One of the most impactful stories I brought back from Cameroon last year was the Buea School for the Deaf (BSD). Years ago, the Bibums, a married and deaf couple, began an outreach program for deaf children and eventually opened a school with over 100 students.

When I was there, children were studying in dilapidated, gloomy classrooms during the day and then pushing aside their desks to sleep on the cold floor at night. You can read the full story and see a video of Mr. Bibum’s reaction to our sponsorship offer here.

Judging from the comments left by readers of our blog, this story of the Bibum’s compassion and perseverance resonated with many others as well. I’m thrilled to provide you with an update on this Obakki Foundation-sponsored project.

In September 2010, the BSD moved from their cramped, rented space into a three-room cement structure (having sturdy construction is essential with the unrelenting rainy season). The rooms have been partitioned to make five classrooms and a temporary administrative office. In October 2010 a lavatory and second building with four classrooms were finished, and by the end of this month new dormitories are due to be completed.

They will use generators until electrical lines can be provided and children take turns fetching water two kilometers away until the new well is dug, but already the staff is reporting positive results: fewer students are ill; parents are more punctual with their fees; and the overall atmosphere is one of joyful excitement.

Thank you to everyone who purchased Obakki Foundation merchandise or made donations – you are making a difference in the lives of those who need it most.

This entry was posted on Friday, January 14th, 2011 at 10:20 am and is filed under Project Update. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.