Cameroon’s First Lady and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Chantal Biya, on September 18 donated gifts to some orphans and widows of Douala worth over FCFA 2 million. The gifts, which were handed to some 158 orphans and 20 widows, were materials for school and basic household commodities. The beneficiaries, who received a pair of shoes, socks, clothes, schoolbags, writing materials and basic food items like rice, groundnut oil, salt and sugar, are members of Douala-based Association for Help to Distressed Women and Children, known by its French acronym as AAFED.
At the handing over of the donation, which was made available through the Chantal Biya Foundation, the representative of the Wouri Divisional Delegate for Social Affairs, Elobe, called on the women and orphans to stay committed to the activities being offered them so as to be responsible people in future. “Such a gift from the First Lady is indicative of the concern society has for you,” he said. The message was corroborated by AAFED President, Dimodi Ngoye Christine, at a special session with the beneficiary children. She expressed gratitude to the First Lady for always remembering the vulnerable in her community considering especially that this was not the first time she is donating to the community through the association. “We received gifts worth at least FCFA 500,000 last year from Chantal Biya via her foundation. AAFED will be working to lessen poverty through encouraging members to start up income-generating activities, set up a tailoring workshop to encourage apprenticeship skills in distressed girls and effect intense sensitisation on the dangers of HIV/AIDS and cholera,” she said while addressing the beneficiary community last Saturday at Logbessou PK14. AAFED was created on October 18, 2007, to tackle issues hinging on children of 0-18 years and and vulnerable women.
