Caring for Cameroon: Black History & Black Futures

My name is William "Nsangou" Evans and I recently traveled to Cameroon in west Africa. Through my grandmother's DNA kit, I was able to find living relatives there; so I joined a tour group with the sole intent of meeting my distant family members who we, the Elam/Price branch of my family, were separated from due to the slave trade. I was able to meet my family and was greeted with open arms, love, joy, and I felt an instant sense of belonging and connection. I was home. Really home. Though I accomplished my mission, I gained more than I anticipated.

While there, my eyes were opened to the stark contrast of living in one of the wealthiest countries in the world (i.e. the USA) versus living in a village where there is no infrastructure, government services, or continuous public education. Cameroon is a very diverse country with both modern cities and impoverished villages; and I have been moved to help the people in two areas that are near and dear to me...education and black history.

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (i.e. UNESCO ), public education in Cameroon is only free until age 12. Even during these primary years, families must still pay for uniforms and supply fees. Starting at age 12, families must start paying tuition as well in order to continue schooling. As you can imagine, this means impoverished citizens are not able to send their children to school. As a result, 21% of boys and 31% of girls stop attending school after age 12 per 2018 data. I heard teachers talk about how they lose students throughout the year due to families' inability to pay when I visited the school Groupe Scolaire bilingue prive' Ndamako in the village of Foumbot. (Full disclosure: One of my distant DNA match cousins is the principal of this school.) As an educator, parent, and human being who believes in service, it hurt me that children there cannot freely access schooling while we have a free public education system in the US that people take for granted. As a result, I have already paid a student's yearly tuition in Cameroon and I plan to do so annually as my personal way of giving back. That is purpose number one of this fundraiser...to urge you to join me in helping send children to school. In our currency, the cost of schooling ranges from $59 PER YEAR to cover a child's uniform and fees for preschool up to $109 PER YEAR to cover a child's tuition at the high school level at this particular school. The fact that families cannot afford to pay this amount towards their child's education gives you perspective on the level of poverty that plagues this community.

Before the slave trade, the African ancestors of African-Americans lived in complex civilizations in various parts of the African continent; and each tribe has its own history and culture that African-Americans didn't get the chance to learn or adopt. The Bamoun (also known as the Bamum) tribe in Cameroon, from which I descend, is actively trying to preserve its history for the world to see, learn, and appreciate. In the village of Foumban, the tribe began constructing a museum in 2013 which, as of the date of this posting, still isn't open to the public due to funding issues. The interior of the structure still needs work which requires funding and the tribe needs help financing the restoration and preservation of its artifacts. The tribe has 10,000+ artifacts dating back to the 1400's that are available for museum display.

For Black History Month 2024, I am asking you to donate to this fundraiser. Proceeds will be split between the school and the museum. Full disclosure: Since GoFundMe is not active in Cameroon, I will personally send your donations via Western Union to representatives of each entity once this fundraiser closes. Anyone interested in service through giving, the preservation of our past, and betterment of our future is invited to donate to these causes. Let's do this together and let's do it "for the culture."

*I have secured permission from the school's principal and from a representative of the tribe's Sultan (i.e. king) to conduct this fundraiser for these causes. The post above has been reviewed and approved by both parties. The cover photo was sent by and approved for use by the school principal.*

*This fundraiser will close at the end of February 2024.