DIFI

 

DIFI PROGRAMS

 

1. COUNCILS SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE (COSDA)

In Cameroon, council areas, apart from suffering from global crisis, are equally battling to define priority projects and plans for sustainable management and exploitation of both natural and human resources. These difficulties in shaping where the council hopes to go and the challenges of resources to take these councils to sustainable development put rural areas in difficult position in attaining the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and beyond. The slow implementation of crucial council plans on priority sectors such as water, health, education, food, road, electricity retard human progress and development especially rights of vulnerable and underprivileged.

Decentralization devolves powers on decentralized collectivities of Cameroon to establish effective synergy with grassroots organizations, national and international actors dealing in sustainable development. The council’s Herculean task to identify these priority social development projects and facilitating organizations is a big challenge to sustainable development.

Dignity First International (DIFI) under COSDA promote social change amongst the governed and governor for both parties to play respective roles, in a spirit of citizen’s led and control sustainable development build fora and strategies that facilitate the attainment of social justice. DIFI since creation dedicated and focused its programs with community based organizations in council’s areas building the capacities of some key actors therein for the latter to effectively implement expected social development projects highly needed by the populace. Under COSDA, Dignity First (DIFI) collaborate with CSOs and Council authorities in the promotion and protection of  inalienable and inextricable human dignity and rights through the provision of quality social services such as education, health and special care services to vulnerable persons in Councils.

Irrespective of the political party near power, DIFI which is apolitical, draw up strategic sustainable development projects geared towards the promotion and enforcement of socio-economic and cultural   rights of grassroots population, follow-up implementation and carry out evaluation of same. These bottom-up projects are expected to be acting as catalyst and stimulants of growth and livelihood. In same time DIFI empower beneficiaries and stakeholders to take part in formulating, implementing and benefiting from development programs for their wellbeing.  

 

Objectives of council social development assistance (COSDA)

COSDA has the following established objectives:

Carry out council feasibility studies and elaboration of result-oriented council’s development plans; assisting in mobilizing resources for the implementation and follow-up/evaluation of same.

Development of Inclusive Millennium Development Village Projects (IMDVP) that promotes food security, livelihood, social protection and fight against poverty from bottom-up strategies in councils.

Council social rights awareness campaign and sensitization targeting elected officials, community-based organisation (CBOs) and village institutions to take part in development of agenda and benefitting same.

Train council relay volunteers to liaise up with DIFI and council in execution of council programs. 

Provide social protection services waiver in the domain of health care campaigns for ageing/old, disabled persons and orphans periodically and follow-up with relay Field assistants.

 

Activities of Council Social Development Assistance Program in councils.

Council Project skills development and resources mobilization for relay field assistants and volunteers for sustainable implementation of Council projects.

Promotion of rural agro-industries through e-commerce/ICT tools for development and network marketing.

Establishment of nursery projects for rural development actors’ on-site training and development in project management.

Provision of on-spot service team on grassroots development and follow-up.

 

 Strategies of council social development assistance program

DIFI establish bottom-top approach strategies to enforce its program. This is done through:

Effective participation of community actors/population in defining development projects and benefiting from same.

Result oriented community sustainable projects headed by rural actors themselves and supervise by experts of DIFI.

Winning-winning partnership with Councils/populace for sustainable implementation of medium agro-industries, tertiary and small and medium size business. 

 

Expected output of council social development assistance program.

Sustainable development project running councils manifested by rise in income and life expectancy of population.

Drastic reduction of suffering and exclusion arising from pandemic diseases and vulnerability of victims.

Empowered grassroots population in social development projects management take charge of their destiny in shaping their destiny and upholding same.

Reduction of chronic poverty syndrome and effect amongst vulnerable people in council areas.

Employment of youths and women in medium size income generating projects 

Reduction in rural exodus and elevation of human resources required for sustained growth and livelihood council areas.

