Solidarity with army:

Buea Council lends hand to Boko Haram victims

-Distributes FCFA 500,000 to families of fallen soldiers

By Boris Esono in Buea

South West authorities pose with participants

Through its Secretary General, Ewume Joseph, the Buea Council has donated FCFA 500,000 as support to the families of Cameroon’s fallen soldiers. The council made the donation recently at the Buea Council hall, during a fundraising event organized by the Fallen Patriots Foundation (FPF).

                Going by the organizers, soldiers are a vital force in Cameroon’s fight against terrorism, reason why families of fallen heroes must be given maximum assistance rather than neglect.

                The Secretary General of the Buea Council, Mr. Ewume Joseph, who represented Mayor Ekema Patrick, decried the maltreatment of families of the country’s fallen soldiers. "We should support these soldiers and their families even when our relatives are not involved in the fight against Boko Haram. It is incumbent on us to take care of the families left behind by the dead of the husband or father"- Mr. Ewume said.

                To him, a single book, pen or any didactic material will go a long way to make sure that the children left behind by the fallen soldiers get adequate education; which will better their lives. The SG indicated that the donation given by the council (FCFA 500000) was a little token to show appreciation for the help FPF has been doing to better the life of some 450 children registered under the foundation.

                According MrsNdiwame Laura, Founder and Coordinator of FPF, the Fallen Patriot Foundation has since its creation in 2005 taken upon itself to make sure that children of fallen soldiers go back to school come September. She urged participants to support these children either financially, morally or materially as a child being given the opportunity to go back to school helps a lot.

The fundraising was marked by an exhibition of a film showing those soldiers who are giving up their lives to defend and safeguard our fatherland and dying in the process. Madam MenganNganku, owner of St. Therese Primary and Secondary School pledged to sponsor all the children of the SWR under the foundation to go to school come September. The same commitment was made by IHS who plans to support all the children from Maroua and Garoua.

                At the end of the fundraising event, more than FCFA Five hundred and Twenty (520) thousand was realized in solidarity with the foundation and families of the fallen soldiers.