Develop Africa Donated School Supplies Are Boosting Education in Cameroon

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - Oct. 11, 2016 - PRLog -- Many children and schools in Africa lack adequate school supplies. To help address this, Develop Africa and the US Military teamed up to provide school supplies to children and classrooms in Garoua, Cameroon. The joint goal is to reinforce learning and the quality of education.

16 large drums of school supplies were provided to schools between September 5th and 9th, 2016. The wide range of school supplies included pencils, pens, calculators, rulers, notebooks, erasers, dictionaries, reams of paper and pencil sharpeners.

These school items were donated to Develop Africa by children, groups, schools, organizations and businesses from around the globe, primarily from the USA and Canada. Funds donated to Develop Africa covered the cost of internal logistics in the USA. Overseas logistics were provided by the US Military.

In Cameroon, supply donation drops were made at three locations in Garoua, with support from US military personnel. Civil Affairs Team 8242 met with the Delegate of education for Garoua to identify the schools that would benefit most from the supply donations. The team then visited each school and met with the respective Director to confirm a donation date during the first week of school.

Providing supplies to schools of Garoua affects a large number of youth that are susceptible to recruitment by Boko Haram. The donations affect children where the attendance rates of each school reach up to 2000 students and provide a better education opportunity for the students most vulnerable to recruitment by Boko Haram.

Each day supplies were distributed to a school within a different district of Garoua, regardless of religious affiliation. Additional photos are available here.

https://youtu.be/d-UKgDQkwgA



Each district's school Director welcomed the supplies and expressed their thanks to Develop Africa for donating the supplies. The Directors and Garoua school officials look forward to future school supply donations.

"Education is a powerful driver of development and one of the strongest instruments for reducing poverty, raising incomes, promoting economic growth and shared prosperity, and for improving health, gender equality, peace, and stability." (World Bank)

"It is essential that we understand local needs and adequately respond to them in a targeted manner," said Sylvester Renner, the president of Develop Africa. "This is why Develop Africa has been providing books, school supplies, scholarships and training for 10 years now," Renner said.

Develop Africa welcomes additional school supply donations and donations of funds towards logistics on an on-going basis and around the year.