U.S. Embassy conducts outreach in Douala and Buea

A U.S. Embassy team headed by Public Affairs Officer (PAO) Roberto Quiroz II visited the Littoral and South West Regions from September 24-26, 2014.

The PAO was accompanied by Edna Enyeji and Mabel Foncham Chingang, both members of the James Baldwin Information Resource Center. The trip was part of the U.S. Mission’s commitment to conduct public outreach in Cameroon. Below are a list of programs conducted.

1. U.S. Embassy Visits American Language Center in Douala: The American Language Center (ALC) in Douala welcomed Mr. Roberto Quiroz II on September 24, 2014. During the visit, the PAO held a working session with Administrator Mrs. Hermine Jumbam during which he was briefed on the functioning of the ALC.

He commended the center for their continuous efforts to teach English with excellent tools, such as the Access Program. The PAO also took the opportunity to inform the ALC Douala community of a new grant awarded to them to continue with the English Access Micro scholarship program to teach under privileged students during the next session.

The U.S. Embassy staff later met with 41 English Access students currently registered for the program to talk about diversity in the USA. During the interactive session, the students had the opportunity to learn more about the American people and the importance of learning how to speak and write in English.

Mr. Quiroz stated that the importance of English learning cannot be over emphasized considering the current trend in globalization where the language serves as a tool to connect the world. He also said that for students to aspire to study in the United States, they must be English fluent.

During the discussion, the students also sought to know more about the United States as they asked him questions ranging from his career as a diplomat to what priorities President Obama and Ambassador Hoza have for our partnership with Cameroon.

Mr. Quiroz ended the session by encouraging them to work hard to achieve their dreams with the first step of attaining an education. “As future leaders of all sectors in Cameroon, it is your responsibility – and opportunity - to work to achieve your dreams to serve and benefit your fellow citizens and country.”

2. ACCESS students learn about waste management techniques: On September 24, the James Baldwin IRC organized a cultural enhancement activity for students of the English Access Microscholarship Program at the American Language Center in Douala.

The objective of the session was to raise awareness on the importance of proper waste management as a means of protecting oceans and seas, in response to Secretary of State John Kerry’s top priority to preserve the environment and our oceans. IRC Program Assistant Mabel Foncham-Chingang taught the students the concept of three Rs - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle - which serves as the key to proper waste management in communities.

In her remarks, she invited the students to serve “as ambassadors of waste management techniques” in their schools and communities, and encouraged them to think about innovative techniques they can conceive to assist in waste management. Douala is an industrial city with a fast growing population, thus proper techniques of waste management will not only protect the environment but also protect the lives of citizens from health hazards caused by industrial and human wastes.

The session helped in enhancing Access participants’ use of the English language while raising their awareness of the need to protect the environment. This group is strategic because they come from diverse backgrounds and as such will reach out to the different strata of society. The session ended with a questions and answer session where students pledged to promote environmental protection.

3. U.S. Embassy visits American Corner Buea: PAO Roberto Quiroz II paid his first visit to the University of Buea on September 25, 2014, accompanied by IRC members Edna Enyeji and Mabel Foncham Chingang.

The visit started with a courtesy call to the university chancellery where he was received by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Research, Cooperation and Relations with the Business World, Professor George Fonkeng, who warmly welcomed the guests on behalf of the University of Buea community.

Professor Fonkeng thanked the U.S. Embassy in Yaoundé for fostering literacy in Cameroon through its numerous outreach activities. He highlighted the important role played by the American Corner to the University of Buea and its surrounding community, and noted the university’s wish to strengthen their partnership with the U.S. Embassy.

Mr. Quiroz thanked the University for accepting to host the American Corner and applauded the outstanding work carried out at the center to promote education. He underscored the U.S. Embassy’s commitment to continue to strengthen the already strong partnership with the university, and noted the recent investment of resources at the American Corner through U.S. Department of State support as an example of that commitment. He also encouraged the administration to urge students to participate and organize more outreach activities at the corner.

The hallmark of the visit was the donation of educational resources to the American Corner. These resources will promote English language learning, writing and creativity. They included Scrabble games, story cubes, reading and writing prompts, building blocks, puzzles and films.

The AC Coordinator, Dr. Rosemary Shafack and her team thanked the U.S. Embassy for the materials and said they will greatly help in enhancing English language outreach and literacy programs to the community.

The program ended with a visit of 25 students from the Molyko Bilingual Grammar School. The PAO and IRC staff explained the use of the resources donated to the corner and encouraged the students to visit the center whenever possible. The students asked questions on Americans culture, study, history and the raison d’etre for the American Corner in Buea. The U.S. Embassy staff were also given a guided tour of the corner and university library.

4. E-LibraryUSA Training Session In Douala: The IRC staff offered a special eLibraryUSA training session at the American Language Center in Douala on September 25, 2014. The session was hosted by IRC Reference Librarian Edna Enyeji; and welcomed the participation of 45 English language teachers from the Littoral Region. This was the first ever elibraryUSA training session to be organized in Douala.

The objective of the session was to introduce teachers to the great resources available for English language learning online and through the support of Department of State databases.

Opening the session, Public Affairs Officer Roberto Quiroz II congratulated the teachers on their participation while encouraging them to use the resources to enhance their research objectives. He also underscored the importance of English language proficiency to communities as it serves as the gateway to learning other subjects, admission into American universities, and economic empowerment at home.

The two hour long session started with a lecture by Mrs. Enyeji on the definition, content and functioning of e-LibraryUSA databases. The success of the session could be measured by the enthusiasm with which the participants took down notes, asked questions, and also registered to become members of the James Baldwin Information Resource Center to gain a password to the eLibraryUSA database.

5. U.S. Embassy Hosts AWEP and AGOA Dinner On September 24, Public Affairs Officer Roberto Quiroz II, Political/Economic Section Deputy Chief Dr. Derrin Smith, Political-Economic Analyst Bernard Olivier Dakayi Tchamake, and IRC members Edna Enyeji and Mabel Foncham Chingang hosted a dinner event in Douala to honor Africa Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) alumni and members of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) committee. AWEP president Caroline Sack thanked the U.S. Embassy staff for hosting them and the alumni shared their success stories as well as their future projects to expand private sector growth in Douala.

Their projects are based on empowering women and girls in entrepreneurship and social development. In his remarks, Mr. Quiroz noted the dinner took place on the heels of Ambassador Hoza’s recent visit to Douala with AWEP alumni, and underscored his and the United States’ commitment to strengthen our partnership with Cameroonian entrepreneurs, whose efforts greatly contribute to private sector growth and economic development in their communities.

The message conveyed by the U.S. Embassy team was: “Private sectors driven by leaders like you create jobs and reduce unemployment. They empower citizens, especially women and girls, and welcome them to offer their immense talents and contributions towards their nation’s development.”