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Ambassador Garvey Inaugurates Mills to Support Victims of Child Labor
U.S. Ambassador to Cameroon Janet Garvey inaugurated grain mills June 2 that will help victims of child labor in four villages in Ndikinimeki, Center region. The children were rescued from cocoa plantations in 2005, where they had been exploited as laborers, and placed with local foster families. The $11,000 project (5,500,000 Fcfa), financed by the U.S. Department of State’s Economic Support Fund (ESF), purchased and installed fuel-powered cassava and corn grinding mills that will provide sustainable revenue for the foster families, assisting them to feed and educate the children. Funds are also being used to educate the community on the dangers of child labor. The project was implemented locally by l’Organisme de Développement, d’Etude, de Formation et de Conseils (ODECO).
The Department of State’s Economic Support Fund (ESF) is designed to increase the role of the private sector in the economy, enhance job creation and improve economic growth by funding income-generating activities and small and medium size enterprises. ESF projects are managed by the U.S. Embassy’s Self Help office. In Fiscal Year 2008, the Embassy provided $80,000 (40,000,000 Fcfa) to fund 11 projects in eight regions, primarily focusing on water supply and sanitation, social services, and social assistance.
Since 1983, the U.S. Ambassador to Cameroon has funded small community projects in all 10 regions under the Special Self-Help program (SSH), helping build schools, footbridges, wells, and other small-scale community development projects. SSH funds have also benefited community farms, grain mills, and women’s cooperatives. Under the SSH, local communities apply for support for a specific project tailored to improve living conditions. Community members agree to provide labor, materials, or some other contribution to the project, ensuring a high level of community investment and participation.
For more information on the Special Self Help program, contact the Embassy at 2220-1500, x 4491 or 4171.
