Action Lab: It All Starts From Local Transformation

Cornelius & Jaime

“Today, we must expect to be living this turbulence for a long time, in a double world where to realities live together in conflict: the old ‘limitless’ world that does not acknowledge the planet’s limits, and another that recognizes these limits and experiment with ways of transforming them into opportunities” (Manzini, Design, When Everybody Design, MIT Press, 2015).

During April and May, at Tobby Vision Computers, students and institution staff participated in an intense workshop focused on Creative Thinking applied to  Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Beyond global buzzwords and tasteless business design implementations, the core of the program to learn how to observe local issues, analyse them by evaluating and/or validating community assumptions, and work on them as a leading innovator, in pursue of value–added solutions and finally facing the challenge to become entrepreneurs by triggering new business model ideas for new or existing socio–economical sectors.

Beyond teaching, my goal in Cameroon as a Product Designer and a Creative Mentor was to absorb and be inspired by the local culture and the richness of its people, share global views through personal experiences and inspire others to act on detected pain points, issues that affect the community, and opportunities to improve life in all aspects.

I believe in a positive transformation for the community, for the city, for the country. I believe opportunities do not appear if people don’t search for t hem, I believe growth starts from having a common vision and working together towards that end. And for all these, I am completely sure all the fellows I have had the chance to meet and exchange ideas with during these days, they are more than ready to lead the way.

Action Lab is the first step of this transformation. Action Lab is an initiative started by Tobby Vision Computers and Jaime Garcia in order to provide tools, training, support, and further follow–up and development of local innovators and new entrepreneurial business ideas.

Everyone, absolutely everyone at this moment has been an innovator, despite skillsets, education, experience, creativity, status. What we look for with the Action Lab is to make everyone aware of these innovations, making them become a conscious creative act.

Jaime Garcia is an experienced Product Designer based in Tokyo, Bogota and New York, partner of MEANWHILE ASSOCIATES. Jaime earned his Master in Business Design in Milan, Italy, and is currently a PhD candidate at Keio University. His research focuses on the emotive value of design for mobile societies based on implementations of future scenarios and the materialization of new technologies. Jaime Garcia engages in creative mentoring and is an integral part of multidisciplinary projects across the globe. His past clients include major brands such as British American Tobacco, Hewlett Packard, and Sony.

Living as an Experteer and working at Tobby Vision Computers Cameroon

Experteer office

Willing to help us as an experteer and make your own unforgettable personal experience by helping people, the following information could be useful:

Experteer sleeping room

Experteer shared living space

We have accommodation in clean apartment with bathroom and a shared kitchen and parlour.

Office, supermarkets can be reached within walking distance or you can use a taxi.

We will pick you up at the airport.

You should just consider that it takes some time to get into a different life.

ENAM Launched - Candidates of English Expression Only

Government has announced a special competitive Exams for Cameroonians of English-speaking expression into the National Advanced School of Magistracy-ENAM. According to the Minister of Public Service and Administrative Reform Michel Ange Angouing, who issued a press release, the two special competitive examinations targets the recruitment of 50 pupil magistrates  and 30 student registrars  of English expression for the 2017-2018 academic year . It specifies that potential candidates must be at least 17 years of age and not more than 32 years old on 1 January 2018. 

 Here below is the press release :

