Night

We travel from Lewoh through Dschang to The Parlimentarian Flats Hotel in Buea. The drive is long, the roads are bad and by the time we arrive, everyone is covered in red dust from the surrounding land. We’re too tired to care and collapse into our sleeping bags (you wouldn’t dare use the bed at this hotel!).

5:30 a.m.

At home, it’s commonly referred to as a nice, warm shower, but here I call my morning routine the daily bucket. I’m looking forward to getting the red dirt off of me, but in addition to the usual share of brown water, I get an added bonus in the form of a thick layer of larvae and bugs. Moth exfoliation, anyone?

The Orphanage

Christian. Edward. Peter. Levis. Sebastian. Ngasse. Etienne. Henry. Isiah. Brandon. Solomon. Paul. Lawrence. Hans.

These are the names of the fourteen orphaned boys at this orphanage. These children have been abandoned at an early age and have since been disregarded by society as dirty, useless orphans. Their names are all that they have and they deserve some respect.

The boys original orphanage was a chicken coop. Fourteen boys and their headmaster slept on the floor of this disgusting room in order to have a shelter over their heads. We have since built them a new shelter—no child should have to live like that, especially these children who have already dealt with so much hardship.

I meet with every single child in private to hear from him personally. They aren’t used to getting undivided attention and start out very shy and reserved. But once they start talking everyone has so much to say. I hear their stories from the past—all too sad and personal to even begin discussing here.

I hear their current struggles, like having to split five cups of rice a day between sixteen people, or not being able to concentrate in school because their past experiences creep into their minds.

These children need more than food. They need counseling. They need ways of coping with what they have seen. They need someone to care about them. They need the promise of a new future. They need a friend.

These boys are part of the ‘What Makes You Happy’ campaign and I’m very eager to let them know that so many people at home are beginning to hear their words, read their letters and see their art. And that people care. I promise them that I’ll bring as much attention to this project as possible so they don’t have to worry about their future anymore.

Their words will be available on Obakki product in January—please come back and help raise money for these beautiful children.

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