UNDP, BAMENDA l COUNCIL PARTNERSHIP PREPARES YOUTHS FOR BACK TO SCHOOL

Starting point at the Fons Palace

At the close of a Peace and Solidarity Festival, Sunday August 29,2021 - an initiative co-championed by recovery and development-oriented United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Bamenda I Council, youths of the locality received material support and cash prizes to boost school attendance and social cohesion within the Bamenda 1 municipality.

Winner of the Tournament 

The sponsors of the Peace and Solidarity sports jamboree made up of the UNDP’s Recovery Programme, Les Brasseries du Cameroun, Aningdoh Cooperative Credit Union, and the Bamenda I Council surprised the youths and other participants who took part in the one month holiday festival, with a variety of prizes to facilitate their return to classroom.

Gifts of back to school

The UNDP Recovery Programme for example handed out calculators, dictionaries, school bags, math sets, exercise books and soap in addition to cash prizes for marathon, handball girls, traditional dances and traditional games. 

Aningdoh Cooperative Credit Union supported the youths with additional exercise books, pens and pencils; while 

Les Brasseries du Cameroon provided prizes for the for the men's football finals.

A section of guest

The crowd pulling Peace and Solidarity sports Festival, began with a marathon which started at the Bamendankwe Fons Palace going through Health Center Junction, Hot Spot Up-Station, Governor’s Junction, Customs Junction, through Akumbele, and ending at the Presbyterian School Community Field Ntaafi in Bamendakwe. 

Conspicuously present on the marathon tracks with their mobile vans, to ensure that any injured athletes receive appropriate first aid assistance and or rushed to the hospital, were the Army rescue unit. 

Trophies and medals 

To the Regional Coordinator of UNDP NW, the drive behind sponsoring such an initiative stems from the institution's Recovery Programme in the North West Region which seeks to "promote peace, togetherness, unity, forgiveness amongst people, while envisaging that each participant of the festival goes out to promote peaceful values and put in efforts to safeguard the peace they are already enjoying in their communities; and to gradually aid in building the much needed peace that has been eroded in the Region by the ongoing socio political crisis". 

Dance group

Happy with the success of the event and turn out of his subjects, Fon Forchesiri III of Bamendankwe stated that he will ensure that every quarter in village participates in the next edition of the Peace and Solidarity Festival, and called on parents to ensure they send their children to school, given that education is also key for any meaningful development. 

 

Representing the Chief Executive Officer of the North West Region, the Secreatry General, Viang Mekala, saluted the organizers for coming up with such an initiative.

"The festival was organized under the framework of peace and solidarity and I want to add reconciliation for we need peace in our town Bamenda not only in Bamendankwe but the whole of the Region. I encourage other council's to copy from Bamenda I, such that it will enable the population to feel free and serves as a strong message to the whole nation that in Bamenda, we can live in peace and organize a championship without any disorder". The SG said.

Vian Mekala

Mayor Felix Mbigha of the Bamenda I Council, one of the brains behind the festival, saluted the bravery of the youths for their turnout.

"This is coming at a time when we are celebrating relative calm in our community given that we have been for 4 years without this activity and I think we have some peace in our community so the Council thought it wise to organize this competition to occupy the youths and to maybe bring them back together so we can together think about the development of our community". Mayor Mbigha explained.

Mayor Mbigha Felix

The highly attended sports fiesta featured disciplines such as dosh-ball for girls, handball boys and girls, sack race, tug of war, traditional dance competition, and was crowned with the first edition of the Mayor's Cup football finals, during which Tenefor Allstar FC defeating Ntaghan FC Abangho on penalty shootout, by four goals to two.

As principal sponsor of the Peace and Solidarity Festival under its Recovery Program, the UNDP made sure Mbororo youths who represent a minority group within the municipal area also received support, while a Mbororo dance group won one of the cash prizes for the dance competition.

More gifts at the event

The managers of Aningdoh Corperative Credit Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), reiterated that the learning material handed to the youths was in the pious hope that it galvanises preparations for a hitch free upcoming academic year 2021/2022.

Also present to witness the Peace and Solidarity Festival roundup of events were the Bamenda City Mayor, the Regional Delegate of Economy, Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT) alongside a host of administrative and traditional authorities.

The euphoria displayed by the youths during the competitions, have given the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other sponsors the impetus to look forward to another edition of the sports festival come the next summer holidays.

By Tasi Peter and Arnaud Kouamo