DIFI BRIDGING COMMUNITIES ICT PROGRAM.
Dignity First International (DIFI) established under this program is working to build information bridge with Councils using latest Information and communication technology tools such as DIFI website, emails, Facebook, twitters, blog and online Television shows shot from councils with population and elected officials. The Program has established “The Bridged Magazine” which quarterly shall summarize all development in the domain of sustainable development in Cameroon.
DIFI feasibility studies shows that people in villages want to send SMS — Short Message Service — texts and they want to talk, but they want to do it cheaply so the Bridging Councils Information and Communication shall offer tailored Feedback Information to its Focal Points operating cybers in councils and to individuals registered under DIFI data base. Feedback Information informs councils of latest information and opportunities in councils instantly using SMS and or emails.
The councils and elected officials need to be connected to the world and to send and receive specific information needed for the attainment of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Cameroon government policies and opportunities existing in doing business with the outside world without displacing oneself. Investors and donors involved in rural development especially for youths entrepreneurship need to know Councils Development projects from established priorities in order to accompany them towards sustainable development. This can only be done by those who master ICT and DIFI is bridging that gap offering youths the online space for their Community Based Organisation (CBOs)
DIFI using this ICT space create international campaign for decent employment for youths, boasting food security and safeguarding health security of councils’ population. This platform offer space to show that can help where, what can be produced, where can they sell, and for how much while maximizing time and resources.
DIFI ICT tool program shall bring fast information on the implementation of Agenda 21 and to contribute to Sustainable Development by implementing Millennium development goals, NEPAD, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCC, Kyoto Protocol, convention on bio-diversity etc.
The program long term ambitious program seeks to offer:
Short, intermittent and professional ICT certificate training courses in grassroots communities for youths skills development;
Professional job or career short and long term courses for youths through exchange and on line courses in Council areas of Cameroon;
Promotion of health and human welfare through Tele-medicines and exchange of technologies in rural communities in Cameroon;
Promotion of educational and continual studies through Internet e-based data base, online course in collaboration with international educational institutions in the North;
Promotion of rural actor’s projects in agricultural pricing, investment and adverts of produce, livestock, tertiary and human potentials in a network of Community based organizations under DIFI website facilitating e-banking and farmers get market prices on text messages. Connecting rural actors using mobile phones, DIFI Bridging Council program shall disseminate specific or result-oriented knowledge from Research and Development as well as offering interaction between indigenous practices and customs
DIFI therefore wishes to inform this population that all that shall be existing in these communities shall be relayed instantly online for Feedback Information. Take the advantage of ICT and development shall be fast. Africa in general and Cameroon has its own chance and it is NOW. May the dignity of man be saved as it is wearing out like sand dripping from an hour glass, so the life of a human being (million of dying Africans) is counted. It is time to act now in informing and opening gateways to brake the cycle of poverty in Africa. Information is the power and CBOs need them through ICT Tools.
DIGNITY UNITED ACTION FOR SUSTAINABLE PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT (DUASPED)
Dignity United Action for Sustainable Peace and Development (DUASPED), was conceived to implement lasting solutions to conflicts and challenges of sustainable development in the Cameroonian society through an inclusive manner. In Africa many conflicts and wars have broken out within and between States in the last 30 years, with consequences such as the mass displacement of entire populations, the deterioration of the humanitarian situation and the destruction of social and cultural infrastructure. In particular, education systems, the cultural heritage, scientific and cultural infrastructure and biodiversity have been affected indirectly by these conflicts and have been damaged irreparably in many cases.
These conflicts bring in their train other evils such as organized crime, piracy, drug trafficking, environmental depredation and a booming war economy, all of which further weaken many States that are still unstable and vulnerable in terms of security and stability. The challenges of a culture of peace and collective security called on the founders of Dignity First International to yearn how to integrate different class strata into sustainable bottom-up strategies to detecting and resolving various issues of conflicts that can jeopardize peace. Conflicts irrespective of its origin and reasons retard the hard work for development. Conflict affects development because resources are diverted to distort and hence time and realizations are lost. DIFI and members sees no reason why there should be any further outright war since the end of Second World War in the 1945 today.
DIFI promotes the human rights of security of persons and promote peace as only solution in settling conflicts. In that perspective, inter-tribal and inter ethnic conflicts abounds Cameroon and needs a spiritual and physical war to secure the flesh and souls of human beings. It is in these perspectives that Dignified Unite Actions for Sustainable Peace Development (DUASPED) came to conception in 2012 to deepen research into conflicts, propose post conflict management strategies and manage these areas prone to conflict with inclusive program.
Dignified Unite Actions for Sustainable Peace Development (DUASPED) addresses causes and open avenues for capacity building towards peaceful resolution of conflicts as well as to promote values and endogenous practices of the culture of peace involving women and youth in villages.
