A Noteworthy quote by Mother Teresa goes “Don’t worry about the numbers, help one person at a time and always begin with the person near you”.
This quote is reflected in the establishment of Better Breed Cameroon’s annual “Hope Bursaries”. The bursaries were launched last year and begun with covering the cost of tuition for just two students of the University of Buea who exemplified need via the application. Two out of thousands of university students could be considered small, but it was a start.
This year, with more active members, Better Breed Cameroon targeted secondary schools in sub-rural areas and made a call for applications for bursaries covering cost of student registration, fees, PTA levies.
After a procedure of over a month Better Breed Cameroon members successfully disbursed fees for two students at GHS Bamunka-Ndop, two students of GHS Motombolombo, Tiko and one student (an aide to a handicapped student) at GHS Batibo.
The disbursements took us away from the urban and suburban lives most of our members live to experience what it means to school in a rural or sub-rural area. The average cost of registration and fees per student in a government school is no more than 20.000frs. However when PTA levies are added it could go up to 42.000frs depending. Still below a 100 USD. But given the cost of living and the number of dependents most families can’t cover this sum.
Still, when an opportunity to have these cost covered was presented we found that very few participated. Our younger population is so jaded that they feel even before attempting that the opportunity will be awarded based on anything but merit. So cynical are our youth that a contestant would call back after having had her fees covered to ask why? Just what is expected of her in return for this act of kindness? Others seemed so disheartened, feeling they weren’t award material that they barely put in the effort.
The lesson? We as young people need to do more, try more help more. Because we can make a difference no matter how slowly. One year after another. And because there’s a lot of disproving to be done. Disproving the myth of nepotism and tribalism tinting everything, disproving the notion of our not being good enough.
Believe to help others believe. As we believe that next year we’ll be able to do more in terms of bursaries and give hope to more, inspiring a #BetterBreed
Believe to help others believe. As we believe tp more. Because we can make a difference slowly. One year after another. And because there’s a lot of disproving to be done. Disproving the myth of nepotism and tribalism tinting everything, disproving the notion of our not being good enough.
Believe to help others believe. As we believe that next year we’ll be able to do more in terms of bursaries and give hope to more, inspiring a #BetterBreed