Community Green Engagement Cameroon

I am Alexander Gwanvalla from Cameroon. I am a holder of a Bs.c in Geography.Founder /President of Community Green Engagement Cameroon, Gather fellow of Goldin Institute Chicago, Coordinator of Global Network of Religions For Children- Cameroon,   Coordinator Drawdown.org Cameroon,  Organiser Effective Altruism Cameroon, Secretary General of Bamenda 1 Red Cross Local Community Cameroon, Former  chapter leader -Citizens Climate Lobby  Cameroon.

I seek to address climate change, poverty and hunger.I am committed on improving community life by addressing climate change , alleviating poverty, hunger via sustainable projects like bee farming, tree planting, modern ( organic)farming,gardening, community empowerment and climate change advocacy, climate education using Drawdown 100 solutions to reverse global warming and advocating for a carbon fee and dividend.Building on community assets to address this adaptive challenges .

Humanity- people will be out of poverty,hunger  and creates prosperity.,our environment restored. By giving back to the community, people will learn to address their challenges.

I would like to address climate change, poverty ,hunger and health , at the same time.Eleven percent of the world's population is currently vulnerable to climate change impacts such as droughts, floods, heat waves, extreme weather events and sea-level rise. Across Cameroon, most regions have long had favourable conditions for agriculture. However, climate change is bringing more erratic patterns of weather. Local farmers have noticed a drop in yields of certain crops, such as maize. And rains in the south have been particularly heavy in recent years, causing the destruction of crops through over-wet conditions or flooding.In the north, farmers and herders have been moving their families away from the Lake Chad region. The volume of the lake has been dwindling and rising temperatures are causing the desert to advance. More than 3 billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day. More than 1.3 billion live in extreme poverty — less than $1.25 a day. 1 billion children worldwide are living in poverty.Forty percent of Cameroon's 23.7 million people live below the poverty line .1 in 10 people around the world experience chronic hunger. Food insecurity is also linked to many adverse effects to overall health.

An ongoing sustainable project aimed at educating on the 100 solutions of Drawdown.org and at same time implementing solutions to improve community life and the environment as per community needs all over Cameroon via community consultation whereby all voices come together to deliberate on community issues , build on their community assets to improve community life and the environment.Community members are educated on climate change solutions using Drawdown.org  100 solutions to reverse global warming as a framework and also engaged in   implementing the solutions- planting of bee loving and fruits trees, Modern (Organic ) farming, gardening waste management, environmental conservation .I am  also advocating for a carbon fee and dividend ( draft proposal , corespondence mails available.) Inpirsed 3 Citizens Climate Lobby chapters in my country.) Inspired and initiated “Arts for the climate “ aimed at knowledge creation and raising consciousness about the dangers of climate change.Modern farming, gardening,planting of bee love and fruit trees to generate income via beekeeping ( honey production and by products, fruits / crop yields for sales to generate income and addressing rural poverty, hunger , health and climate change.With Kah Ruphina I inspired, we have formed 28 farming groups.( letters of appreciation/photos available)

An ongoing project in Mezam community and to continue  in the Bachua community Cameroon where deforestation is rampant and subsistence farming , lack of climate change knowledge, high poverty rate, most of the Internally displaced  due to the ongoing Anglophone crisis in Cameroon have settled in Bachua .Real and lasting progress towards a more just, peaceful and sustainable world requires that those closest to the issue,especially often excluded voices with the most at stake in making progress, have leadership roles in any social change movement.Community  members have been trained on beekeeping,tree planting , gardening, how to manage home waste,taught on new farming techniques and how to combat land degradation .Community members have become environmentally conscious and have built a new attitude that cares about climate change .Community members who have been reluctant to plant trees or engage in organic farming  gardening and climate change deniers  have engaged in the the above activities since they aimed at food yields for consumption,generating income .Crop and farm  biodiversity have  enhance resilience and productivity thus improving food access during drought, pest and disease outbreaks. Community members have diversity their sources of income and livelihood,thus reducing the impact of climate change on hunger. 

A community into Subsistence farming characterized by the farm burn system , inorganic farming is widely practiced.Deforestation, lack of family planning, very low rate of women and girls education , lack of climate change education or knowledge and solutions to curb global warming .A rural community made up of villages with illiteracy rate high with various cultures and beliefs,women marginalized,a traditional community left behind.

Also I inspired the ongoing COVID-19 Awareness and Prevention in the Santa Division of Cameroon - 3 Radio talk shows per week in local dialects, Pidgin English , distribution of flyers/ teaching on making own masks.

