Njinikom (CREN). CREN is a unique initiative of the Njinikom BERUDA Women's group created in 2003 to to help the most affected and most neglected people in the local community to improve their standard of living. CREN provides disadvantaged groups with skills training, education and psychological support to work their way out of poverty. CREN targets the disabled, widows and orphans who are currently dependent on others, and supports them to become less reliant on external aid, and to increase their self reliance. It is one of the very first projects of this type in North-West Province of Cameroon.
Social Services
Sponsor an Orphan Program
BERUDA's highly successful Orphan sponsorship programme provides comprehensive support for orphans who typically reside with extended family but who can't afford to provide them with the basics of life or for their medicinal care. Currently the programme covers four tertiary students, over 60 secondary school students and 100 primary school pupils in Belo, Njinikom and Fundong. The Orphan Sponsorship programme includes;
The BERUDA sponsor an orphan project was introduced in 2006 and underwent a pilot phase with a limited number of sponsors trialing the project throughout the year. Since 2008 BERUDA has been able to provide a successful program that sponsors can trust will deliver on its promises.
Keep up to date with news from the Orphan programme on our news page and if you'd like to be part of this successful project contact us today to enquire.
- Educational support – school fees, textbooks, notebooks, writing materials and uniforms.
- Tertiary fees and support for orphans attending the National Polytechnic Bambui, Hybums Polytechnic, the University of Buea and SENTTI Special Teachers’ Training College in Bamenda.
- Nutritional support – rich food supplements to orphans who are malnourished or HIV positive
- Psychosocial support – Counseling and follow-up of orphans who have been abused or who are HIV positive and require monthly hospital checkups and refill of antiretroviral drugs and adherence counseling.
- After-school programs (including Book Club, Bible Club, and Art Club).
The BERUDA sponsor an orphan project was introduced in 2006 and underwent a pilot phase with a limited number of sponsors trialing the project throughout the year. Since 2008 BERUDA has been able to provide a successful program that sponsors can trust will deliver on its promises.
Keep up to date with news from the Orphan programme on our news page and if you'd like to be part of this successful project contact us today to enquire.
Women’s empowerment (PROMIC) project
BERUDA encourages financial independence of women and widow’s by giving out business and agriculture loans on minimal interest rates after training them on best business initiatives and management practices.
Sarah's Project
Sarah, one of our donors, wanted to help girls to continue education and to help vulnerable elderly people. Through tireless effort she raised considerable funds and to date we have now assisted 130 girls and 80 elderly people.
Environmental Protection
Environmental Education and demonstration
BERUDA has a demonstration centre at Njinikejem where we carry out piggery, poultry, biogas and fishery in a fish pond, and the use of vetiver grass. The demonstration centre is also used for Secondary Schools Education across Belo Sub-Division with the help of highly specialized international volunteers.
BERUDA spreads awareness on the dangers of non/biodegradable plastics and discourage its use through churches, community groups, Belo council etc. BERUDA worked with Belo Council in 2003 to drill a site where all plastics from Belo could be dumped.
BERUDA spreads awareness on the dangers of non/biodegradable plastics and discourage its use through churches, community groups, Belo council etc. BERUDA worked with Belo Council in 2003 to drill a site where all plastics from Belo could be dumped.
Biogas projects for energy efficiency
Biogas Plants provide a viable alternative to using wood to cook over open fires, which is the typical style of cooking in the North West region. Reliance on wood for cooking exacerbates deforestation and puts villages at risk of landslides, and the time required to collect firewood is considerable and residents suffer severe and lasting impacts from smoke damage to lungs and eye from unventilated rooms. Biogas Plants are a realistic alternative for cooking fuel because of the many instances of small scale pig, cow and chicken farming in the region. Animal excrement and vegetable waste can be fed into the Biogas plant and, under anaerobic bio-digestion in the digester, gas for cooking and bio-digestate are produced. Bio-digestate can be used as fertiliser, insecticide and as feedstock in a fishpond.
BERUDA has teamed the biogas project with the creation of fish ponds because digestate fed into water helps plants and algae to grow and provides fish food. Breeding fish stock provides useful income and nutrition for farmers and the ponds support the water table. Biogas Plants also reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
In 2014 BERUDA were able to secure funding from a UK based Biogas company to trial a demonstration unit. Following the success of the demonstration two other units have been installed and put into service with the cooperation of Afri-Link and the Wood Group.
In 2016 BERUDA received a very generous grant from the Ramboll Foundation to install, not only a biogas unit but also a Pig Farm stocked with 100 pigs. This project was completed in 2017 with a team from Engineers without Borders Society from the University of Nottingham working over the summer with BERUDA to construct it. Read our blog from May 2018 to see a video the volunteers made about the time they spent with us.
BERUDA has teamed the biogas project with the creation of fish ponds because digestate fed into water helps plants and algae to grow and provides fish food. Breeding fish stock provides useful income and nutrition for farmers and the ponds support the water table. Biogas Plants also reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
In 2014 BERUDA were able to secure funding from a UK based Biogas company to trial a demonstration unit. Following the success of the demonstration two other units have been installed and put into service with the cooperation of Afri-Link and the Wood Group.
In 2016 BERUDA received a very generous grant from the Ramboll Foundation to install, not only a biogas unit but also a Pig Farm stocked with 100 pigs. This project was completed in 2017 with a team from Engineers without Borders Society from the University of Nottingham working over the summer with BERUDA to construct it. Read our blog from May 2018 to see a video the volunteers made about the time they spent with us.
Eco-tourism
Eco-tourism with BERUDA is a whole new experience. You will learn more, experience more and feel better about it! Get off the beaten track in the little known North West Region of Cameroon and experience the wide variety of nature and culture. There’s something for everyone, from roughing it in the hill tribe villages to staying in guest houses and spending your days in beautiful unspoilt locations.
BERUDA can take you on:
View our Eco-tourism page for more information.
BERUDA can take you on:
- Bee-keeping Tours
- Home-Stays with local families
- Horse-Back Riding Tours and Treks
- Cliff Top Treks
- Forest Treks
- Waterfall walks
- View wildlife such as Hippos, or go bird watching
- Cultural walks and experiences such as the Fon’s Palace in Laikom
View our Eco-tourism page for more information.
