Name of organization: Community Development Volunteers for Technical Assistance
Abbreviation: CDVTA Cameroon
CDVTA main contact person: Francis Njuakom Nchii (Founder & Director)
Date of Creation: 11th May 1998
Authorization nº: Legally registered with the government of Cameroon with Registration No: NW/GP/01/98/1940. CDVTA collaborates with the government of Cameroon through the Ministry of So
cial Affairs with authorization to operate; Ref: N0: AS921300/L/MINAS/SG/DIDESEC/CECO/CEA1 of July 1 2008 and the Ministry of Territorial Administration with Ref: No: 005/ACK/E.32/050/2007/A2 of August 17 2007. United Nations Status: Granted Special Consultative Status with Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of United Nations since July 2010
Areas of specialization: Advocacy, human rights, positive ageing/care of older people Children’s education, HIV/Aids education, Hygiene, food security, environment/climate change, women/gender, Governance, water and sanitation, micro-credits, & youth development through volunteering in local communities. Website: www.cdvta.org
Email: [email protected]
Tel: Fixed: +237 33 36 16 76. Mobile: +237 99 87 96 09
Area of Coverage: The Republic of Cameroon
CDVTA contact address in Cameroon
Head office,
2nd Floor
Ke-Mvi Tower Building
Metta Quarters
P.O.Box 5091, Nkwen Post office
Bamenda. North West Region
Republic of Cameroon Central/West Africa
Tel: Landline +237 33 36 16 76
Mobile: +237 99 87 96 09
Email address: [email protected]
Website: www.cdvta.org
Governance
CDVTA is governed by a Board of 7 Trustees, 2 of them women. The Board of Trustees is the supervisory body of the organization. They are democratically elected by all the project areas, to represent the interest and voices of the elderly at the Board level. There are also project area executive committees, made up 60% women. These committees act as supervisory bodies in the project areas and oversee the proper functioning of all project activities in the zone. The Board of Trustees collaborates with the Director of CDVTA in overseeing the effective management of the organization with emphasis on the prudent controlling /management of Finances according to agreements with donors and giving value and stewardship for donor money, on project activities. Together with the Director, they administer project finances, on behalf of CDVTA and report back progress to donors. They identify specific budget codes for projects and allocate resources for activities following the rules and regulations spelt out in the partnership finance control mechanism, with requirements for clear reporting on expenditure against budget heads. The Board appraises the organization in terms of value for money, through continuous and rigorous evaluation, in collaboration with the Finance Department. Quantitative and qualitative evaluation is undertaken, starting from base lining, spend, activity and user satisfaction/quality of life measures, and progressing through cycles of action- findings to final evaluation. The CDVTA Board considers value for money, alongside other important considerations at regular intervals. Financial audits are conducted annually independently, by recognized certified chartered auditors, with long-standing history of audits in renowned establishments and hired by the Board. One of the Board members is from the ministry of social affairs and, advises the Board and CDVTA on government’s framework on care of older people and promotion of their rights. The Board meets three times in a year and advises the Director of CDVTA on the day to day running of the organization. During these sessions, the Board reviews the finances of the organization with attention on the original proposal, budgets and expenditures. The Board also evaluates staff performance against deadlines to assigned tasks. Aim: CDVTA enhances the skills of poor people (children, women, disabled, older people, indigenous people & youth) to increase their well being and achieve lasting benefits in their lives. Mission: The mission of CDVTA is to empower poor people and their groups to building active and sustainable communities based on social justice and mutual respect. Vision; A society where everyone irrespective of status can lead a meaningful and satisfactory life with dignity, reducing poverty, improving livelihoods, accessing community support, understanding and accessing rights as well as participating actively in local decision making structure, for national sector policy changes without oppression
CORE VALUES of CDVTA:
The stakeholders, Board members and staff members are required to adhere to the Community Development Volunteers for Technical Assistance development core values as stated below:
• Learning: recognizing the skills, knowledge and expertise that people contribute and develop by taking action to tackle social, economic, political and environmental problems.
• Equality: CDVTA challenges the attitudes of individuals, and the practices of institutions and society, which discriminates against marginalized people.
• Participation: CDVTA facilitates democratic involvement by disadvantaged people in the issues which affect their lives based on full citizenship, autonomy, and shared power, skills, knowledge and experience.