Man and the evironment

Environment hazards, environmental conservation tips, animal extinction

WOW!!! SOMETHING NEW IS HAPPENING AGAIN IN BAMBUI–TUBAH WITH A VOLUNTEER THIS TIME FROM SOUTH AMERICA TO CAMEROON

Speech from Carlos Eduardo explaining his mission to Cameroon

Who is this experteer/volunteer and why is he in Cameroon? Carlos Eduardo Botia Diaz is a Colombian Industrial Engineer, graduated from the University of Colombia (5 years) with experience in multinational companies in Financial Planning, Logistics and Global Implementation of new business platforms like SAP and Vistex. He is passionate about digital marketing tools, the internet network scope for all necessities of life with experience managing Google Adwords Advertising and as a Digital Marketing Consultant for businesses in Colombia.
He is Finance Specialist, graduated from Sabana University (1.5 years) and has self knowledge, read books and has done many online courses.
He relinquished his duty as Sales Director of Artecma SAS Bogota, Colombia on the 5th of September 2016 before leaving for Tobby Vision Computers Bambui, Cameroon on the 14th of the same month to do experterring/volunteering. This thanks to the American Non Governmental Organization – Movingworlds and its experteering platform that has made this dream come true.
Before his prestigious career position as Sales Director at Artecma SAS in Colombia, he previously worked as Independent Entrepreneur from January 2013 to December 2016. He has also held the following prestigious positions in renowned international companies:
·    Partner Operations Manager (Finance) with Lexmark International – an international company that deals with the management of Print software, hardware warranty, Repair services, Enterprise software services and professional services.
·    Logistic Specialist Executive in Consumer Products and Commercial Distribution Specialist with Coca Cola FEMSA S. Bogota Colombia.
Carlos Eduardo Botia Diaz holds a degree from the University of Sabana specialising in Finance. He also doubles a Master’s degree as Industrial Engineer from the University of Nacional in Colombia.
    Carlos Eduardo Botia Diaz has come to Cameroon to empower Cameroonians through Tobby Vision Computers institute in Entrepreneurship, Fund Raising, Business Strategy, Training, Coaching and teaching. He will be holding workshops/training with Cameroonian students which will include basic skills as well as key elements on how Cameroonian students can start their own businesses. He will also be giving some hands on elements to keep Cameroonian students engaged and help them directly apply the learning to their future.
During his three months stay in Cameroon he would also develop an entrepreneurship curriculum with goal to be integrated into the current curriculum of Tobby Vision Computers institute and also create a new course. He will be training the staff of Tobby Vision Computers institute intensively and the future teacher of entrepreneurship to make sure the knowledge he imparts to Cameroonians will be sustainable after he leaves.

Popping of Champaign by Rev. Macaulay to launch the project

The Exchange of Flags  between the Director of Tobby Vision Computers institute and Experteer from Colombia.

Carlos Eduardo explaining his mission to Cameroon to Global Educational network interns – Jesica Albers, Sophie Stegarward and CEO Mendel Foundation Cameroon

The Glorious Voices of Jesus Sanctuary at Occasion

Refreshment after the project launch

Offer to Experteer by Manju (Student)
 Bouquet of flowers

End of ceremony with Experteer, Director of Tobby Vision Computers Institute,
                    Mendel Foundation CEO & Interns and Rev./Mrs Macaulay

Experteer, Director and Staff of Tobby Vision Computers Institute 

Good News!!!! Good News!!!! Good News!!!! It has happened Again

The Management of Tobby Vision Computers Institute wishes to announce to the general public that Registration for the 2016 Entrepreneurship Course is currently going on in the center every work day from 8:00am prompt.

Tobby Vision Computers Institute is located directly opposite Express Union Bambui.

We also offer Graphic Design, Administrative Assistants, Computer Programming for Application Developers, Computer Maintenance, Computerized Accounting and Agriculture.

Our fees are very moderate and period of studies is negotiable to suit workers. The regular study time is from 8:00am – 12:00pm and 1:00pm – 5:00pm daily for morning and afternoon shifts respectively, each student assigned to a personal computer.

We have an experteer (Mr. Carlos Eduardo Diaz Botia) professional from Colombia, South America and a highly dedicated staff that inspires our students to become entrepreneurs within a very short time.

Tobby Vision Computers Institute, connecting the dots... from skills development to jobs.

Interested in learning to code your own apps please consider attending Tobby Vision Computers Institute

For more information call: Tel. 675425551/677262040

A word of welcome presented by the Director of Tobby Vision Computers on the occasion of a welcome party in honour of their experteer/volunter Carlos Eduardo Diaz Botia in Bambui, Cameroon today 17, September 2016.

Religious authorities here present

Administrative authorities

The media here present

All protocol respected

Ladies and gentlemen.

Good afternoon!                        

A warm word of welcome to everyone this afternoon as we welcome and celebrate the presence of our entrepreneurship trainer Carlos Eduardo Diaz Botia far away from Colombia, South America in our midst today. To Eduardo's parents, brothers, sisters, relatives and friends back home and his country, let them assured that his being in Africa means everything – having like good friends, host parents, brothers, sisters, a host of relatives and a new country.

