CERAC's Charity Train At Eséka

Mrs Jacqueline Koung à Besssiké personally represented the First Lady in an event to hand gifts to the population yesterday June 11.

A climate of love and sharing gripped the atmosphere at Eséka, in the Nyong and Kelle Division of the Centre Region yesterday June 11 as a delegation of the Circle of Friends of Cameroon (CERAC) visited the town with a solidarity gesture from the First Lady of Cameroon, Founding President of CERAC. Mrs Jacqueline Koung à Bessiké, Personal Representative of the First Lady, chaired a ceremony to offer gifts from CERAC to rural women, youths, vulnerable people and health centres to all the ten sub divisions in the Nyong and Kelle Division.

The massive presence of the population at the Eséka ceremonial ground in songs and dance was a clear indication of their gratitude to the First Lady for the motherly love she has shown to vulnerable people (orphans and handicapped persons) in the areas. The Mayor of Eseka, Samuel Oum Nlend said that Mrs Chantal Biya's action profoundly touches their heart and as origins from the Bassa tribe, there is no better way to call her other than "Nyon Bon" which means "Mother of Children." "Maman! Thank you for your motherly affection" Mayor Samuel Oum said.

Several speakers during the event used the opportunity to hail CERAC and its founding president for the kind gesture shown towards vulnerable people in all the nooks and crannies in the country. The Centre Regional Delegate of Women's Empowerment and the Family, Rose Mpinda reiterated the importance of the different gifts (mostly agricultural tools) handed to women in all the ten sub divisions in the area; Biyouha, Bondjock, Bot-Makak, Dibang, Eséka, Makak, Matomb, Messondo, Ngog Mapoubi and Nguibassal. She said given that there are 16 women networks in the sub division which are grouped in 986 associations, the gifts offered by CERAC will help them better carry out their agricultural, poultry activities as well as trading and the transformation of farm products such as palm nuts and cocoa.

Just like Rose Mpinda, the Centre Regional Delegates for the Ministries of Social Affairs, and that of Agriculture and Rural Development also said the gifts were very timely to a population which is greatly agricultural in its activities. The gesture from CERAC will not only help improve the output of farmers in the area, but will also enable farmers to be competitive in the agricultural domain, modernise their agricultural infrastructure, promote diversification in their products and above all encourage them to actively contribute towards an emerging Cameroon by 2035. On behalf of health structures in the area, Dr Hugues Raoul Ougolo said the numerous medical tools from CERAC were timely and will provide quality healthcare to the population as well as solve the problem of lack of health equipment.

Mrs Jacqueline Koung à Bessiké said the First Lady sent her love and care to all the people in Nyong and Kelle while assuring them that she will always come to their help when need be. She used the occasion to stress that the needs of vulnerable people are enormous and CERAC will never be indifferent to their problems. During the event special gifts from the First Lady were also given to widows, young girls, motor-bike riders and other youths in a bid to encourage them in their various activities.