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Interview with Ajomuzu Collette Bekaku – Founder and Executive Director of CAPEC

ColletteCameroon Association for the Protection and Education of the Child (CAPEC) is one of Develop Africa's Partner in Cameroon.  Below is an interview with Ajomuzu Collette Bekaku – Founder and Executive Director of CAPEC

 
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: What was the original interest in the protection and education of children?

Child Trafficking in Africa

For decades, countries in Africa have been marked with the issue of child trafficking. In the past few years, this problem has been increasing. In a 2014 Global Report by the UN, child trafficking has increased by 5 percent from 2007-2010 [1]. Governments in Rwanda, South Africa, and Ethiopia have all reported a discernible rise in child trafficking cases [2][4][5].

What are the Chances of Survival for an African Child?

An African child dies every 35 seconds from pneumonia [1,2]. Every minute one child dies from malaria [3], one child dies from measles [4], and six children die from pneumonia or diarrhea [2]. As of 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates five children under the age of five die every minute in the African region [6]. Preventable deaths rank highest on the list of ‘under five’ childhood killers in Africa.

Eat Your Veggies

Eat all of your veggies because there are people in Africa who are starving. I doubt I am the only one who heard that (or some other variation) as a child growing up in America. I think statements like that do little more than help solidify stereotypes about Africa and starvation. It is not as if the food that has already been bought, cooked and served by my Mother was ever going to end up in Africa. That food never even had a chance of making it to the local homeless shelter, never mind shipping it to another continent.

Advance the Future of Sierra Leone with Computers

Government policies in Sierra Leone that exclude pregnant girls from attending school are short-sighted. Supporters of these policies do not seem to recognize the long-term effects of their decisions on the economy and society as a whole – an education could potentially help these young mothers become assets rather than burdens. Lack of education is a major obstacle that is preventing young mothers from becoming productive, tax-paying members of the work force.

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Families in Sierra Leone face unprecedented challenges due to rising costs. Inflation makes it difficult for them to afford basic food staples such as rice, cooking oil, and onions.

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