Source: Cameroon Tribune
Less privileged rural women and youths in Ngoketungia Division of the North West Region as well as victims of the September 2012 floods in Babessi, the Ndop Women Empowerment Centre and Pa Mati's Mental Health Centre jumped for joy on May 25, 2013 with gifts of hope and encouragement from the Circle of Friends of Cameroon (CERAC) and its founding President and First Lady of Cameroon, Mrs Chantal Biya.

The venue was Ndop and the gifts of farm tools, inputs, medical equipment, medication and foodstuffs, amongst others were most welcome for a people who took time off to sing and dance in appreciation of generosity and motherly care demonstrated by the First Lady of the nation, Mrs Chantal Biya.

The General Coordinator of CERAC and personal representative of the First Lady, Mrs Linda Yang led the CERAC delegation with a message of hope. In effect, Mrs Linda Yang told the people of Ngoketungia that the First Lady and founding President of CERAC is in solidarity with them in their harsh farming conditions, health hazards and recent damaging Babessi floods. She advised beneficiaries to use their gifts to improve living conditions in their communities.

The gifts featured farm tools and inputs to improve farm yields as well as grinding mills to facilitate the processing of farm produce like cassava and maize in all 13 fondoms of the division. The Ndop District Health Centre welcomed medical equipment to enhance the health of the population while Pa Mati's Mental Health Centre in Babungo was empowered with gifts of medication. Hope was rekindled among the Babessi flood victims with bags of corn, rice, palm oil, salt, fish, washing soap and rice whole meal flour. The long list of gifts to rural women featured push trucks, wheelbarrows, sprayers, fertiliser, hoes, herbicides, bean and rice seeds, scales, dig axes and rain boots, among others. Youths also took home push trucks, water pumps and sprayers while the Women's Empowerment Centre was served a deep freezer, marking machine and more. The Ndop District Health Centre also gained an incubator, foetal monitor, wheel stretchers, beds and mattresses. Among beneficiary farming groups were the Akeh Women Mixed Farming Group of Bamessing, Queen Women's Group of Bambalang, Munjong Loving Sisters of Bafanji and Kingui Production Women of Bangolan, among others.

• Cameroon