Subject: Engaging Africa

While BetterWorld Cameroon (BWC) is extending a hand to Knowhow Nonprofit, Cameroon is getting to boiling point due to high food prices youth unemployment and the financial crisis.

There's been no war in Cameroon since independence, that's why it's been described as an island of peace in turbulent sud saharan Africa.

The absence of war would have meant an environment for growth and development, but due to the system of government and mismanagement of the county's natural resources, poverty in cameroon is worse than in countries at war.

This to my own understanding is because any sustainable development needs a certain level of social justice an devlopment education. BWC is fighting to make the voice of young people heard, because they represent the future, but are denied their basic human rights.

Would anyone like to be involved in our Link Up Africa through Knowhow to empower young people to be able to share understanding an contribute their indigenous knowlege to global environmental issues? www.betterworld-cameroon.com

I think there is likely to be a variety of organisations that can help. I for instance work for Green-Works, a charity and social enterprise who divert office an school furniture from landfill - one of the schemes we run is donating furniture to the developing world. We have provided furniture from NGO's, schools, orphanges, hospitals, libraries and ITC facitilies across Africa and Aisa; Sierra Leone is currently a big focus for us, we are working with CODEP on a project called the Big read - providing a library in every school with a minimum of 2 books per pupil.

If it is ITC you are particulary interested in generating help for, we work with an organisation called Digital links - they provided the computers and we provided the furniture. But i think there are quite a lot of organisations out there doing this...we find the hardes bit is getting the funding fo the shipments.

We have some information on our site about our overseas work - check it out http://www.green-works.co.uk/pages/aroundtheworld.asp

Whener it comes to Africa we are always behind and we are the one who lag behind.Unfortunately we also DONT belive that we can bring in the very much needed change in this continent.I feel that there are LOTS andLOTS of NGOS and organisations that claim that they are doing work in Africa....how do u account for over 200 primary schools in the Rural Area of Siaya in kenya NOT even knowing what a computer is and telling the world that they have now access to computres?I know it since i am there and so many a times we are told that computers have been sent to us....the government tells us that there is an ICT program for schools and that we are in it....lots of the NGOs tell us that they are willing to help and that we will get help soon....well....thats just the tip of the ICE berg!I fail to understand....isnt there really someone out there who is willing to help here in Africa?If NOT for Africa  just for the sake of the children and these communities that need this kind of help URGENTLY! 

If you want IT equipment, talk to Computeraid. They have a successful programme in Kenya and other African countries.

IT resources can be harnessed to train youth into skills through CBT based programs even accounting, agriculture etc.