Reading is Healing: Restoring Hope and Joy to kids affected by the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon

Few people like to go to the hospital, even to visit a relative. If you have ever spent a few days there, you know how unpleasant it can be. So, imagine how uncomfortable, sad, and stressful it can be for a child in hospital, especially during December and New Year holidays, which are eagerly awaited and appreciated by the children? Imagine the sadness of a child who found himself/herself in Dschang despite him/her after losing his/her parents or close relatives?

It has been scientifically proven that books greatly influence the imagination by facilitating imagination. In this way, they accelerate the speed of recovery for patients, as joy and smiles create a mental environment conducive to recovery. Reading and play are therefore very important for sick children, whether they are read to or read alone.

Through this crowdfunding campaign, your donation will allow us to promote and encourage reading as a therapeutic practice, a joyful act and a transformative health experience for young people, children and displaced families in Dschang. The goal is to enhance their smiles and joy through reading activities, storytelling, humour and gift giving. The funds raised through this campaign will be entirely dedicated to:

• the purchase of gifts for hospitalised and underprivileged children: clothes, toys, educational and play material for children, etc.
• The purchase of children's books that promote courage, perseverance and joy.
• The mobilisation of comedians and humorists for some of the activities.

There will be between 90 and 100 children for the activity:

• About 30 will be interned at the hospital on 23 December. But this number may change as some may recover just as others may be admitted.
• At least 70 will be identified by the CDA, which works directly with Internally Displaced groups and families in Dschang. They will assist us in identifying and supporting the children most in need. But if resources allow, we will support more than 60.

ACTIVITIES

• Reading of stories, poems, and rhymes.
• Humour and laughter sessions by comedians
• Donation of children's books and individual Christmas gifts

The activities, scheduled for 23 Dec 2020 (hospitalized children) and 24 Dec and 1 Jan 2021 (internally displaced children) will be facilitated by experienced youth workers, psychologists and animators specialized in childhood education.

HOW TO CONTRIBUTE?

• Financially: No amount is insignificant. Everyone participates in the amount they want, and all payments are secure.
• Spiritually: more important than money, you can put us in prayer for a smooth running of the activity and above all for God to heal the wounded or saddened hearts of these children, those who have recently lost a loved one.
• Materially: If you have books, clothes, vouchers, or children's items in good condition, please bring them to the Alliance Franco-Cameroonian headquarters in Dschang. Contact: +237-690-201-989
• Time: If you live in Cameroon, you can also join the team of volunteers who work on this activity. For more information: +237 697874364

You can too:

• Subscribe to our pages to follow the progress of the project implementation: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
• Join ournewsletterfor the next activities, tips to develop a taste for reading with children in the family and news about video games in Africa. We will also send you photos and videos of the activity.
• Write to us for any suggestion or comment.

WHY SUPPORT MUNA KALATI?

1. A team of credible and experienced volunteers committed to community development through reading and play.
2. We publish the first and only mag with analyses and news about children and youth books in Africa. A reference in the book industry in Africa.
3. 27 combined years of experiencein the successful organisation of reading, writing, storytelling and play workshops with toddlers, children, and young people.
4. The financial capacities of the association have been affected by COVID-19. Hence the urgency to call for the solidarity of friends of reading and childhood.
5. The opportunity to contribute to the happiness and joy of about a 100 children, some of whom are internally displaced persons who lost their parents, brothers or friends during the attacks in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon. Some of them were traumatised much more by their mental than physical injuries. Reading and playing will therefore allow them to escape, dream and hope for a better future.

PARTNERS

The activity will be carried out in partnership with the publishing house Akoma Mba, which specialises in publishing children's books in Cameroon, and the Cameroon Debate Association, the initiator of the initiative PARADE, a project for the empowerment of internally displaced persons from the English-speaking crisis present in Dschang. The CDA will help in the identification of the neediest IDP children in Dschang.

PROVISIONAL BUDGET

Transparency is a fundamental value at Muna Kalati. Below is an overview in simple and understandable terms of the minimum budget required.

• 3000 FCFA (minimum purchase price of an illustrated children's book)
• 3000 FCFA (Average price for the purchase of male and female gifts or toys locally produced)
• 500 FCFA Snack (because you should never visit the children without a snack)
• So 6500 FCFA (10 euros) for each child on average.
• That is 655 000 FCFA for 100 children.
• Logistical costs and other contingencies (nose mask, communication, transport of some displaced children, disinfectant etc): 70 000 FCFA
• In total, an average of 715,000 FCFA will be needed, 4% of which will go to GoGetFunding (28600 F).
• So we would like to mobilise at least 743,600 FCFA in order to obtain the desired amount. However, if we get more, it will allow us to integrate more children.

Would you like to help us collect more donations? Share this campaign with your contacts and in your social networks.

Thank you in advance!