How Does a Crisis Impact Vulnerable Groups?

Crises, such as conflicts, can disproportionately harm vulnerable populations in various ways. These groups often face higher health risks, food shortages, displacement, disrupted education, economic challenges, mental health issues, violence, and limited access to healthcare.

How Has the Anglophone Crisis Impacted Children’s Education?

Since October 2016, the armed conflict in Cameroon’s North-West and South-West regions (the two English-speaking or Anglophone regions of the country) has resulted in the deaths of approximately 3,000 people and forced more than half a million people to flee their homes.

Thousands of children were denied the chance to go to school for months, sometimes years. By 2018, an estimated 4,000 Anglophone schools had shuttered, depriving over 700,000 children of regular classes for almost four academic years. 

The targeting of schools has had a particularly pernicious impact on girls. Parents who have seen their incomes dwindle prefer to send their boys to school, keeping girls at home to help with chores or small trades. Yet others who have fled to Cameroon’s Francophone regions have to fend for themselves, sometimes leaving their daughters out of school and vulnerable to recruitment into sex work.

Meet Alice, a single mother who once had a flourishing tailoring workshop that funded her children’s education. She lost everything during the crisis and was forced to flee from her township. Separated from her community and resettling in a foreign town, Alice struggled to support her children by working on people’s farms.

Empower Through Education

In a world filled with challenges, the transformative power of education is the key to unlocking human potential. It is a catalyst for change, a bridge to opportunity, and a force that transcends boundaries. The African Leadership University (ALU) and Hope for Cameroon (HFC) are therefore excited to announce a partnership that not only underscores the importance of education but also offers a lifeline to young, aspiring minds. 

The Power of Education

Education empowers individuals to reach their full potential, break the cycle of poverty, and positively impact society. It is the cornerstone of development, a path to self-discovery, and a tool for building a brighter future.  

HFC recognizes the profound impact education can have, especially for those who have faced countless adversities, like the internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by the Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon. 

For the academic year 2020-2021, our Back to School Campaign successfully sponsored 39 IDP children. This funding program provided financial support and resources, which helped alleviate the financial challenges faced by internally displaced families after the crisis.

The ALU Scholarship Opportunity

ALU is an undergraduate and postgraduate institution that uses a unique and innovative learning model that integrates students’ learning with the real world and empowers them to take ownership of their own learning.

As a leader in innovative and pan-African education, ALU stands ready to recognize and reward talent. Through this partnership, if the IDP students mentored by HFC prove to be the best fit for ALU’s programs, they will be granted a full-ride Mastercard Foundation Scholarship. This scholarship is not just financial assistance; it’s an investment in the future leaders of Africa.

How is HFC Addressing the Needs of Aspiring Students?

HFC, a dedicated NGO with a heart for community development, will take on a mentorship role in this partnership. They will provide guidance and support to IDP students, with a particular focus on empowering girls who dream of higher education. Education knows no gender, and by nurturing the talents of these young girls, we are taking a significant step towards breaking gender barriers.

HFC’s Hope Scholars Program provides scholarships for students from nursery to tertiary level. Powered by our Education Fund, the program has sponsored 40 students so far. 

In September 2022, HFC launched a fundraising campaign to enable Dieudonne, an IDP student, to pursue his higher education. Dieudonne comes from a family of three and lost both of his parents at a young age. Cameroon’s social-political crisis, which has been raging in the Anglophone regions since 2016, forced him to flee, along with his sister, to another region of the country as education was forbidden and life became unbearable in his hometown. Despite the challenges he faced as a displaced person, Dieudonne did not give up on his dream to attend university and applied for countless scholarships. Thanks to the generous donations from our incredible partners, we have been able to secure the necessary funding to send Dieudonne to ALU Rwanda. 

How You Can Be a Part of Change?

We invite you to be part of this transformative journey. Whether you’re a student aspiring to pursue higher education, a mentor eager to guide the next generation or a supporter who believes in the power of education, there are many ways to get involved. 

While HFC will mentor and encourage our IDPs to apply, slots are not guaranteed in any shape or form. It is at the sole discretion of the MCF team at ALU to determine if our Hope pre-scholars meet their criteria and hence deserve a scholarship or not.

A Commitment to Innovative Learning, Leadership, and Empowerment

The partnership between ALU and HFC is not just about institutions coming together; it’s about creating opportunities, fostering hope, and being the catalyst for innovation in our society. Together, we are rewriting the narrative for IDP students, particularly girls, in Cameroon. We are showing the world that with the right support and belief in the potential of every individual, dreams can become reality.

As we embark on this path, let us remember that education is not a privilege but a right. It’s a torch that can light up even the darkest paths and a journey worth investing in. With similar future partnerships, HFC aims to continuously implement innovative solutions that provide crisis-affected youths, irrespective of gender, with quality education opportunities.