Regional Friendship Link
A regional friendship link was established a few years ago with SI Kumba in Cameroon. The latest letter follows.
Dear susan, we send you warm greetings from Kumba – Cameroon. We thank God you started the new year in good health and high spirits. Your enthusiasm in helping struggling humanity generally and particularly your disadvantaged sisters has not abated. What a blessing! Thank you for your past help and present initiative.
We regret we could not get this update of our Adult literacy activities to you beofre your meeting. We hope you will create other information occasions to use it. On publicity efforts here seem to have popularized the advantages of literacy. There is great yearning in our illetrate sisters to learn how to read, write and perform simple arithmetical operations. More centres are being opened but school charges are expensive many therefore, are unable to pay fees, so cannot attend.
Our literacy centre has a slight increase in enrolment. There are now 26 women receiving instructions there. To accommodate those who are farmers and petty traders, classes are as usual, in the evenings 3pm – 6pm, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Speaking, reading and writing the English language is our main pre-occupation. Next is teaching simply Arithmetical processes to empower our women to operate in the market place. With the onslaught of the cholera epidemic in our community, personal and environmental hygiene become very important subjects in the classroom. The teaching of General knowledge rounds up our work. We would like to introduce the teaching of life skills progressively as we acquire rools and other facilities. This would enable our women attract incomes with which to help their famililes and provide education to the children. In this way, illiteracy will not be transfered to the next generation.
Whatever assistance you extend to us will be used in buying more textbooks and manuals, attract more teachers by paying their taxi fares (we cannot afford salaries or paying them by the hour as is the custom). In addition, our centre needs a computer, printer, photo-copier, duplicating machine, educational charts, reading materials etc.
Our deep gratitude to your husband and all who contribute so much to help you help us.
Many thank once more
Yours in Friendship
Enongene Lydia.
SI Kumba Friendship Link Coordinator
SI Kumba Fundraiser
In March, our Region once again supported its Friendship Link, SI Kumba (of the Cameroons), to help raise funds for the excellent Literacy Project which that club has been running for the past few years. Members of the Region gathered for an evening of fun and entertainment, run by Soroptimister Earl Smith, husband of the Regional PA Officer.
There were quick-fire quizzes and runaround parlour games (how do you mime a noise, without making a noise!), a cerebral Call My Bluff, and a circle dance to finish the night. Include a hot two-course supper and drink, and it had all makings of good, old-fashioned fun, enjoyed by all. And it raised approximately £200 for the SI Kumba project, making it worthwhile all round!