• Co-operation : CDVTA works with all development partners and stakeholder together to identify and implement development actions, based on mutual respect of diverse cultures and contributions.
• Social Justice: CDVTA enables disadvantaged people to claim their human rights meet their needs and have greater control over the decision-making processes which affect their lives.
• Self-dignity, humility and respect for others. In CDVTA we treat people the same no matter their race, religion, gender, status, size, age or country/community of origin. CDVTA implements policies and procedures towarsd making people feel that they are treated fairly and equally.
• Team building and dedication to service: CDVTA ensures effectiveness in team leadership, competencies, focused on agreed goals, that create a collaborative climate, builds confidence of team members, sets priorities, demonstrates sufficiency “know-how” and manages performance through feedback.
• Financial Stewardship: At CDVTA, we strive to be financially accountable to our donors, and to the communities we serve.
• Accountability: At CDVTA we are very careful with how we spend the money our donors entrust to us. We know that funds given to us no matter how small, can transform the lives of very poor neediest people living in remote rural communities.. Philosophy:
“Selfless service to poor neediest People & families in remote rural communities”
Number of paid staff: 20
Number of part-time staff: 35
Number of non–paid volunteers: 350
Annual Income as of 2012: 464,000 USD
Availbale logistics to support development work in Cameroon.
• CDVTA has 4 vehicles (two 4x4s to support the monitoring of work with older people in villages and two buses for transporting older people to meet with senior government officials and policy makers in Cameroon’s capital city, Yaounde.
• CDVTA has 7 strong motor bikes good for mountain communities and rough terrain used by field staff for monitoring project activities in villages
• CDVTA has a well equiped head office in a rented premises in the Nort h West Capital of Bamenda. The office has computers, printers, photopiers, email and internet services etc
• CDVTA has a second office in the town of Bamenda well equiped and coordinates and momitors Nouvelle Planete activities and projects in Cameroon.
• CDVTA has qualified staff who have succeeded to deliver excellent results on the DFID five year funded project, health and sanitaion projects (WASH), education/classroom contructrution projects, tree planting /environmental biodiversity projects, women’s projects, volunteer projects and who are capable of replicatring the best parctices of this project in other regions of Cameroon. International affiliations: CDVTA is affiliated to:
Methodist Relief and Development Fund (MRDF UK)
Nouvelle Planete Suisse
International Federation on Ageing (IFA). United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
Current donors:
British Government Department for International Development (DFID)
Methodist Relief and Development Fund (MRDF)
Nouvelle Planete Switzerland
Current on-going projects:
1) Five year project on realizing rights and improving livelihoods of elderly people in rural communities in North West Cameroon. Project worth £635,560.91 (currently in its 5th year) from 09/2009 to 08/2014. (Project funded by DFID/MRDF UK) Project employed 18 full time staff, improved salaries with 12 working in the villages and 6 at the head office in Bamenda.
2) Ijim older women’s biodiversity project in North West Cameroon (bee keeping, organic farming, organic gardening, tree planting, medicinal plants). Project worth 34,297 € for one year Jan-Dec 2013 funded by Nouvelle Planete Switzerland. Project uses part-time staff.
3) Construction and equipment of 2 classrooms/ VIP Toilet in Baingo village North West Cameroon for the education of children in collaboration with the local community, school authorities & older people of that community. A project worth 47,822 € for the year 2013 funded by Nouvelle Planete Switzerland. Project used part-time staff.
4) Construction and equipment of 2 classrooms/ VIP Toilet in Elemighong village North West Cameroon for the education of children in collaboration with the local community, school authorities & older people of that community. A project worth 49,929 € for the year 2013 funded by Nouvelle Planete Switzerland. Project used part-time staff.
5) Five year scholarship to 50 HIV affected orphans catered for by older people in the village of Kedjom Ketinguh in North West Cameroon (payment for uniform, shoes, books, pens, school bags, pencils, tuition, birth certificates etc). project worth 19,084 € funded by Amicale Kedjom Ketinguh Switzerland through Nouvelle Planete Switzerland. Past projects:
2012
1) 3 classrooms/office constructed & equipped in Kedjom Ketinguh village North West Cameroon for the eduaction of children, worth: 49,230 € in collaboration with the local community, school authorities and older people of the community, funded by Nouvelle Planete Switzerland. Project used part-time staff.
