Nchinda Horizon
In this village amidst war and devastation, there is no such thing as ‘normal’. Daily life is a struggle, and basics an uncertain privilege. In this village, where many children have lost one or even both parents, imagining a better future is an immense act of faith. So imagine the courage it takes to persevere, attend school and ultimately graduate.
This village is Baba, in an area known as the Grassfields, situated right in the middle of a conflict zone in Cameroon. While the cities are under control of the government army, villages and the vast hilly landscapes surrounding them are controlled by rebel militias. Whatever peace there is, it is an uneasy one, fragile and ready to erupt at any moment.
That’s why Nchinda Horizon was set up. To support children living in one of the most dire areas of Cameroon, offering them the hope of education and an escape from poverty and violence. Every child educated is one less child lost to hopelessness, and one more foundational stone for a different, better future.
It's personal
Pangmashi Yenkong, a researcher born in Baba, noticed whenever he returned to his home village, how few children went to school. Something had to be done. So together with a fellow researcher and friend, Mirjam de Bruijn, he set up a foundation to help get children in Baba to go to school and graduate.
Simple. Direct. Impactful.
At least… until the government decided to suppress protests against the government with brute force. Baba, the village where children were finally going to school, was in the middle of it all. By 2019, the situation had changed dramatically: the village and surroundings had been devastated, the children from Baba largely dispersed to other areas, and the foundation was depleted.
What hadn’t changed was the will to give the young people from the Grassfields hope. What hadn’t changed is the dedication to continue to enable these kids to go to school and graduate with a degree that would give them – and their community – a better chance at life.
The next generation took on the mantle. Gosse, Mirjam’s son, and Lukong, a relative of Pangmashi that grew up in the Grassfields, partnered up to do whatever they could to keep this program running. Since 2019, 33 children have been able to attend school; 8 of these are now pursuing bachelor’s degrees at the University of Bamenda, with another 15 on their way to obtaining their high school diplomas.
While the numbers are small, the impact is huge. An education gives these young people the structure and freedom to develop into healthy individuals, ones that can help rebuild their communities. An education gives them a future.
Lukong & Gosse
In 2016, when Gosse came to Cameroon to help out with the foundation set up by his family, he and Lukong quickly became inseparable friends. Lukong lost his father when he was 11 and worked from an early age to pay for his own schooling. He would go to school whenever he had money, finally able to graduate from high school when he was 20. Together, these two friends from different countries continue the legacy begun by their families. Lukong is the organizer on the ground, making sure the practicalities are taken care of and the children are doing well, while Gosse works from The Netherlands, raising awareness and the funds necessary to keep this vision alive.
We don’t want your money
Or perhaps, it’s more honest to say that it’s important to us why you are donating. The Nchinda Horizon, this Grassfields project is also very grassroots. It’s small-scale and we care deeply about helping these children succeed (we know them all personally!). If you’re drawn to this project, we’d like it to be because you want to invest your dedication in something that really moves the needle, something that has real, long-term impact. We’d like to have people on board who are willing to commit a little, but for multiple years, so that we can build some security for these children.
100% of the money invested goes directly to supporting the children’s education by covering:
- School fees
- School books
- School uniforms
- Basic school supplies (notebooks, pens, etc)
These are the primary and priority costs. If and when funds allow however, there are three other discretionary costs:
- Workshops: We like to organize small summer workshops, where the children can be taught a specific skill; these workshops are not only greatly enjoyed by the children, but also provide them with practical skills and ideas about working opportunities.
- Emergency food supplies: Since they had to leave Baba, the children from the Nchinda Horizon have been taken in by distant relatives or caretakers. When necessary, and if funds allow, we will try to support some of these families with a bag of rice or bottle of oil.
- Other emergencies: One of the children was seriously injured in the knee during a game. Without surgery, he would never have walked again, so we covered the costs of his operation.
The needs of these children are modest, but as we have seen, the impact we can have is enormous. All of the donated money goes directly to fund the children’s education. Gosse and Lukong and others freely donate their time and energy to this project.
Will you join us?
Of course, we can’t do this alone. We’re building a small community of people who want to contribute to real, positive change in the world and who believe in this project. We don’t want anyone who is struggling to have to struggle further to support this project. But there are many others who – for the price of a spa day for two or a modest pair of shoes – can change a life for the better, permanently.
isn’t the least we can do to carry part of that hope with them?"
