The October Trip Progress Report

Your actions to help AUMAZO, INC. change the lives of rural girls in Cameroon is starting to pay off. Passing on the torch of education is becoming much clearer to us, as I discovered during my October 15 to November 12 trip to Cameroon.

Over the last nine years, I traveled to Cameroon so many times. This trip was exceptionally successful. I met with many agents of change like you who gave to the Aumazo Project thus confirming our resolve to passing on the torch of education to girls in rural communities.

Meeting the Director of the Orange Foundation

The highlight of my trip was when I introduced the Aumazo Project to the Director of Orange Foundation Cameroon, and her team. She welcomed the project with open arms and the most memorable moment was when I heard her say: “we fund school construction.” These words are still music to my ears because I have waited almost ten years to hear them for the first time. You know that I couldn’t have made it this far without your support.

Meeting the Minister of Housing and Urban Development

I met twice with the Minister of Housing and Urban Development. At the first meeting, Randy, the architect at RM Sovich Architecture who is working on the new Aumazo school design, presented different housing designs to him. Inspired, the Minister scheduled a second meeting with several Cameroonian economic and financial partners and he committed to contracting with our ZOMA Blockyard & Construction business to build schools, hospitals and houses during the meeting (ZOMA’s earnings contribute to covering the operational expenses of the schools). I am following up on these commitments and will share updates with you as we make progress.

The First Future Aumazo School Students

Another extraordinary moment was when I met with more than 15 seventh and eighth grade girls in Bankondji and neighboring villages in the Bafang region and heard their stories. They all share similar needs, wants and hopes. Their recurring dream is being able to attend the Aumazo School to obtain a quality education and a better future.

At times, listening to their educational difficulties and lifelong struggles left me powerless. For example, Odette, a 15-year-old seventh grader who spoke with eloquence and intelligence, lost her parents in a car accident. She lives in Bankondji with her grandmother and is having great financial difficulties in meeting personal and academic needs. As a result, she has repeated grades twice.

Similar stories came from Olivia, a 15-year-old eighth grader who also lives with her grandmother. She lost her father and had to move away to decrease the financial burden on her jobless city dweller mother. Maeva, a 14-year-old seventh grader, also lives with her grandmother in Bankondji. Her father passed away and her financially struggling mother sent her to the village.

Not Just A School, But An Opportunity

I can share with you all their sad stories in lengthy narratives. Nevertheless, their eagerness to learn and spread the power of education and their desire to succeed in life reinforce the mission of AUMAZO, INC.

I am sharing this news with you because you made this trip possible. You know and believe that education is the best hope for a brighter future for these girls. Together we will change their lives by helping them fulfill their dreams of quality education through the AUMAZO, INC. School in Bankondji Cameroon.

Stay connected for more updates on our progress, and please continue to offer your support through donations and sharing our articles, photos, and messages. Spreading the word is just as important a contribution to the cause as donations are. Every little bit matters, and we thank you for your continued support.