 

 

 

2. DIGNITY HEALTH CARE CENTERS (DHCC)

      Dignity Health Care Centers implement social protection for old persons, with social securities strategies that should prevent and fight against Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) in an inclusive manner in councils.  DHCC is implementing the Cameroon Government Health Ministry/Health District Development Plan gram implement Health Sector Strategy Program, has decentralized its activities in District levels to reach out to the old persons in dying needs of specialized health services. The world is changing in the 21st century, and one of the biggest social transformations is population ageing. Soon, the world will have older people than children and more people of very old age than ever before.  The World Health Organization (WHO) holds that the world will have more people who live to see their 80s or 90s than ever before, and that the number of people aged 80 years or older, for example, will have almost quadrupled to 395 million between 2000 and 2050. More children will know their grandparents and even their great-grandparents, especially their great-grandmothers. On average, women live six to eight years longer than men more reasons why there should emphasis on Glad the Widows  Scheme to match the gap.  Between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population over 60 years will double from about 11% to 22%. The absolute number of people aged 60 years and over is expected to increase from 605 million to 2 billion over the same period. 

Dignity Health Care Centers is broken down into packs that guide and guarantee care through ageing to old age for the full participation of all ages in the development cycle of the society. In this respect, each DHCC has the following schemes that are implemented with the beneficiary population in each Health District in Cameroon.

 DIFI is preparing the ageing population towards an inclusive social responsibility of their health through several co-opted activities which are determinants for a healthy ageing life and old age. Dignity Health Care Centers through DHCC projects combats pre-natal under-nutrition in the womb, which may increase the risk of disease in adult life, such as circulatory diseases and diabetes; respiratory infections in childhood which may increase the risk of chronic bronchitis in adult life and obesity. These childhood diseases at adolescents who may run the risk of developing chronic diseases, such as diabetes, circulatory disease, cancer, respiratory and muscular-skeletal disorders, in adult life. Dignity Health Care Centers while educating the ageing on these health challenges as well as helping the present old persons already caught up in the web of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes, as well as infectious and parasitic diseases. 

With an increasing elderly population in Cameroon, more people will be at risk of age-related visual impairment which DHCC seek to curb in educative and curative intervention. 

DIFI through DHCC combat all forms of maltreatment at homes including physically restraining patients, insufficient care (such as allowing them to develop pressure sores). The maltreatment of older people can lead to serious physical injuries and long-term psychological consequences, situation that DIFI fight to end in communities. DIFI assist old persons in their respective council clubs to live independently because of limited mobility, frailty or other physical or mental health problems. DHCC offers a long-term care through residential care and long stays in Dignity Homes for the Old (DIHOPs). 

Dignity First International notes that with a dramatic increase in the number of people with dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease, with the available, accessible and affordable long-term care their condition may warrant.  Dignity First International under DHCC has established security systems as follows:

 

a) Mutual Health Organisation (MHO). MHO is a preventive and social protection scheme based on the principle of health risk-sharing pooling contributions of individuals to MHO office in council areas for a pay-out in cases of ill-health hits a member. Dignity First has gained experience from the success from the German Technical Cooperation (GIZ) schemes in Cameroon include MHO under DHCC for the effective and sustainable care for ageing/old persons throughout. The MHO funds takes care of health insurance up to 75% of the hospitalization of patient and or dependents (04) listed on a card throughout the year while beneficiary cover only 25% as an effective means to curb poverty and exclusion. The beneficiaries in each District Office, democratically elect their representative seating to control such funds destined for the welfare of these ageing and old persons. DIFI mobilizing and coordinating this service, give the assurance of best governance for sustainable development.

 

 b) Dignity Care Products (natural supplements). Dignity Health Care Center experts in the domain shall collect, create and disseminate effective  natural health supplement tested and proven best for all persons health up-keep especially those supplements that cure gastro-intestinal tract diseases, gastritis, rheumatoid arthritis, cardio-vascular diseases, catarract-glocuma, skin-teeth-ear infections and genital related ailments. 

 

c) Monthly Health Campaigns for Vulnerable Persons.  

DHCC offer on every last Saturdays of the month in councils carry out Councils Ageing/Old Persons Health Fitness Campaign made up of  health education (preventive and curative measures), diagnosing of Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and fitness exercise . During these councils Ageing/Old Persons Health Fitness Campaign carrying out distribution of supplements, medicated eye glasses, walking aids, massaging, eyes care and referrals to competent health facilities. This outreach and services carried out free of charge in order to assist the ageing/old persons to keep tract of their health.

