Tradition respected. Once again,  MTN Foundation,  first corporate foundation in Cameroon, has made its contribution to the Back to School of underprivileged children. Between 2 and 9 September 2022, the #MTNBack2Skoul Caravan made five stops across the country to offer school kits to children cared for in foster homes.

Young Jonathan is one of the beneficiaries. Hailing from the village of Ikilindi in the North-West Region, he lost his father, taxi driver.  Being an orphan, he was forced, like others to flee the area because of the security situation. He was received by Hope Rehabilitation Association (HARO) in Yaounde, after a few moments of wandering. The Centre, which supervises IDPs from the North-West and South-West Regions, made it possible for Jonathan to return to school.

Young Jonathan is amongst the 500 children to receive backpacks, exercise books and other school stationery offered by the MTN Foundation in 2022. In addition to the North-West and South-West Regions, beneficiaries include victims of Boko Haram attacks in the Far North Region and other children who have lost their parents under other circumstances.

“We sincerely appreciate the gesture of  MTN Foundation which contacted our care center to provide internally displaced children with school kits. This  is a gesture that comes at the right time and whose impact is significant. I am grateful to the MTN Foundation for helping us put a smile back on the faces of these vulnerable children”, said HARO Director Fritz Kwa Mendi.

Joy and gratitude also in Bafoussam in the West Region. “I lack words… However, on behalf of the children I thank you and pray that you always go further in your initiatives”, said Father Epah of Give Hope to our Children.  There was also surprise in the Adamawa Region. “We didn’t even know that the mighty company, MTN can get here where we are. We greatly appreciate this”, reacted Dongmo Annick Florence of the Orphanage dubbed Coeur d’Amour of  Ngaoundere.

The #MTNBack2Skoul caravan is one of the initiatives of the Friends of the MTN Foundation, which is a benevolent programme  driven by staff of MTN Cameroon. “The activities on the ground are deployed with the support of  members of this club who play a very important role in the selection of  beneficiary structures and the organization of field deployment,” explains Danielle Mbome Efoula, Executive Secretary of the MTN Foundation.

The first corporate foundation launched the #MTNBack2Skoul caravan in 2014 and has already supported the enrolment of more than 16,000 vulnerable children in the 10 Regions of the country.

Annexure: List of beneficiary institutions of the 2022 #MTNBack2Skoul Caravan