Cameroon expatriates meet for serious business

 Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia are home to many Cameroonians, most of whom work in health care profession. They manage to cook their native foods such as jama jama and fufucorn and they support as generous as possible those at home whom they miss so dearly.

In addition to wiring money for Christmas, there are occasions throughout the year, such as a cry die (funeral) or a born house (baby shower) and one or the other emergency that requires extra cash.

However, this past Saturday, August 28th the group of Cameroonians came together to work on something more permanent. The women and two husbands came together to hear a proposal from AIDSfreeAFRICA to get involved in fundraising to establish revolving drug funds.

Revolving drug funds such as the one already in place in Limbe enables small clinics and remote health care centers to receive medicine which is sold to the patience who need them. A portion of the income is collected and paid into a bank account. Once the fund is replenished AIDSfreeAFRICA takes this money to buy new drug supplies and the cycle repeats, thus the name “revolving drug fund”.

The group agreed to focus on Mbengwi and Nkwen first. These two villages are still close to the large city of Bamenda, but in the future the group will venture further into the remote villages which are in desperate need to access medicine.

AIDSfreeAFRICA is pleased with the energy, enthusiasm and warm welcome.