Francis N. Njuakom in Cameroon
Our ambassador for Cameroon Francis Njuakom explains how our our scholarship to the ACSA/IAHSA conference in 2015 has helped his organisation Community Development Volunteers for Technical Assistance (CDVTA).
“My very first visit to Australia in 2015 to participate in the ACSA/IAHSA joint Ageing conference in Perth, Australia under the most gracious distinguished leadership and of the Chair of the Common Wealth Association for the Ageing (Commonage) Mr. Andrew Larpent and assistance from Commonage and All We Can UK, became a turning point in the history of our 18 years of work in care of the elderly in the Republic of Cameroon in West Africa.
My presentation of the human face of problems facing the elderly in Cameroon and how CDVTA is promoting concrete innovative service delivery in Cameroon in care and support for the elderly caught the keen attention of a US based independent long term care expert and Co-Founder of Its Never 2 Late, Mr. Jack York, who was highly inspired by Francis Njuakom’s message and pledged his interest in the work Francis Njuakom in care for the elderly in Cameroon.
Here is Jack York’s statement on the amazing encounter of the ACSA/IAHSA Perth 2015 conference and the magic of collaboration with global agecare neighbours that is transforming lives and improving welfare.
“As I get older, some of my fondest memories are of chance encounters that take on a life of their own, things that appear to be random but upon further reflection maybe they’re not! Such is the case of my relationship with Francis Njuakom Nchii, Founder & Executive Director of CDVTA Cameroon. Francis and I had a chance encounter in Perth, Australia. We were put together for an educational session at IAHSA and I was riveted by his presentation about life in Cameroon and the horrendous way women and the elderly are treated. We spoke enthusiastically about his work for a few minutes after the session, his inspiration was contagious. CDVTA Cameroon is the organisation that Francis has established to deal with these issues head on.
Upon my return to the US, It’s Never 2 Late made a simple $500 donation to Francis, not expecting anything in return. We just wanted in a small way to honor his work. Six weeks after this donation, Francis sent me a riveting email and a heartwarming video about the project he set up – The Jack York Elderly Women’s Sustainable Goat Rearing Project in North West Region Cameroon.
The Elderly Woman’s Sustainable Goat Rearing Project
(The Elderly Woman’s Sustainable Goat Rearing Project is one of the many programs developed and administered by CDVTA. The sale of the goats’ offspring has improved the nutritional intake and income of the elders in several impoverished communities.)
I was touched and amused at the whole concept. Somewhere in Cameroon is a goat called Jacky, named after me, providing sustainability for a village in Africa. In the video link, you will see dozens of Cameroonians, in unison, chanting thanks to some guy called Jack York that they had never heard of! You can’t make this stuff up.
I was stunned at this whole turn of events and instantly became obsessed to learn more about Francis and his powerful mission. So we Skyped several times and got to know each other. His story and presence drove me to want to help him more and share his story with people we know throughout the country.
Thanks to Western Home in Iowa for providing the financial pass through for donations, thanks to Matt Luger and the Covenant Health Network for providing the first $1000 donation, and thanks to Larry Minnix, retired CEO of Leading Age, for making the first $250 purchase for a goat. If you ever make it to the center Francis will build, you may see Jacky and Larry grazing in the field together, most likely talking about the good old days.
If you’d like to donate go to the gofundme page we have set up for the GOATT Project. (GOATT stands for Giving Older Adults Tools to Thrive). For $250 you can get a goat named after you!
Francis told me in one of our skype sessions that he had no money go to Perth for the IAHSA conference, but God told him he should go as he would meet someone from an organisation who would help change the trajectory of CDVTA. I’m honored to think that iN2L may have been chosen to fulfill that vision!
Jack York, It’s Never 2 Late
Jack arranged for Francis to visit USA for a fundraising tour. The trip is outlined in the following links to blog posts on the It’s Never 2 Late website.
- http://in2l.com/a-presentation-goats-and-a-friend-for-life/
- http://in2l.com/the-road-trip-begins/
- http://in2l.com/the-wild-west/
- http://in2l.com/viva-las-vegas/
- http://in2l.com/the-golden-state/
- http://in2l.com/flying-high-in-colorado/
- http://in2l.com/our-nations-capital-through-the-eyes-of-a-knight/
- http://in2l.com/start-spreading-the-news/
- http://in2l.com/one-life-changed-thousands-of-lives-changed/
Jack York, Francis Njuakom and Jackie Harris of Inter-Grace
“Thanks to Jack York, to whom I owe a huge debt of gratitude and appreciation from the North West Corner of my Heart on behalf of all the elderly people in Cameroon.
Finally my appreciation goes to Andrew Larpent of CommonAge and Margie van Zyle of CommonAge as well as Katie Sloan of IAHSA and Leading Age. Thanks to the three of you, this happened and will hugely transform and change thousands of elderly lives in Cameroon in the future. Through this visit, I visited the office of Leading Age in Washington DC and shared the experience of my work in care of the elderly with over 50 care givers.”
Francis N. Njuakom
“Knight of the Cameroon National Order of Valour” & Director of CDVTA Cameroon
Member of the Nomination Committee of the International Federation on Ageing (IFA) Canada.
CDVTA Head office,
2nd Floor, KE-MviTower, Metta Quarters, Near Police Station, P.O.Box 5091, Nkwen Post Office, Bamenda, Republic of Cameroon, West Africa.
Tel.: Fixed: (237) 233 36 16 76.
Email: cdvtaprojects@yahoo.com,
Website: www.cdvta.org