The project came about through a process of community consultation in 2018 during our community vision summit I inspired titled” Building on  community assets to improve community life “ which included all the voices in the community. Resolved during the summit was that we plant 1 million bee loving and fruits trees, protect endangered species, construct 15000 beehives ,environmental conservation , waste management,the initial training of 200 members in beekeeping , modern farming/ organic farming training to community members and the construction of a multipurpose Cooperative community center to address community malice in the Mezam Community of Cameroon. ( photos available and some video links of our project)

The major goals of this project are to provide a new income source, while improving community life, restoring the environment and conservation of species , curb hunger, improve community health,revitalize  the extinct bee community, and alleviating poverty through the training and support of local people in the practice of planting bee loving and fruits trees and beekeeping.

Doing good to humanity, the environment and inspiring humanity to do same is what motivates me  .Climate Change, poverty, hunger, health crisis are threatening with far reaching consequences.

Also , I want those voices  often neglected  come to the table for creative exchanges and build a community of practice who can learn from each other and collaborate across boundaries.Building on their community assets to improve community life. Starting with what they have and focus on what’s  working rather than what they lack and what’s broken.

Though currently engaging communities and partners in Cameroon, and also have engaged partners in some countries, I would like the idea to go global.

Due to my successful engagement with communities in Cameroon and partners with Drawdown.org 100 solutions to reverse global warming, I was requested by Crystal Chissel , head of Operations and Engagement Drawdown International to develop a model of Drawdown that would be use in developing countries ( correspondence emails available).

My adaptive leadership skills coupled with an excellent team made of adults and youths of various skills  ,gender equality and partners positions me to deliver the project .I am an inspirational ,excellent team leader, very passionate about improving the lives of people ,always open to learn , work with people from different backgrounds . I am well renowned in community engagement -bringing all the voices in the community together to deliberate on issues of the community  through a process of community consultation so that they build on their strengths , assets and collaborate to determine their own future for community-driven social change.This is new in our community and have given many successes in our community in various field of life as others have copied and implemented.Skills acquired from my fellowship program with Goldin Institute Chicago and training from Kinship Conservation International have been of great benefits notwithstanding my experience coordinating the activities of Global Network of Religions of Children Cameroon , and as the organizer of Effective Altruism Cameroon and my past experience working as a volunteer,Secretary General of Bamenda Red Cross Local Committee .Team members :Alexander Gwanvalla-environmentalist/humanitarian worker,Tita Ruphina :  Retired  Senior Agric Technician,Francis Morfokum : Senior apiarist ,Vivian Nsom -   Environmental educator ,Edwin Choh :student   - Marketer,Rachel Fomusoh : Journalist,Eleanor - Student:Field of study :Management,Hope Afouh - Student : Field of studies:Environmental studies ,Ann  Tabot - Human resource personnel ,Christopher Acha - Forester ,Glory Nfor : Student :Field of Study : Agriculture ,Petra Nyeba - Senior Agric Technician 

In April 2019 at Baba community Cameroon, I encountered a serious challenge when herdsmen set fire on the hills and the fire spread into a nearby apiary and destroyed many hives.

This brought about serious conflicts,fighting between the herdsmen and community members. 

I had to contact the community head , dialogue with him for a solution and also the head of the herdsmen.

After contacting both parties  separately, I scheduled a venue - a local primary school hall where both parties presented themselves with their members.

After , deliberating , the herdsmen decided to compensate the beekeepers with three cattles. I also advised the beekeepers to plant vertiver plants 10 meters from their apiary as a means of preventing the bee hives from fire. It should be noted that vertiver plants have much benefits and also serve to combat climate change .

I used the opportunity to talk on the importance of beekeeping . Six herdsmen and  8 community members decided immediately to go into beekeeping. I also talk on the need of community members to work alongside herdsmen in the protecting their animals. Peace now reign in the community.

 Betsy Nahsang is from a broken home .Her mother  and her two siblings were always abused by their father. Her mother got married to their father in the late nineties, enrolled him into secondary school ,paid his tuition fees and when he completed secondary school, she enrolled him in a professional school. When he graduated and started working, he started abusing her and the children , got married to another lady .I got into contact with Bertsy via Mr. Francis Morfokum during one of our capacity building workshops on beekeeping.During the workshop, I noticed that Bertsy mother was very quiet, timid and look traumatized. So I got up to her ,greeted her and began a conversation .I paid her a visit one day and that is when I met Bertsy and her siblings.They all looked timid,traumatized.I always paid them visits to counsel them . I realized Bertsy was very intelligent and got leadership skills, which I had to developed.When Agrigatou launched the Youth Commitee Internship in 2019, I informed Bertsy and she applied ,out of thousands applicants worldwide ,four youths were selected and Bertsy was one of them.She did a marvelous job during the internship and now impacting our community.

The project is part of Community Green Engagement Cameroon , Goldin Institute Chicago , and Global Network of Relgions of Children initiatives.

Community Green Engagement Cameroon is a non-governmental organization focused on sustainable environmental action and mitigating the impact of climate change ,environmental haphazard and poverty.

Global Network of Religions for children - out to address the rights of children and poverty 

Goldin Institute Chicago who have been of great inspiration to us.

