Odile Prevot wishes to share her concerns on the multiple threats looming over the future of our children and their families. Africa’s population is young with 60% of Africans aged below 25; Covid-19 is a severe threat but the continent is still most affected by HIV, malaria and malnutrition, with around 2.5 million victims each year despite the existence of treatments.

SBA children live with less than $1,8 a day and while exchanging with one of our manager, he reported that “for some children being in lockdown means nothing, lockdown measures are for wealthy people. For us we have to work to get food”. This is the reason why we at SBA need you. It is to feed and treat the children. Last week the Eau Claire centre took care of 5 children who contracted malaria, one of them with a severe fever. He managed to get through it but how many will not? The World Health Organisation (WHO) is warning: “The number of Malaria deaths in Sub Saharan Africa may reach up to 769,000 in 2020, hence doubling the number reported in 2018. Such a high mortality rate was not recorded in the past 20 years”.

We should absolutely not forget that malaria is still a day to day threat in Africa and kills even more than Covid-19.

Please help our children against malaria by making a donation!

During the coronavirus pandemic, the health of our children and their families as well as the one of our on-site staff is our priority. As you know, the centers of the Serge Betsen Academy (SBA) have been closed since March 18 to reduce the spread of the virus. Now, we are focusing our efforts on making and distributing washable face masks which are commonly called mufflers in Cameroon. 

Last week, we asked Abaa, the Manager of the Zoétélé Centre to find seamstresses. Two seamstresses quickly settled in the center and started working. Meanwhile we asked our generous donor, Carole if we could use the money she raised through her Facebook birthday fundraiser to buy fabric and pay the two seamstresses for the creation of 286 washable and reusable masks.

As the Zoétélé Centre has been transformed in a place for making face masks, it is disinfected with bleach at the entrance and exit of the two seamstresses. Merlin, our driver will be responsible for shipping the masks to the SBA centres of Jardin Eden and Bafia. As for the Eau Claire Center in Bangangté, we are in discussion with a foundation who is supposed to offer us the required face masks.

Christelle uses her painting skills to stimulate creativity in children and brighten up the centre. Amongst other things, she painted a beautiful mural in the centre and produced paintings on paper and on espadrilles, which were sold for the benefit of the Serge Betsen Academy (SBA).

“My name is Christelle Gaëlle Domo Bimoga. I have been a volunteer for the past 5 years at the SBA Centre of Jardin Eden.

I would like to thank the whole SBA team, the partners, the donors, the sponsors. Thanks to their collaboration and Serge’s love for children in need, we, the staff can better help the children attending our centres.

I would like to especially thank Serge and Odile for all the help they have given me, including funding my law studies. I can now proudly say I am a law graduate.

Aside from educational support and painting classes, my role at the SBA includes teaching children basic notions of life. I sometimes also provide snacks and every now and then the old students come to give a hand under the coordination of the director Lala Nadege Noa.”

Thanks to the generous donation of pharmacist Martial who works at La Nouvelle Dignité pharmacy in Bangangté, we were able to stock up the pharmacy at the Eau Claire centre. We think it is an important measure to face a potential difficult time because of the spread of the coronavirus.

Djibril, the Head of the Eau Claire Center went to La Nouvelle Dignité pharmacy and explained to the young pharmacist how we are helping underprivileged children of our center but also their families notably by offering them a free access to basic healthcare. Martial was moved by our actions and donated 2500FCA worth of over-the-counter drugs to us and asserted he will try to donate more in the future. We would like to thank him warmly on behalf of SBA.

As recently announced, we have closed all our centers to stop the spread of the coronavirus. However, we have decided to keep the infirmary of the Eau Claire Center open during the week as its premises were built separately from the center. The nurse of the center can therefore receive patients, however patients are of course asked to limit contact with one another and to increase the distances each of them. A gap of at least 1.5 meter must imperatively be respected by patients waiting care. A poster will be hung up on the door of the infirmary explaining these measures.

Please take care of yourself!

Because of the coronavirus pandemic and following the Cameroonian government’s statements of 18 March, we have decided to close the Serge Betsen Academy (SBA) centres until further notice. During this time, our on-side teams will put in place an alternative support scheme for the children and their families.

On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) upgraded the status of the COVID-19 outbreak from epidemic to pandemic. We therefore responded by strengthening further hygiene procedures in our centres and by training our staff and the children. For example, we walked through protective behaviours and reviewed how to wash hands effectively. We encouraged everyone to share this information with their friends and family.

Unfortunately, coronavirus has been spreading in Cameroon and its borders were closed on 18 March. The COVID-19 pandemic is serious and unprecedented threat.

The SBA board therefore convened on the same day and decided to close all centres, to help limit the spread of the virus, and to protect our children, their families and our staff.

The managers of our centres are in close contact with the SBA board members to take all necessary measures as quickly as possible. We will organise disinfection of the centres and an alternative scheme for food assistance. Each child has already received rice and peanuts so as to benefit from an allowance equivalent to meals served at the centres.

We invite you to protect yourself and others by following the recommendations of Cameroon’s Health Ministry and to note the emergency numbers below: