national youth day!

Our day started at a school started where special activities were taking place all day to celebrate National Youth Day, which is held every year in February in Cameroon. This day celebrates children all over the country!

We met a new friend named Linda who goes to area schools and starts Peace Clubs. These are so important in Cameroon right now because of the fighting taking place in the Northwest and Southwest regions. There are families who have had to leave their homes (including Farmer and his family) because it’s not safe for them to be there.

We were honored guests and sat in the front row. Students sang, danced and recited poems about Peace. They also showed us some of the things they created in Peace Club, including a Peace Pillow they presented to us. We gave them soccer balls, art supplies, bracelets and bookmarks made by our students.
On the way home, we stopped for ice cream, which was so refreshing! The temperature in Cameroon has been in the 80’s and 90’s every day, and it’s hotter than we are used to! We rested a bit, and then went to a Youth Festival, where we met teenages who have started Peace Projects. These students won awards for their projects and we had the honor of presenting the certificates!

Everywhere we go, there are people who either know Farmer or have heard about the wonderful things he has done with gardens and providing access to clean water. He really is a hero in Cameroon!

It was fun spending time with Tantoh’s cousin, Walters, who owns a cocoa farm and is an artist. He took photos for us and cut up the sugar can we brought home.

Farmer has done many water projects, but one of the most important was bringing water to a village called Njirong. For over thirty years, they were able to take advantage of a spring from a neighboring village because of conflict. In 1997, a boy was out hiking with his dog, and discovered a source of fresh water in their own village. Three years ago, Farmer helped set up a water system so the people could easily get water, however they have to go down a hill to get it. Now he is working on raising money for a solar pump so the water can be pumped up the hill for the villagers.  We met a man from this village and Farmer showed him the book and the page in the book about Njirong; he was so proud of Farmer!
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We ended our evening like we have been doing every day - sitting on the balcony and sharing stories!