 

3. DIGNITY HOMES FOR OLD PERSONS (DIHOP)

Dignity Homes for Old Persons (DIHOPs) is a specialize care center for housing, loving and caring for ageing and old persons located in Councils areas. DIHOPs in councils has zones opened in villages; unite ageing and old persons in active and interactive clubs discussions and assistance on current challenges and stakes affecting old persons. Dignity Homes for Old Persons (DIHOPs) harness the intergeneration resources for their welfare. Implementing the United Nations 2002 Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA), DIFI developed a comprehensive action planned inclusive and progressive bottom-up strategies for old persons integrated development building for a society for all ages. 

The strategies of DIHOPs consist amongst other; distant family care to active old and ageing persons, their income generation activities/Health protection network and care for most vulnerable old persons abandoned to themselves. 

DIHOPs offers integrated and intergeneration livelihood projects for ageing/old person’s welfare. DIHOPs work with beneficiaries directly and indirectly. DIHOPs offer direct health care and Home Care through family indirect assistance. 

Dignity Homes for Old Persons (DIHOPs) handle issues of poverty, social exclusions, discrimination and gross human rights violation faced by the ageing and old persons using inclusive bottom-up solutions in villages with strategic response to such violations once reported from coordinators. DIHOPs puts ageing persons in active energy demanding incomes generating activities as well as social projects meanwhile the vulnerable old persons are cared for with regular health checks, leisure, and small income generating activities as well as their integration in the society.

 

Dignity Homes for Old Persons (DIHOPs) present projects implemented in council areas:

 

 a). Community Resources Centers for the Old. 

Each DIHOPs office shall host a community resources center which shall promotes the running of short cycle integrated perishable vegetable and livestock farms network (fowls, Piglets Pass-on-Project, Non Conventional livestock), Bio-Farms Projects (Organic Gardens), Old Persons Honey Project,  Old Persons creative  arts, Carving, broidery and handicraft products. Community Resources center for the old shall host discussions and information feedback in the communities.

 

b) Widows Rights Project.

DIHOPs empower widows with social and economic rights, fight against discrimination and gender-based violence. The core of the project is "Glad Widows Hearts Campaign", "Pass-Over Seeds, Breeds and Skills Project" and Dignity Care against NCDs.  Glad Widows Hearts Campaign is solidarity campaign for the welfare of old persons in moments of sadness and happiness through FREEWILL donation and or gifts in cash, clothing, medication, projects resources etc. In sad events each DIHOPs member extends solidarity action(s) from freewill membership of DIFI. Download full project of "Glad Widows Hearts Campaign"

c) Old Persons Pension Rights Scheme.

DIHOPs through this scheme carry out the progressive registration of would-be and pensioners, adviser the latter on safety nets or security for old days as well as their rights within any social security institution and assist any person who request for, genuine and cost free procedure on how to access their pension in appropriate Social Insurance institution. Ageing persons benefit from DIHOPs expertise in Retirement Projects Proposals development to enable them to have a stress free Retirement in self-run Income General Activities of choice.

 

d) International Wisdom Camps (North-South cooperation of old persons for solidarity and development).

DIHOPs through this project brings old persons from the North (developed nations) who are specialists in their domain such as medical doctors, engineers and teachers to interact with old persons in South while repairing and or constructing community schools, hospitals, bridges and other income generating projects. Part of the camping are organized in touristic/recreational parks where these international visitors from the North spend useful leisure in touristic sites while they carry out exchange workshops on managing ageing/old persons projects. During the skills and abilities workshops, retired but active old persons pass over wisdom, culture/tradition, spirit of tolerance and inter-generational solidarity projects to fight against discrimination and human rights violation and sustainable development.  International Wisdom Camps rotates within and without countries yearly. Best participants at the end of their camps with awards of best old but active senior citizens’ realization as well as pass over skills and knowledge.

 

4. YOUTHS ENTREPREUNEURSHIP SCHEMES (YES)

Youths Entrepreneurship Schemes (YES) is an inclusive bottom-up strategy to harness potent force of youths relating their existing human capacity and resources into the mainstream of changing community development needs. YES through innovative expert services creates access constructive alternatives fastened with positive context-driven and adaptability of youths educational or vocational specialized knowledge year round. 

