In all the back to school euphoria in Cameroon not all were just as enthused, especially the less privileged.

The latter reason and some other considerations prompted Councillor Stella Dopgima Eteki Njoh of Buea Council, precisely from Buea Central 3, also known as Stranger Quarter West 1,2 and 3 to reach out to the needy students from her constituency.

Some 50 pupils and 5 secondary school students from Stranger Quarter were given bags, books, pens, pencils and financial incentives to carry on with the 2014/2015 academic year.

According to the benefactor, Eteki Njoh, it was a moment of extending a hand of solidarity to her younger brothers and sisters in Stranger Quarter, where she is the Councillor.

“I christened the project ‘operation ten thousand a child’ that is spending at least FCFA 10,000 for a child, but from the way things have been going, I have spent more than FCFA 10,000 for each of the 55 needy students. I know that their education is important. All can be taken away from you except your education. This is a gesture aimed at paying back to where I came from,” she explained.

Eteki Njoh said her wish is to see the underprivileged children be comfortable in school by providing them with adequate school needs, while promoting academic excellence. “Education is an essential building block that leads to a better life for all and is the key to improving our community, so, brothers and sisters, take advantage of this opportunity and excel in life,” she noted.

She enumerated a series of action plans for Stranger Quarter, which included an adult literacy programme for grandmothers, who are increasingly babysitting for their grandchild (ren). “These mothers of ours need some basic education, especially in administering drugs to the children and communicating with them,” Eteki Njoh explained.

Buea Mayor, Patrick Esunge Ekema felt challenged, as the head of the institution that one of his Councillors has taken a positive step ahead, while he is still to do so, after they were elected Councillors for Buea municipality in the 2013 municipal and parliamentary elections. He took a commitment to follow in the direction of Councillor Eteki Njoh, saying he has learnt a lot from Njoh’s gesture.

“Let the rest of the Councillors copy the example of Mrs Stella Eteki Njoh. Learning is continuous process. We have to go back to our respective communities and demonstrate similar examples. We have to make our population feel the presence of a Councillor in their constituencies.”

Ekema indicated that the gesture is that of Councillor Eteki Njoh and not Buea Council. “It is her initiative and we thank her for that. There is no sponsorship from Buea Council,” he mentioned.

Southwest Regional Delegate of Secondary Education, Francis Ngundu Mokumba, invited the pupils, the students and their parents to keep the didactic materials and make good use of them. He will add; “Let us continuously help our children, share the little we have and feel for others.”

On behalf of the notables and members of the traditional council of Stranger Quarter, Martin Tabufor of Afosi Bookshop, Buea, expressed glee with the gesture from Councillor Eteki Njoh, while wishing for more from her and the authorities of Buea municipality.

Bridget Briney and Samuel Likafi, all beneficiary students, promised to make good use of the materials given to them and to make their parents and families proud by being assiduous in their school work.