Friday
Jul232010
New program in the works!
Friday, July 23, 2010 at 01:36PM
Paul François Zangue, our point-person on the ground in Cameroon, just returned from a 10-day research trip in the Southwest Region's Lower Wabane valley. Paul has been hard at work doing research and planning for what will be Breaking Ground's newest Small Enterprise Development program.
8-year-old children carry 20-liter water containers
Following the successes of our Women's Entrepreneurial Program in Ngaoundéré and our West Cameroon Coffee Program in the West Region, our Investing in Agriculture program in the Southwest Region will empower local communities to better invest in their own grassroots development priorities by strengthening their ability to generate income through their primary agricultural activities. We'll be targeting producers of palm oil and cocoa - two of the valley's primary cash crops - and working with women's groups to improve crop diversification and entrepreneurial training.
Palm nuts being prepared for pressing
There will be more to come on these new programs as our plans develop, but for now, here are a few photos from Paul's most recent trip, during which he directed focus groups to help Breaking Ground better predict the benefits that communities will reap because of our new program.
Members of Breaking Ground's research team traverse a rickety bridge in the valley.
Women's Focus Group
Men's Focus Group
tagged Cameroon, Lower Wabane, Southwest, agriculture, cocoa, coffee, community, crops, development, diversification, enterprise, entrepreneurial, grassroots, palm, program, research, training, women