Humanitarian Activities : CERAC Members Reaffirm Commitment

“Our unwavering commitment to assisting the less fortunate remains steadfast, even in the face of various challenges.” This statement was unanimously resounded by members of the charitable association, the Circle of Friends of Cameroon (CERAC), yesterday, January 16, 2025, during its 31st general assembly in Yaounde. The event, presided over by the First Lady, Chantal Biya, founder of the association, was a moment to take stock of the association’s activities in 2024, examine challenges, chart the way forward and celebrate moments of success, like the positive balance sheet of last year, rated at 75.4 per cent.
Before celebrating, the Deputy General Coordinator of CERAC, Angeline Ndo, chaired the deliberations of the general assembly for all members to be updated on the progress of activities and the financial situation of the association. According to Angeline Ndo, results of activities in 2024 clearly demonstrated that CERAC's social and humanitarian activities, under the leadership of Mrs. Chantal Biya, continued to play a major role in improving the living conditions of its target groups among which rural women, children, young people, and underprivileged groups. In a nutshell, CERAC last year provided support to 137 rural associations representing 6,749 people. The association also built and equipped some 10 classrooms, rehabilitated 29 classrooms in five primary and nursery schools, thereby improving learning conditions for 1,670 pupils. 12 secondary schools were also equipped, improving the learning conditions for 7,082 students. Health-wise, some five health facilities serving a total population of nearly 66,327 were rehabilitated and equipped. Furthermore, the humanitarian association of the First Lady also equipped two training centers for young people and women, among other things.
While tracking the records of 2024, the Secretary General of CERAC, Virginie Ndioro said the regional delegations and the diplomatic wing of the First Lady’s charitable association completed seven out of eleven projects in six regions of the country, giving a percentage of 64. Such statistics, it was revealed, will increase significantly in the days ahead with the completion of ongoing projects in the Littoral, South, and South-West Regions.
However, the positive execution of 2024 activities was not without challenges. It was made known that the recent economic downturn had a significant impact on the mobilization of resources from partners and donors. This resulted in a steady decline in available funding, making it difficult for the association to implement projects effectively. In addition, adverse weather conditions also delayed access to some project sites, further complicating project implementation. Such challenges did not hinder CERAC’s members from being committed to intensifying their humanitarian activities. This is why members have selected 47 humanitarian p...