HOPE FOR THE NEEDY ASSOCIATION (HOFNACAMEROON) MAKES GIANT STRIDES-ENSURES FOOD SECURITY in Bamenda Cameroon.

Hope For the Needy Association (HOFNA CAMEROON) was created in June 2007 with head quarters in Bamenda Cameroon and was officially registered as a common initiative group (CIG) in 2010 then as an Association in 2012.The Association has as mission to empower the most disadvantage and susceptible youth and women to achieve lasting positive changes in their lives.

Based on this premise, the association in her effort of ensuring self sustenance and financial viability braced the challenge and embarked on an agricultural scheme in Bambui some few kilometers out of Bamenda town. The association secured a one hectare of uncultivated land for the project. After clearing, felling of trees and cultivation, the first ever water melon seeds were planted in Bamenda on the 30 of September 2014 and it took exactly 3months for the harvest to be done on the 6^th of January 2015 thanks to the sacrifice of time and energy by HOFNA staff led by Munteh Florence and the director Christelle Bay C. It took HOFNA staff and a battery of volunteers one full day and several loads of pick up trucks to empty the farm of water melon that the few who had the opportunity to taste the fruits first described them as soft, red, juicy and very sweet.

In an exclusive interview with the Executive Director of the Association, Christelle Bay C, 2014 Mandela Washington Fellow, she narrates the journey of the farm projects, recounts the challenges and lessons learned and takes a look back into the just ended 2014 year in her Association. (She was interviewed by the Associations P.R.O).

Q: This is the first time HOFNA CAMEROON has embarked on a giant agricultural project, can we know why?

According to our mission statement, we at HOFNA are continually seeking for those avenues that will result in lasting positive changes in the lives of those we are out to serve. We are one of the institutions pioneering one European Union Cameroon sponsored program which is to revamp the production of coffee and cocoa in Cameroon (the PAPA project) and at the fore front is another backbone of HOFNA Munteh Florence. The preliminaries have been done and we are going to set up a nursery of up to 50.000 coffee seedlings in February and our organization is going to own a certified coffee farm known by the Cameroon government in such a way that MINADER and related ministries can get supplies from us and distribute nation wide. As you can see, we are not just venturing into agriculture afresh. The issue here is about looking for avenues to empower youths and sustainable agriculture is one of the pillars of HOFNA.

Q: HOFNA just completed her water Melon Project, a novelty in the Region, what were the difficulties encountered?

The conception was not an easy one given that we were practically introducing water melon cultivation in Bamenda and start up generally was a difficult one as we had to source for finance. The issue of getting expertise was a major difficulty and we had to employ the services of a technician and it swelled our expenses. Along the line, the intensity of the dry season was a huge set back as it pushed us to go into irrigation farming unprepared. Unfortunately, we fell into the hands of a charlatan who almost killed the project because the irrigation scheme did not work despite the financial investment into it. At the end of the day, insufficient water made 60% of the fruits not to have their normal sizes. Day in and out, myself, Munteh Florence, and our volunteers had to cum valleys and wells in search of water to water the farm. I think that the difficulties were there just to make HOFNA learn, break the myth that water Melon can not be grown in the North West Region of Cameroon and discover the sector as an income generating one for our organization.

Q: why did HOFNA chose Water Melon cultivation in the NWR which is not a traditional cash crop in the area?

Jean, I know if you have a slice of water melon in front of you, you will not hesitate to savor it. Every body loves melon. It has a natural attraction and it is one of the most consumed fruits and at HOFNA, we believe like Nelson Mandela that “it is always impossible until it is done”. Many people had believed that water melon can not be grown in the region, but for us our belief that “even though it is difficult it is possible”, was the major driving force of our venturing into melon cultivation. Let me also remind you jean that water melon has a universal and timeless market and hence a good income generating avenue for our association. We taught of plantain cultivation, guava and other things but they are so common in the Region. At HOFNA, we believe much in uniqueness. When we conceive something in our minds, we pursue it till we achieve positive results and when we make mistakes; we recollect and correct them until we arrive our ultimate results.

Q: water melon cultivation involves a lot of manpower and expertise. Who played the trick for the success?

First we used mainly organic fertilizers as components. HOFNA is like sun ray, when it shines every body sees and rushes to be part of it. On this premise, when we started the project, a group of women and some university students at the National Polytechnic Bamenda fell in love with the scheme and volunteered throughout and we accord a lot of appreciation to them. Today, one of the EXCO for the Cameroon National Youth Council for Bamenda I has even pledged to mobilize 50 youths in the next phase to come and work in the farm for at least a day.

Q: why did HOFNA at her experimental phase of a project like water melon cultivation entertain volunteers?

The aim of the water melon project is not solely to generate income for HOFNA. It is to train other young people and women on how to generate income for themselves using the melon. When the volunteers are fully trained, HOFNA will assist them in setting up their various farms.

Q: what is HOFNAs MESSAGE to NGOS who can only succeed through project funding?

I will want them to believe in the concept of social entrepreneurship; that is making an effort to make what is ours, engaging in income generating activities, to be people who create jobs, to be NGOs who generate their own income to support people without relying solely on grants and foreign aid. Relying on grants is what is keeping most organizations behind, making them stagnant and inhibiting growth. How many projects will you have to write to secure funds to sponsor a child at your backyard who wants to learn carpentry, building or even go to school to make a future for his/herself?

Q: How can you describe the HOFNA made water melon to the public?

I want the public and the people of Bamenda to know that the melon produced from HOFNA’s farm can’t be gotten from anywhere. It’s unique. When we personally took the melon we harvested from our farm, the Bamenda populace scrambled for it, at least to have a taste of Bamenda made melon. Its sweet, red soft and natural. In August, HOFNA will be hitting the market again with more healthy, juicy, and sweet fruits. A lazy man always says “it’s possible but it’s difficult”, but a wise person will say “it’s difficult but possible”. We should try to see a possibility in any difficulty. Change is slow but sure and indispensable.

Q: what were some high achievements of HOFNA in the just ended 2014?

Blowing your own trumpets is not easy. Recounting our achievements in the just ended 2014 will be like counting sand at the sea shore. Let just use December as a yard stick. We had a solid partnership with the American Embassy in Yaoundé and thanks to it come January 28 we will launch our Project “Engaging Men and Boys to end Child Trafficking, Child Marriage and other forms of Gender Based Violence”. We are targeting traditional rulers, title holders and avenues to engage gender transformation. We will start at Donga-Mantung division with a workshop for traditional rulers to talk gender based violence and child trafficking vices that are so rampant in the area which share a borders with neighboring Nigeria. We will visit a secondary school in Nkambe where in a debate, the students air their views on education and child marriage. HOFNA will hold another workshop with saloon owners and barbers and taxi drivers because they inter liaise with the public on daily basis. We will do a caravan with motor bikes in Bamenda to raise awareness on gender based violence and child trafficking. HOFNA will be honored with the Presence of the Cultural Affairs Officer (CAO) of the American Embassy in Cameroon – Merlyn Schultz, the Cultural Affairs Specialist (CAS) - Yaa Gladys Shang Viban and the Cultural Affairs Assistant (CAA) – Olivia Mukam Wandji.

HOFNA DIRECTOE;CHRISTELLE BAY inspecting the farm