Thirty-six (36) underprivileged youths from the Fako West Constituency are currently undergoing two-year training in different trade areas at Cameroon Opportunities Industrialization Center (COIC) Buea, thanks to a scholarship offered them by Hon Emilia Lifaka, Vice Speaker of Cameroon’s National Assembly and MP for the constituency.

COIC Buea, an affiliate of OIC International with headquarters in Philadelphia, USA, was established in 1986 as a non –profit, community-based skills training program.

COIC Buea, which started with 60 trainees today has an enrollment of about 1000 trainees.

The scholarship, baptized Hon.Emilia Lifaka Vocational Training Scholarship, which is at its second edition this year, amounted to 6.2 million FCFa and the money was publicly handed, amid thunderous applause, to the Director of Cameroon OIC, Elinge Marie Limunga last Apiril 6, at a ceremony on campus, witnessed by government officials, educationists and traditional authorities.

Each of the 36 beneficiaries(27 males and 9 females) is receiving marketable skills in one of the following specialties: Hotel catering & Management, Builidng Construction, Plumbing and Electricity, Metal Fabrication, welding and spraying, Information and Communication Tehnology,Textile & Fashion Design ,and Wood work.

The first edition of the Hon. Emilia Lifaka Vocational Training scholarship in 2014 got some 25 underprivileged youth from same constituency as beneficiaries who were trained at Cameroon OIC.
COIC Director Elinge Marie (in glasses) joins dancers

Earlier in her welcome speech, the Director of Cameroon OIC,Elinge Marie Limunga, saluted the Hon.Lifaka’s scholarship scheme, noting that the MP has brought hope to the lives and families of the beneficiaries.

“The Hon. Lifaka’s scholarship is a huge contribution towards efforts to eradicate poverty and is in line with attaining the Vision 2035, championed by President Paul Biya and which aims at causing Cameroon become an emergent Nation by then.

Also“the goal of this illustrious mother of goodwill (Hon. Lifaka) is tied to the vision and mission of OIC: that of bringing hope to the hopeless through human resource development”, said the Director, who added that a total of 61 young Cameroonians have benefited this far from the scholarship scheme. “The donor is a lady who does not only give fish, but also teaches people how to fish”

The director urged other people of goodwill to follow in the footsteps of the donor-MP and “assist the awardees in terms of transportation and sustenance”, areas where some of them still have difficulties, The Recorder learned.

In his address at the ceremony, Cameroon OIC Board chairman, retired Commandant Ekeke Njuma Moses, described Hon Lifaka as a “rare example of those in high positions who have not forgotten their roots and where they come from”

The Board chair noted: “Nothing erodes the dignity of the human race like poverty, and many of our children are stranded in the corridors of poverty because of unemployment, the lack of marketable skills and the lack of opportunities to acquire such skills.

“We are extremely thankful that our own icon and venerable elite of the Bakweri Kingdom has for the second successive time decided to sponsor 36 underprivileged youth in the different vocations at Cameroon OIC as a means to liberate them from the dungeons of hardship and give them a brand new opportunity to gain marketable skills so that they can become economically useful in the society and the their families”
Cross section of VIPS

According to Retired Commandant Ekeke Njuma Moses, Hon.Lifaka by her gesture is “teaching all of us a valuable lesson in life, namely to remember to give back to our community and to support the less privileged”

He appealed to other politicians, administrators and business people to add value to the community by supporting sustainable actions that help overcome poverty and misery.

The Board chair concluded by calling on the 36 beneficiaries to maximize the opportunity accorded them; he equally implored the public to be supportive of Cameroon OIC in whatever form.

Retired Commandant Ekeke wished that the sky should be the limit to Hon. Lifaka’s political career.

Speaking on behalf of parents of the scholarship awardees was Mola Veseke Marcus, who lavished praises on the donor-MP for choosing empowerment as her area for assistance.

“We are tired of those politicians who give us rice and beer; we now want our youths to be empowered”

A representative of the new beneficiaries was thankful to the Vice Speaker of the National Assembly, noting that the grant would help them fight unemployment and poverty, and make them self-reliant.

He promised academic excellence and self-discipline during their two-year study.

In response to previous speakers, Hon. Lifaka sang in praise of the Almighty God, noting that she was highly flattered by the kind words addressed to her person.

She said the 6.2million Fcfa was her part of the contribution for the training of 36 youth, who were selected by chiefs. “My volunteer worked with chiefs of villages to identify the beneficiaries, regardless of political or religious ties”, the Vice-Speaker told the large audience at the ceremony, which was graced by cultural dances and choral singing.

She recommended hard work and discipline to the beneficiaries. “My children, I want to tell you that the seed you sow today will determine your harvest tomorrow,” she told them.

Dignitaries who witnessed the ceremony included Humphrey Monono,Registrar of Cameroon GCE Board; Francis Ngundu,Southwest Regional Delegate for Secondary Education, Chief Etina Monono of Great Soppo and Madam Becky Effoe, Director of IVTC Buea.