6) 2. Construction/equiment of 2 Classrooms/VIP Toilet at Acha school in North West Cameroon worth 46,470 € for the education of children in collaboration with the local community, school authorities and older people of the community funded by Nouvelle Planete Switzerland. Project used part-time staff.
7) 3. Construction of VIP toilet/supply of books, computers/accessories, electricity, water etc at Anyajua school North West Cameroon worth: 13,716 € in collaboration with the local community and school authorities funded by Nouvelle Planete Switzerland. Project used part-time staff.
2011:
8) Construction/equiment of 2 Classrooms/VIP Toilet at Kedjom Ketinguh school in North West Cameroon worth 33,481 € for the education of children in collaboration with the local community, school authorities and older people of the village funded by Nouvelle Planete Switzerland. Project used part-time staff.
9) Implemented a project on environment called ‘Fundong Highlands older people’s biodiversity project in North West Cameroon (bee keeping, organic farming, organic gardening, tree planting, medicinal plants). Project worth 26,983 € for one year Jan-Dec 2011 funded by Nouvelle Planete Switzerland. Project used part-time staff.
10) Water project constructed in Kedjom Ketinguh village in collaboration with the local community and older people of that community worth 26,945 € funded by Nouvelle Planete Switzerland. Project used part-time staff.
2009/2010
11) Renovation/equipment of six classrooms & Health centre at Anyajua school in North West Cameroon worth about 22,900 € for the education of childre, in collaboration with the local community, school authorities and older people of that community funded by Nouvelle Planete Switzerland. Project used part-time staff.
12) Constructed a recreational Centre for older people, HIV/Aids orphans and the disbaled in Kouoptamo village, West Region of Cameroon in collaboration with the local community worth 24,000 € funded by Nouvelle Planete Switzerland. Project used part-time staff.
13) Momo children’s tree planting project involving 10 primary schools in North West Cameroon (Tree planting, organic gardening & medicinal plants). Project worth 9,800 € for one year Jan-Dec 2010 in collaboration with the school authorities co-funded by Fred Foundation Netherlands, MRDF UK, Institute of Agriculture, forestry and Climate Change Control and the local community. Project uses part-time staff.
2007-2009:
Implemented a 3 year project on homecare and improvement older peoples’ livelihoods worth £82,000 funded by the Methodist Relief and Development Fund (MRDF). Project implemented in the villages of Anyajua, Oshie and Limbo in North West Cameroon. Successful results of this project led to a DFID five year funded project with the collaboration of MRDF in 26 rural communities in North West Cameroon. Project due to end in August 2014. Project employed 15 staff, improved their salaries with 10 working in the villages and 5 doing administartion and project supervision from head office in Bamenda.
2005-2007
Implemented a livelihood support project in some Boyo, Momo and Bui villages in North West Cameroon. Project worth £35,000 funded by the Methodist Relief and Development Fund (MRDF). Project employed its first staff mainly upgraded volunteers into full time staff and paid small salaries. There were 8 village based staff and 3 working at the CDVTA head office in Bamenda.
2004-2005:
CDVTA gained partnership with MRDF UK and started the first Home care project for older persons in the village of Anyajua in North West Cameroon, establishing the first 13 social older peoples, clubs with 26 community based volunteers supporting the project sustainability. Project worth £7,100 funded by MRDF UK. Project used volunteers only with no paid staff at this stage.
2003:
CDVTA carried out mobilization of older people in villages around belo Sub Division in North West Cameroon training over 100 older persons on bee keeping, donating the 15 goats to 15 older peoples clubs as well as a corn mill to older people of Anjang, Oshie and Tehayoin villages for Income Generation. Funding from the British High Commission in Cameroon and Voluntary Services Overseas office in Yaounde Cameroon. Project used volunteers only with no paid staff at this stage.
2000-2003
1.Renovation & equipment of the Aduk village Integrated Health Centre, now a government Health Centre, in Fundong Sub Division (2000-2002) with funding from UK based McHenry Rural Health Care.
2. Constructed and equipped a Health Centre/Maternity in Ntum village of Belo Sub Division, Boyo Division (2003-2004) with funding from UK based McHenry Rural Health Care.
