Category Archives: Her Voice Club

DMF At The Limbe Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) 2017

Denis Miki Foundation exhibited at the Limbe Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) from the 8th of April to April 15th 2017. Under the distinguished patronage of the Minister of Arts and Culture; The Limbe Festival of Arts and Culture showcases the cultural affluence of the creative and talented Cameroonian people in all its facets. The most spectacular aspect of this cultural jamboree is its inclusive nature as it provides room for exhibitions from all parts of our colourful and richly blessed Fatherland. The ambiance of this event is also enhanced by its international dimension as it is graced by participation from other African countries like Nigeria, Togo, Benin and others.
Highlights of the event include the highly acclaimed canoe race, the great marathon, energetic and exciting tradition dances, breathtaking arts and cultural exhibitions, rib-cracking tug of war and the famous traditional wrestling.

As an Art Exhibitor ar FESTAC, it was our first exhibition of our BellePaper products. The BellePaper project by DMF is birthed thanks to our wonderful collaboration with Rural Women Development Center – RuWDEC. Thanks to the Limbe public who welcomed the product with so much enthusiasm and “Waohhhhssss”.

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BellePaper is the transformation of waste paper to beautiful flower jars or paper baskets. Another phase of the project is the skills training to children and interested members of the public on recycling of waste paper from trash to treasurable products.

 

Young Commited Peer Educators Set Out To Fight HIV/AIDS In Communities Around Cameroon

At the age of 24 I started on a journey to give back to my community through a holistic empowerment program that I named Denis Miki Foundation. It was a self-bound vision but which could not be implemented alone for the impact I had envisioned for the future. To be able to attain my set out goals I needed to get others in the community involved and one of the target groups I needed in my team to work where youth. So as a Social Entrepreneur I set out to recruit young volunteers to join me in my vision for change.

One of the areas I felt needed intervention was the Health Sector but my entry level was more of a preventive and community health approach. So Denis Miki Foundation recruited volunteers who were trained and prepared for service to the community through partnerships with local and international partners. At the beginning of the journey 5 volunteers were recruited but 4 years later we are counting 30 and above committed volunteers who are from the ages of 12 to 35 and who are proposing solutions to challenges in our communities.

In the area of health DMF as a Sub-Contractor for a Global Fund project in partnership with Reach Out Cameroon and IFPP on HIV/AIDS we have 20 young girls aged between 16-35 on the field as HIV/AIDS Peer Educators educating their peers who are school-drop-outs on preventive measures of HIV/AIDS, how to live responsible lives, to go for free HIV/AIDS screening at partner health centers, and mobile HIV/AIDS screening outreach programs at local community markets.

Ijang Valerine an 18 years old is one of the Young Female Peer Educators who has for the last 7 months given back to her community by educating young girls and boys of her age group on the ills of HIV/AIDS and how it affects economic growth and hinders orphaned children growing up after losing a parent to AIDS from growing up in a family with parental care and support. Valerine teaches her peers why it is important to know how to prevent being infected by the virus, screen for HIV/AIDS regularly and how to manage the disease if already infected with the virus and how to prevent Mother-To-Child Transmission. She has been able to also recruit new young girls to join her as volunteer Peer Educators in the fight against HIV/AIDS in our communities.

Like Valerine, the other young girls are finding their purpose as they give back to their communities. It is part of Denis Miki Foundation’s goal to get Youths In The Picture for development through Health, Sports, Arts and Talent for a healthy and economically empowered Cameroon and Africa as a whole. To be able to do this we are open to new partnerships and funding opportunities. And welcome partners from all over as we join hands to create the change we want

DMF Celebrates International Women’s Day Through A Sensitization Campaign at the Field

The theme for the 2017 International Women’s Day celebration is “Be Bold for Change”. For International Women’s Day 2017 and beyond, individuals and organisations were encouraged to #BeBoldforChange by taking ground breaking action that truly drives the greatest change for women. Many influencers around the world committed to bold action to accelerate gender parity, acknowledging their responsibility to do what they can to forge a more gender inclusive world.

At DMF we got youths involved in the development process because it is getting them interested and participative in the 5050 agenda… #IWD celebrations was commemorated by a sensitisation campaign at the field as women in the town of Limbe gathered to show their solidarity and role in building the world they want.

Young Female HIV Peer Educators/Volunteers Trained


Denis Miki Foundation is aware of her legal and moral obligation to protect the rights of all, the responsibility of individuals to act and the benefits of diversity to society and is conscious that HIV/AIDS is a human rights issue too. With the need to partner for the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goal had Young Female HIV/AIDS Peer Educators be trained in the Peer Educators training by Presse Jeune Developpement and Center for Media and Strategic Communication in partnership with Reach Out Cameroon.

In all our activities health education talks and campaigns are not left out and this is to economically empower the people and communities for healthy lifestyles. It is vital for Denis Miki Foundation to include Health education talks, sensitizations and campaigns in her projects and activities. This is in the areas of HIV/AIDS, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Water and Sanitation. It is one of our goals to implement larger projects on health in the poor rural and urban communities we work with since most of them are faced with health challenges of HIV/AIDS, Malnutrition and many others. The HIV/AIDS trainings are facilitated by the trained Peer Educators who were trained by Presse Jeune Developpement and Center for Media and Strategic Communication in partnership with Reach Out Cameroon.

The Peer Educators will be going into the field to train their peers on HIV/AIDS prevention, how to use the female condom, prevention and available HIV/AIDS management methods.

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