DUASPED has researched in some conflicts in Cameroon particularly into the Bafanji-Balikumbat Land Conflict which dates as far back as in the 18th Century and came out with a sample project for Ngoketunjia in its Prime Phase of DUASPED. The research lead to a book titled “Towards Peace in Bafanji-Balikumbat Boundary Conflicts”.
In all these efforts, an inclusive program of DUASPED contains:
Uniting youths into sports as unifying factor with practicing farms for these youths so as to break the yoke of war in their spirit and in their community. In this perspective, Dignity Sports Center of Excellence (DISCEX) is created to bring together the thirteen villages to build a strong sports ground and competition that hold youths to face the future with responsibilities.
Practicing Bio-Farms to occupy these youths during the morning hours and practice sports in the forenoon while promoting socio-cultural activities in their area of concern.
Build the younger generation perception on the nature and truth of their conflict so as to promote inter cultural tolerance and peace.
Dignity Sports Center of Excellence (DISCEX) creating DISCEX Football Club
DUASPED Practicing Farms
Inter-Socio Cultural Competition and Education for peace and community development in post conflict zones in order to build a culture of peace-building and sustainable development. It is meant to contribute to the International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures (2013-2022)
DIFI integrate sports (football) competitions along side farming projects to preach sustainable peace and development in post conflict zones. DUASPED underline the critical roles played by youths in any conflict and hence work with them to build a sustainable environment for peace and development.
DUASPED selected a pilot project Ngoketunjia United Actions for sustainable Peace and development which brings together thirteen villages in Ngoketunjia Division to use sports to preach peace and inclusive development. At the end of the competition, Dignity Sports Center of Excellency (DISCEX) with DISCEX Football club to continue annual representation of fair, unbiased and equal rights to councils development rather than war-like actions.
DIFI shall always say ‘NO’ to all proliferation and misuse of small and light weapons in the world and in Cameroon in particular. DIFI under its DUASPED keep deploying all means to combat the manipulation of the common man by international and national forces to engage in an open war in order to resolve some penitents socio-economic and political differences. Dignity First International believes that there can be mental war in search for solutions plaguing crisis of food, security, energy, employment, leadership and sustainable development rather than engagement in any arm conflict whatever and wherever they may occur.
DUASPED every year after organizing each divisional tournament shall awards ‘Crowns of Peace Prize’ to meritorious sons and daughters of the division as well as best performing teams/participants in promoting peace and sustainable development. Each village under the jurisdiction of coverage shall all in as solemn ceremony Pledge for Peace and engage in the “Peace-In-deeds Campaign”. All actors shall each year attend DIFI Annual Peace, Sustainable Communities and Individual Livelihoods Conference which shall check the trends of progress of all engagements in grassroots as well as inject new impetus for the sustainable development of human society.
DEMOCRATIC CULTURE & GOVERNANCE PROGRAM
Democratic Culture & Governance Program are two cardinal ingredients that holds fabrics of the society together and where there are weak systems of governance not based on the rule of law and respect for freedoms as it is the case in many African countries especially Cameroon, DIFI puts lots of reflections and action in this Democratic Culture & Governance Program. Cameroon which has continued for decades under condemned corruption, unbridled human rights violations and lack of rule of law has been sowing seeds of conflicts. Several administrators even after 1990 in Cameroon do not accord sufficient importance to respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, cardinal norms that are expected to exhume the nation’s potentials in economic and social development.
Democratic Culture & Governance Program combat areas of government restrictions on access to information, freedom of expression, the daily practice of democracy/democratic culture, recognition of plural identities and the fair/equitable distribution of national resources in order to build a system of social justice and peace desired by all human beings.
Democratic Culture & Governance Program has the vision to:
Offer greater civic participation for young people and women living in extreme poverty.
Carry out Door-to-Door Volunteers for Voters Education (DOVVE) for majority rule while upholding the minority rights
Promoting a culture of peace and non-violence in leadership, transition and social contract delivery during any elective offices,
Harnessing the culture for sustainable development and peace by promoting a conducive environment for freedom of expression and media development;
Promoting enabling environment for press freedom and free flow of information for development including community media, institutions and professionals in Cameroon.
Contributing to the fight against corruption through the application of accountability laws in countries and empowerment of the populace to freely disseminate information on violators of constitutional laws.
Reinforce the electoral process of Cameroon through ‘In-Between Mandates Transition Forums’ aimed at empowering electorates and leaders on their promises and realizations.
Strengthen capacity of decision making with local collectivities to shape and benefit from all social services through bottom-up forums for exchange of information and skills.
Inform both national and international stakeholders on community reality as democracy and governance are concern in communities from credible research.
The Strategy of DIFI Democratic Culture & Governance Program is to collaborate with learning institutions to educate the younger generations with prize awards these values desired by all free persons. Furthermore experts of DIFI shall always organize informative and educative forums for the dissemination of values of Democratic Culture & Governance as well its evaluation.