3. Constructed a water project for the whole of Ntum village in 2004 with funding from UK based McHenry Rural Health Care. Other achievements and donations to women & older people in North West Cameroon since 1998
1.685 elderly persons trained in bee farming (80% of them are men)
1.878 elderly persons trained on ointment production (60% of them are women)
2.765 elderly women trained on medicinal plants gardening
947 elderly people trained on passion fruit production (60% of them are women)
CDVTA is awarded the UK Sheila McKechnie Foundation International campaigner Award in July 2008 at Number 10, downing street, London by the then UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown
This award had a huge influence on the government of Cameroon who became very interested in the work of CDVTA with the Minister of Social Affairs sending a letter of congratulations to CDVTA.
2009-2012 winner of the Guardian Post Award in Cameroon for best managed NGO & best NGO in advocacy on older people’s rights.
345 goats donated to elderly persons
11.079 cutlasses donated to elderly persons
11.506 hoes donated to elderly women
11.250 bush lamps donated to elderly people
22.506 blankets donated to elderly persons
1.078 pullovers donated to elderly persons
840 gardening equipments/seedlings donated to elderly persons
11.030 medicinal plant seedlings donated to elderly persons
2.000 passion fruit seedlings donated to elderly people
Loans worth 1,600 USD issued out to 20 women’s groups in North West Cameroon with 100% recovery. Collaboration with the Government of Cameroon. CDVTA is a key collaborator with the governmemnt of Cameroon, through the ministries of social affairs, territorial administration, agriculture, forestry, women’s affairs & Finance etc. In 2009, CDVTA brought together 1000 older people from its beneficiary communities in North West Cameroon who met and discussed issues on their rights with the Minister of Social Affairs at its Head Office in Bamenda. In May 2010, the Cameroon government and the United Nations office for Human rights in Central Africa supported the participation of CDVTA at the expert meeting on the human rights of older persons in Geneva from the 25th to 26th May 2010. In July 2010 joined other stakeholders in actively participating in fine tuning a draft National policy on ageing in Cameroon which is currently under studies in the Prime Minister’s office. In the run up to of CDVTA’s 2011 convention, CDVTA led a delegation of 12 older people to meet the Prime Minister personally and discuss issues affecting their rights. At the same time, reminding him of a follow-up on the draft national policy on ageing under study by his government. This visit generated a high level of press coverage and significantly raised the profile of issues surrounding the rights of older persons in Cameroon. The Director of CDVTA meets regularly with the Prime Minister to further discuss issues on these. The awareness created by CDVTA’s current project funded by UK government Department for International Development, [DFID] and the Methodist Relief and Development Fund, [MRDF - UK], has led to several national media awards such as : Lifetime best press award for excellence/Best NGO, the Guardian Post achievement award 2011, Cameroon Post award of Excellence, National press award for excellence by the Watchdog tribune 2012, the life time magazine newspaper award 2011. With CDVTA’s direct intervention and meetings with senior journalists of the state’s audio-visual media, the Cameroon Radio & Television has featured several documentaries on the rights of older persons both on radio and television. These documentaries are continuous with finally the birth of a national radio weekly programme; “Facing Ageing” which is aired every Wednesday at 9pm. Our strategy on using regional conventions has caused greater awareness on older peoples’ issues at national and international level. This has resulted in a number of reports written by different government services to the presidency of the Republic on the work of CDVTA and its impact on older people. Conventions are forums that gather large crowds of elderly people in one area annually to make their voices heard by speaking to senior government officials, policy makers, traditional authorities, religious leaders etc on issues that affect their rights. They are a positive celebration of ageing (with traditional theatre skits music, games and competitions between project’s participants) and give the opportunity to raise awareness on elderly people rights, challenges and needs in Cameroon. CDVTA remains Cameroon’s only organization that has ever brought together crowds of 15,000 to 25,000 elderly people in one gathering. Conventions became the cornerstone of CDVTA’s advocacy and media campaigns. Such events are mostly paid for by local contributions. For 2013, the convention date has been set for the 5th of December in the North West Region of Cameroon. This date is usually set aside by older persons in collaboration with CDVTA. The theme is usually caved out from the United Nations theme for the celebration of the International Day of Older Persons for that year which usually takes place on October 1st.
