The charity organisation of the First Lady, Chantal Biya, has been of great help to needy people in all the nooks and crannies of Cameroon.
Founded in 1995 by Cameroon’s First Lady, Mrs Chantal Biya, many observers thought the Circle of Friends of Cameroon (CERAC) will be a humanitarian, apolitical and non-profit making association only on paper.
But today, the achievements of CERAC through her humanitarian gestures are not only countless but have caused the government of Cameroon through presidential decree No.2007/116 of 23 April 2007 to recognise CERAC as charity organisation. In two decades, the philanthropic association has combed all the nooks and crannies of the country with gifts and assistance of all kinds to make life worth living for all the needy people. From north to south and east to west, the association’s gestures have known no bounds. Having a kind woman with a good heart at its top like Mrs Chantal Biya, CERAC at 20 and after 20 years is sure to keep growing from strength to strength in support of people with special needs in society.
Members of CERAC just like their Founding President know how much good a simple smile can do to the needy, widow and an orphan. That is why for over 20 years, every opportunity of solidarity and sharing with vulnerable people has revealed the benefits and merits of the humanitarian work CERAC has been carrying out. Since its inception, the association’s actions have focused on its priority population; the surviving children of the Nsam disaster, the elderly, orphans and vulnerable children, the sick and former victims of leprosy, children with sickle cell anaemia, the youth threatened by HIV/AIDs, rural women, underprivileged persons...
Given the statutory objectives of the association, the women have not relented in efforts to support the government in the social sectors such as health, providing potable water, combating poverty and suffering, education and training to particularly young people and rural women in the society. This accounts for the association’s most recent outing in the South Region, precisely at Biwong-Bane in the Mvila Division and Mbam and Inoubou Division of the Centre Region where they handed gifts to rural women and youths in the regions as well as rehabilitated and equipped primary schools.
The diplomatic wing of CERAC, which is made up of spouses of and members of the diplomatic corps in Cameroon have also contributed to maintain the burning flame of friendship and solidarity by joining Mrs Biya’s charity train to assist underprivileged children in the society, reinforce the educational and health systems, assist those involved in different catastrophes, boost the production output of rural women as well as intensify the fight against HIV. With such a positive balance sheet, CERAC ladies seem more motivated to pursue their unrelenting mission by ensuring that they do not only redouble their efforts but make sure well wishers join the train to give hope to many hopeless people in the country.
