How do you engage 34 Cameroon communities on cleanliness? Launch a competition like The Eye Newspaper did

Fai Cassian • The Eye • Awards 2015 Entry •

Entered in the 2degrees Champions Awards 2015

The project toured communities to announce the competition, carried out radio talk shows, oversaw the clean up campaign in villages and the planting of trees.

The background

The Project A Clean Community in its entirety ignited communities of Donga Mantung Division in the North West Region of Cameroon to carryout simple hygiene and sanitation so as to be free of mosquitoes, mitigate the risk of contagious diseases, plant trees and keep the environment clean. The competition kick-started last year with 34 communities participating in the cleanliness competition. This was at the heel of the outbreak of Ebola which was spreading in some African countries. Given the magnitude of the program and the level of participation by communities, the cleanest palaces (communities) were rewarded. This program if expanded to the entire North West Region, will go a long way to reduce rampant diseases linked to unhealthy environment like malaria, mitigate the spread of other airborne and waterborne diseases. Being nominated for 2degrees would enable the program to have a wider scope and contribute to sustainable actions.

What did we do

Given that the idea was part of a social communication strategy and sensitization strategy, we first toured the communities to announce the competition, carried out radio talk shows and then created a coordination unit to oversee the clean up campaign in villages (communities), and the planting of trees. When the results announced and winners were handed basic equipment (wheelbarrows, spades, cutlasses, hoes) to continue to keep their communities clean. The traditional rulers representing the various villages also received awards at a fun-filled National Award of Excellence by The Eye Newspaper in Nkambe.

The result

Financially, during this period we recorded a great increase of visitors on our weblog and increase in sales of hard copies of about 25%. But since we expected more environmental and social impact than financial. Environmentally, 32 water catchments were protected. 10.000 environmental friendly trees were planted around water catchments, 8.000 trees in sacred forests. Socially, hygiene and sanitation became a mutual issue. Each community instituted clean up campaign days and they continue to respect it right up to date as we just announced the competition for 2015. After visiting the hospital in areas like Ako and Nwa where there is rampant malaria cases due to polls of water, the number of cases reduced significantly. Money that could have been used in the treatment of malaria was used in paying either school fees for children or acquiring seed material by local farmers. Pit toilets were constructed in palaces and churches which did not have at all.

The personal pitch

This entry deserves to win due to its uniqueness and the impact that it has created within a very short time. Its is a great initiative that should be considered at this point in time that Africa is witnessing emerging diseases like Ebola.

Suppliers, contractors and solutions providers used

A Clean Community Program was Sponsored by Yaah Patience Tamfu (USA), Dr. Nick Ngwanyam(CEO St. Louis), Juliette Schlegl(Journalist/Writer-Germany), Mafor Achidi Achu Judith (Commercial Director-Camtel) and Eric Motumo (Publisher/Editor-Chronicle newspaper) with technical support from YODO Cameroon. Logistics from Blue Pearl Hotel-Bamenda

Links to relevant supporting materials

Embedded content: http://cameroonlatest.blogspot.com/2014/08/here-are-winners-of-clean-community.html

Embedded content: http://cameroonlatest.blogspot.com/2014/08/standing-ovation-for-traditional-rulers.html This article forms The Eye Newspaper's submission into the Social Value category of the 2degrees Champions Awards 2015. It was written and submitted by Fai Cassian, editor, The Eye Newspaper.