I also want to thank in a special way all the persons who helped in one way or the other to facilitate the processing of travel documents for Eduardo to Cameroon. I cannot forget to thank the founder and workers of Movingworlds, an American Non Governmental Organization whose platform helped all of what we are celebrating today to happen.

As Eduardo revealed to me, Colombia has an unemployment rate of 12% and I feel this is another good country for Cameroonians who would like to travel and fulfill their dreams out of Cameroon to go. How can that happen? I think it has happened with Eduardo even though Cameroon does not have external relations with Colombia. I think bringing to minds the one thing Eduardo told me he knew about Cameroon i.e. the football match in the World Cup in Italy in 1990 between Cameroon and Colombia wherein Cameroon emerged victorious, one thing that came to my mind – Mila Roger and his spectacular goal in that match, and bodily gesticulation and joy for himself and Cameroonians. Any big thing you will ever see on earth is traced to one or two persons. Let's all call on our football icon Mila Roger now a Roving Ambassador, the government of Cameroon and Colombia to open up bilateral relations between the two countries which Eduardo and myself started when he landed Douala airport on the 14^th of this month.

Tobby Vision Computers started as a small documentation in 2002, was incorporated as a company in 2012 because of its publication now used by all secondary schools in Cameroon and officially authorized and recognized as a Vocational Training Centre in 2016. Our celebration does not mean things have all been well! There have been difficulties like lack of funding, lack of infrastructure and access to technology but not withstanding Tobby Vision Computers have won awards as one of the best model technical vocational education training institution in Africa for the 21^st century from the African Union Commission and best computer institution of the year award from the national media in Cameroon. I want to use this opportunity to present these awards. The coming of Eduardo as the first international Entrepreneurship Trainer to Tobby Vision Computers is confirming to us the vision of the African Union for Tobby Vision Computers which is in their agenda 2015–2063.

Again, if I am a Bambui person today it is because of the nice host parents I found here when I came to do business. I have seen many people in a video become Colombians just because of the magical and beautiful nature and love. And what made me to be more Bambui than even Bambui people was that my host mother was an elder sister to the king of Bambui and through that I automatically was not only an ordinary Bambui child but one with roots to the Palace. Eduardo I passed onto you this same grace and favour I received to also be a child of this kingdom. Feel at home with us!!!

Before I continue I will like us to pay a minute of silence to my biological father whose name (Tobby) I used to name the business and host parents here in Bambui Mr/Mrs Thomas Momah (all of blessed memory).

Today is an exceptional day - I am so glad that so many special people have been able to join us this afternoon.  As, always, to absent friends, students and teachers - we still miss you.

But, this afternoon is all about celebrating!

It brings to mind the all too true words that at times, we should "dance like no-one is watching"!

And this day is one of those days!

Let's capture some magical moments, let's create happy memories and let's surround ourselves with laughter and friendship as we celebrate this special occasion.

Have fun, thank you for joining us and go on…dance a little...like no one is watching!

Long live Tobby Vision Computers

Long live Movingworlds

Long live the Republic of Colombia

Long live the Republic of Cameroon

Staff Recruitment at Tobby Vision Computers Institute

Staff Recruitment at Tobby Vision Computers Institute

We need teachers in many departments or specialties.  This is to beef up our staff strength especially as we insist on practical work.

We train in Graphics design, Administrative Assistants, PC software development, Entrepreneurship, PC Hardware Maintenance, Computerized Accounting and Agropastoral.

We need staff especially in the fields highlighted above. They can be full time or part time.

They must be very grounded in theory and PRACTICAL WORK. Students are expected to be VERY FUNCTIONAL when they are done with their training and so laboratory and practical training for the students are very important.

Please do not bother to apply if you do not have sound practical skills.
Workers are expected to know and understand what work is. They must be committed to excellence and have a great sense of sacrifice always ready to cheerfully go the extra mile as they give of themselves to students and the institution. They should have team spirit, be proactive and willing to work and improve on attaining the vision of Tobby Vision Computers.

Drop your application (cover letter and Curriculum vitae) at the admissions Office opposite Express Union Bambui or address application to the Director Tobby Vision Computers Institute P. O. Box 309 Bamenda or via email: tobbyvision@yahoo.com