Bringing  all the voices in the community together to deliberate on issues of the community  through a process of community consultation so that they build on their strengths , assets and collaborate to determine their own future for community-driven social change.This is new in our community and have given many successes in our community in various field of life as others have copied and implemented.

Got many video links of my work .

I would like to share few: https://youtu.be/3_0LCv7dd3E,https://youtu.be/zOKcW29xbGE,https://youtu.be/s3eJhDfa2Ww,https://youtu.be/d4-fP_NjPug,https://youtu.be/pGpDLXmprDQ,https://youtu.be/ZZji1Go2wWw,https://youtu.be/IOK_KI3ybhgo,https://youtu.be/f47ftn2bFpE,https://youtu.be/IeFj_1NyFPk,

I  believe Real and lasting progress towards a more just, peaceful ,healthy and sustainable world requires that those closest to the issue, especially often excluded voices with the most at stake in making progress, have leadership roles in any social change movement.This approach focuses on bringing often neglected perspectives and voices to the table for creative exchanges.

• build a communities of practice who can learn from each other and collaborate across boundaries.
• Build on community assets to improve community life. Starting with what you have and focus on what’s  working rather than what you  lack and what’s broken. 
• Gender equality , a priority 

 I initiated “ Arts for the Climate” , many photos available 

In 2016, began advocating for the conservation of the Jemchi Forest . Has been  a of great concern to me, a legacy i will want to live. Your concern and joining us to conserve Jemchi will be our greatest achievement for the generation.

Jemchi  is in kom village in the northwest region of Cameroon . Jemchi means dream land. This area has natural endowments that if conserved ,generations will benefit from its beautiful caves,and other natural endowments.The Jemchi landscape is  very rich in natural endowments ranging from trees, numerous species of wild animals,birds most of which lives in the caves and small water falls etc .Jemchi has natural ecological and biological diversity,high  soil quality and  part of the land is located in an aquifer water recharge area.Jemchi is found amongst the most endengered communities in cameroon.It is faced with bush fires, hunting, and with the recently constructed bridge linking the area to the main town, felling and transportation of logs of wood has been the order of day.

In 2019 , I began advocating for the government to implement that parents plant a tree for children born ,via a contribution of a token of 300 CFA( which will serve as a sourvernir for the child and the environment.

Ongoing in the Santa community Cameroon, the project now serves 800 people and within one year I expect the project to serve 6000 and in five years time 60,000 people 

Engaging Mbatu community leaders  Cameroon - Operation plant a tree

The overall goal of the project is to improve community life ,income,food security and resilience to climate change . 

I am engaging , teaching ,Communities to building on their assets to improve community life and all voices on the table for creative exchange aimed  at social driven change.( Giving back to the community)

Fast approaching desert at Esu,  travelled with two members of our organization to Esu for advocacy- tree planting.organic farming ( See photo  below)

 Barriers :

  -Lack of market development experts

• lack of packaging experts , food preservationist and botanist

• Professional accountant

• Professional marketers and Finance 

1- The traditional method of harvesting honey is challenging, time - consuming process and is complicated.Often we have got losses during the process 

2. Accidents during transportation of products due to the poor roads especially during the raining seasons.

3. Wasted bee products in initial raids due to inexperience

4. Theft of honey and farm yields 

5. Packaging , professional marketing is  a challenge and the production of quality byproducts

6. Insects eating green leaves atimes are a challenge.

As a startup , I would like to  locate partners and experts to work with , availability of modern beekeeping equipments, organic pesticides, community vigilantic groups, professionals coaches , professionals in packaging and marketing are some of the tools we intend to put in place to overcome this challenges.

Engaging community leaders of Boyo Division Cameroon - Drawdown 100 solutions to reverse global warming ( Find photo above)

Currently partners are Goldin Institute Chicago , Global Network of Religions for Children , Bamenda 1 Municipal Council .

I have benefited from information sharing and micro grants .

World day of prayer in one of our community ( find photo above)

Presently farmers and beekeepers take their products to household , move around neighborhoods and nearby communities,schools ,markets and institutions, local gatherings ( Njangi houses), at highways for marketing.

I would like to locate and maintain stakeholders, locate funders, assessing and managing risks.

Most important is the building of a multipurpose Cooperative Community Center for the marketing of farmers and beekeepers products, organic products, with rooms or apartments to address community malice - counseling , drug addiction, prostitution, abuses etc.

I received micro funds from Goldin Institute Chicago and Bamenda 1 Municipal Council .Also I am generating income via sales of farm and honey products.

I would like to raise funds via fundraising, applying for grants

17000 USD

I am very inspired by this ideas which suits our me and my organization.

Elevating opportunities for all people, especially those who are traditionally left behind

Elevating issues and their solutions by building awareness and driving action to solve the most difficult problems of our world

Elevating understanding of and between people through changing people’s attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors

As a Startup  , we are very much in need of the above partners to help us .

We are really in need of experts .