The initiative by CCWA aimed at assisting the children of deceased custom and military officers.
Some 500 children drawn from the families of 166 deceased custom officials; 13 children of military men who lost their lives in Bakassi; eight vulnerable children and 14 orphanages were the lucky beneficiaries of a solidarity gesture in Douala last Wednesday September 18.
The yearly initiative is undertaken by Cameroon Custom Women's Association (CCWA) as part of their social responsibility, explained Marie Nicole Onomo Metala, CCWA Regional Coordinator. Worth FCFA 6.6 million, the gifts included basic commodities like rice, tomatoes, vegetable oil and soaps, shared to the concerned. Financial packages of FCFA 50.000 for three years each were offered to students with honour rolls in their GCE Advanced Level and Baccalaureat results, to further their higher education.
Seeing its fifth edition this year, the award ceremony was decentralised into 10 regional branches to cater for orphans nationwide. In the Littoral Region, Douala was further divided into small coordination groups, while a similar exercise will follow suit in Mbanga, Edea I and Mouanko respectively. The Director General of Customs was represented by Commandant Dewa Ouramou, who chaired the meeting.
