Building
Better Communities,
Eco-Village

Prisca Suh Greets Patty Wynne looking on

VSO HANDING OVER CEREMONY IN BAMENDA 31 Jan, 2013.

Report on Meeting of WYNNE WHITE New VSO Education Program for Women caseload manager for BWB and Outgoing caseload manager Patty Stuchbery with Joshua Konkankoh, Better World Director.

The meeting started with talk from Joshua Konkankoh where he briefed Wyne White and Patty Stuchbery about Better World Cameroon BWC. BWC works with university graduates and volunteers. The student or Volunteer most have a vision In order for BWC to reconnect them back to the land rather than them thinking only to migrate to look for greener pastures elsewhere. Better World connects them to do gardening, focusing on their Visions in relation to their carriers. Each year, BWC develops cultural and educational programs for the students through which some of them are able to gain scholarships for further studies while others easily get jobs because of their training. Some students study in school while working in collaboration with those on the field (gardening) since job market is structured.
BWC has a community garden where the students can re-connect. This is what BWC calls ‘‘The Spirit of Ndanifor ”. which helps to mentor the students reconnecting them to their roots. These students find new value in the very things they had been neglecting. Through social networking, BWC is expanding its horizons in the West learning and sharing in terms of cultural education (global citizenship). BWC has partners in Japan, U.K France and Germany. Together they organize a Summer Workcamp where students and volunteers from various backgrounds learn many things concerning Permaculture, Eco-villages and Climate change. During the camp, those remaining Cameroon implement what they have learned and share with others over the internet.
Better World Bamenda BWB was started in partnership with God is Great Orphanage which takes care of the vulnerable orphans and handicapped. There is a garden for the orphans which helps to improve on their living standards. BWB now focuses on non-formal Education issues related to agriculture and environment where the young people in the community are trained to become community development technicians. This is, enabling communities to understand climate change and how to deal with food security and food sovereignty in a community.
Patty Stuchbery talked on the work VSO has done with BWC in Organizational Development, explaining how they are now working to support projects. Support to BWC’s Education Programmes is the most feasible (BWC’s new Caseload Manager Wynne White is Education Specialist), She is interested in the training of trainers, teacher training support and she’s thinking that VSO needs to also recruit agricultural experts as volunteers. This will be of immense support to Ndanifor Permaculture Eco Village Project besides curriculum support.
Wynne said VSO will need the specific details of BWB projects related to the Ndanifor Eco Village as the project is still young and big with many ramifications. VSO needs to know exactly what BWB needs from them in this project and also, they need a time line of the project.
Wynne talked of her expectations. She expects to be involved in teacher training, environmental education and health issues related to women. She has been training teachers for 15 years in 3 different countries.
Joshua Konkankoh informed the VSO expert about the concept of a council forest BWC has helped set up in Bafut Council and that the Council wishes VSO to help them make the forest become a model forest. He was asked about Better World Partnerships abroad ( and the workshops he’s attended). He explained the relevance of the Egypt Symposium on African Eco Villages to Ndanifor Permaculture Eco Village. He said Ndanifor show cases the UN Millennium Villages concept in Africa and it was useful sharing and learning with experts from around the world.
Patty Stuchbery said BWC is well connected with networks around the world and Better World Bamenda would benefit from writing joint proposals and sending them to VSO’s Head office in Yaoundé.
BWB targets women who are involved in agriculture in rural areas like Bafut. Bafut is having the highest number of women’s organized groups in the North West region, the have large farm lands and BWB wants to train young girls to take over the ailing farms and transform them into agri businesses.
After the discussions the Board of BWB presented a gift to Patty Stuchbery and congratulated her for a job well done. This was followed by family souvenir pictures and a common meal.
Wopong Joycelyn (NWADO Volunteer)