It has been a while ago since we blogged our last post. However, we did a lot in the meanwhile. Since we are up and running again it is time to blog about some of the cultural differences and other phenomena we encountered during the last couple of weeks.
So here I go…
After dragging ourselves around for almost two weeks, some of the excitement we started with was beginning to drain. The first few days we were happily surprised by all the excitement and chaos Douala had to offer. But all the chaos and uncertainties were beginning to pay its toll.
Since we worked on throughout the weekends we decided to take a few days off to enjoy the country and get our minds clear from all the cluttering of the project.
Enjoying the beaches, waterfalls, jungles, heavy rains and delicious food of Kribi was one of the best decisions we made so far. The calm and fresh sea breeze was a pleasant change after inhaling the exhaust gasses of cars floating around at every street corner in Douala. In Kribi, we gave a new definition to the word “bronzing” and shook hands with tiny pigmys living in the middle of the jungle. We ate fresh grilled fish round a campfire underneath the palm trees and took a shower at the Lobe waterfalls.
Sitting underneath the trees at the beach of Kribi.
Taking a bath in the fresh waters of the Lobe waterfalls.
"No, there's nothing wrong with your TV-set"
After four days of ultimate chilling we finished our days with an evaluation of both the project and our personal competences. Luckily, no egos were harmed in the process and we could continue our journey back to the office in Douala to make a fresh new start.
However, now that we are getting used to daily life in Douala, we are starting to see some of the downsides of local culture and governance in the country.
Reality is not what you see in this country. The Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) led by Paul Biya is the current leading party in the country. For the outside world Cameroon is a democracy, but from the inside, things are rather different.
Cameroon seems to be in a stranglehold opposed by upright governmental corruption and the false promise of democracy.
During our few days of paradise in Kribi, I had a long conversation with a close friend of us about the governmental situation in Cameroon.
I asked her: “Do you believe in the strength of your vote? She answered: “Well, for 26 years now I’ve seen the same face as the face of our president. Although the majority of the people isn’t satisfied with the way the country is governed, the face of the presidency doesn’t change after an election. But I keep trying”, she added.
Coincidentally, our host family is in fact at the forefront of a critical movement in Cameroon. The chairman of this movement has become a close friend of us,which we speak to on a daily basis. Together we discussed some of the problems of his country.
He told us: “People don’t believe in changing their own destiny. The government should take care of providing labour and career opportunities. But the reality is that the government is doing all they can to maintain the established elite at the top, neglecting the majority of the people in this country.”
The good mentality of the people is limited by all sorts of regulations, laws, taxes or other forms of subtle corruption.
As a team of designers working for Ndassie we are constantly on the lookout for new opportunities to run a business and start development. But the more we speak to the people, the more were are starting to realize that life in Cameroon is thougher than it seems.
The goal for the movement is to gradually change the mindset of the people of Cameroon. Step by step getting rid of the poverty in the minds of the people, get rid of the laziness. “We should create a society that participates in the development of Cameroon. People need to believe in the opportunities of this country, instead of seeking for career opportunities elsewhere.”
Hopefully with these new insights we can help the people of Cameroon to offer a way to participate in the development of this country. People with the right mindset can have the opportunity to start as entrepreneurs owning a Ndassie docking station selling batteries and light to jump start new educational careers one step at a time. Moreover, the majority of the people we meet are genuinely exited and curious for our proposals. Consequently, this mostly results in a barrage of practical questions we cannot answer yet. Though, it strengthens us in our believes that this system might have a good chance of succeeding and that is great. Solar energy seems to be a life changer for the people in Cameroon.
Groeten,
Casper van Huisstede
PS. Just as a reminder: Please check our Flickr Photostream if you are curious to see more of Cameroon!
Hi students and friends of Phil (my son). We are at this time in Kenia for three monthes. and have almost the same experiences as you have! So this is AFRICA. As you are trying to change things in energy, we are trying to change things in mental health and psychiatry. We meet, as you, a lot of enthousiasm, but on the other hand, many people are lazy, or demoralized, or throw everything upon poverty. But there are so many opportunities! So just go on and don’t lose your enthousiasm and action!
Good luck for all of you, Rudolf and Ingrid