The YES alternatives implanted in councils offers innovative self-reliance and livelihoods for youths using ICT Tools, Agri-business in second generation agriculture-livestock farms and small business holdings as a response to rising rural exodus of youths from grassroots. YES progressively train them in diverse domains of self reliance, place them in unoccupied urban and rural plots for the development of second generation agriculture-livestock farms and small business holdings. 

It is in line with the commitment made by the African Heads of State at the 17th Ordinary Session of the African Union (Malabo, July 2011), and with the UN Agenda of promoting decent and productive work for young women and men and Cameroon government policies creating some avenues for wealth creation in councils that DIFI created Youths Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES) Cameroon.

The Program has the following visions:

Youths Bio-Farms Initiative;

Developing Youths best business plans and funds raising assistance.

Technical Capacity building and Youths vocation skills.

Youths Bio Farms Initiative (YBFI) creates access to constructive alternatives fastened with positive context-driven and adaptability of their educational or vocational specialized knowledge. The alternatives provided in councils are innovative jobs in new technology, second generation agriculture-livestock farms and small business holdings as a response to rising rural exodus of youths from grassroots where  are abundant natural resources. This inclination of escape in and out of villages increases poverty and the sustainable solutions. We seek to network these youths to draw investment in these youths Community-Based Organizations without standing or speaking for them.

 Youths Bio Farms Initiative (YBFI) in each council carries out orientation of youths into opportunities and skills and talents development for them to embrace and effectively reinsert themselves into professional Agro-Pools Cameroon. The breach of the dilemma of entangled youths whose state r dependability is made complex by sense of frustration can only come from gainful agro-tertiary farms.

Youths Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES) Cameroon will be progressively building youth’s skills in small and medium sizes agro-tertiary business bringing their projects to funder instantly through Bridging Council Information and Communication Program. Youths Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES) Cameroon offer Youths Bio-Farms Initiatives to have a genuine and trustworthy network of effective change in councils as future leaders of tomorrow. 

This Youths Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES) Cameroon yoked on the goodwill grassroots population, elites of villages, Municipal authorities and donor institutions all in their domains, manifesting genuine solidarity to youth’s present plights. 

Youths Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES) Cameroon shall be spiced with foot ball for sustainable peace and development is recruiting volunteer farmers who are footballers to spend useful time in the early hours of the day  in practicing farms and after rest play in village teams in the afternoon while preaching peace. The case of Ngoketunjia division in post conflict management is peculiar and DIFI is beginning from here to the world to preach peace, not war, to produce quantitative and qualitative foodstuff and livestock for livelihoods.  

DIFI face the crucial problems of youths such as the chopping poverty, the challenges of HIV/AIDS, the challenge of reforming the education sector, the challenge of promoting economic growth, and the challenge of promoting female employment with inclusive policies formulation, innovative projects in grassroots economies and capacity building in skills such as the ICT tools for sustainable development. DIFI see one of the great hindrances to Cameroon development to be the ravaging effect of HIV/AIDS due to promiscuity, rat-race, fallen standards in morality and the wild wind of globalization.  This HIV/AIDS virus is affecting Councils in Cameroon to maintain sustainable human capital that should guarantee the next generation leadership. That is why DIF must fight all ills with projects of education for youths in farms.

The rate of youths unemployment in Cameroon which is growing rapidly needing speedy actions to curb the frustration that come with insecurity and lack of livelihoods. Youths Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES) Cameroon is no one-size-fits-all solution to employment issues for youths but a crucial solution. This program offer youths intensive agro-tertiary labor, thereby creating employment and promoting agri-business, build business plans and mobilise with them resources to implant these ideas. The present project seeks to network of youths CBOs to cultivate in Balikumbat, Batibo, Widikum/Boffe and Kumbo councils. 

 

 

5. 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.

 

 

 

6. DIGNITY VOCATION CENTERS FOR DISABLED (DVCD)

DIFI through DVCD enforces life skills training for persons with disability specialized in computer software management, internet technologies and woodwork/fine furniture/craft and disabled sports/kneading/tailoring/shoe fabrication/textile-clothes design and disability special (brail) education in some council areas in Cameroon. The centers shall host mutual health insurance Organization (MHO) for persons living with disabilities which shall guarantee the health of these persons at all times. 

Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWD) according to the United Nations convention for disabled persons and the Presidential decree of 2010 in Cameroon underline the precarious situation in which these human beings lives demanding  social and medical rehabilitation for the recognition and protection of their inalienable and inextricable rights especially in grassroots communities in Cameroon.

Dignity Vocations Centers for Disabled (DVCD) off disability rights rehabilitation activities touching health emergency assistance issues of job creation and assistance towards disabled dignified lives. This program is achievable through educating of disabled persons, creation of specialized vocational and professional training center for social/health rehabilitation of persons living with disabilities. The focus of this program targets the entire wellbeing of persons living with disabilities in Cameroon.

 

7. VULNERABLE IN-MATES ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (VIAP)

Detention centers (prisons) are supposed to be a milieu where in-mates are expected to be reformed pending their reinsertion in the society they once wronged and went out of established norms, rules and laws. The inability of these correctional institutions to guarantee the wellbeing of in-mates during their detention period and mental development of societal norms, not forgetting the respect for his human dignity has rendered several prisons areas of cultivation of more hardened human beings for the debased of other persons dignity including theirs. 

This trend must be reversed and DIFI takes the bull by the horn to handle in-mates health, nutritional,   the problem of abandoned persons especially vulnerable (old, young and handicapped) in prisons by families, powers that be is growing in Cameroon. The situation is worse at this moment when there is extreme poverty affecting the care for these vulnerable. 

DIFI shall assist the vulnerable in-mates with good food, medication and reinsertion into professional work (training and placements) during and or before their release. In mates who are human beings shall be educated on the societal norms, law abiding and civic rights and obligations. The project shall pay more emphasis on these vulnerable and underprivileged in detention centers and old vulnerable persons with constant health, social needs assistance and reinsertion of in-mates into gainful activities in the society upon their freedom.

The Vulnerable In-mates assistance program (VIAP-Cameroon) shall equally seek to promote reforms for better management of prison in-mates in major prisons in Cameroon.  

 

 

8. HEIDI-STECHER AFRICAN CHILD FUND

Every child deserves the right to survive, see the earth fully and contribute his/her own quarter in salvaging human plight in search for happiness and progress. In no circumstances should any human being deprive any soul the right to life and DIFI stand for dignified family which begins with children.The Heidi-Stecher Child Fund takes care for vulnerable Children Welfare , fight children exploitation and abuse as stipulated in all international human rights instruments especially the International convention for the right of the child (1989). 

Heidi & Stecher Child Fund gives priority of place to the wellbeing of orphans and vulnerable children to have access to education through the production and sale of arts, craft and apparels exhibited in Europe in cultural evenings. This project pays homage of DIFI honorary presidents, Mr Walter and Mrs. Heidi STECHER, of Germany for their love to Cameroonians vulnerable children through DIFI vision by promoting a domain of human development which they influenced in Africa in 2012. 

Vulnerable School children project: This project targets vulnerable children such as nomads- bororos children and other marginalized children who are caught up by poverty in grassroots communities in Cameroon. This projects place an annex center in areas of targeted beneficiaries to offer constant didactic materials to the children that are of schooling age. The project also educates the parent of children on the importance of education and encourages them to further the training of these children in professional or formal trainings. 

Rescued Street children project: This project involves progressive counseling, training and rescuing from the street, children towards reinsertion in their families’ livelihoods vocational packages. This project also helps to educate families affected by this phenomenon on children security and defence as well as their up bringing for nation building. The last but not the least, some of these children whose background cannot be traced is trained in petit trade, small and medium businesses, vocational trainings, market gardening and agricultural domains in urban centers for their independence. Rescued Street children project   carry out counseling and building a volunteer network providing counseling services for children and concerned adults on issues of child rights, offer Informal education for children which is made up of  literacy, mobile and multi-grade classes , vocational training with job training courses, recreational activities and child participation  and Primary health care/child abuse prevention.

 Street Children and HIV/AIDS Project. DIFI initiate peer support and teaches independence that street children need to take control through awareness and information on child rights, HIV, facilities and options, encouragement to get off the street, basic health care and counseling.

 

 

9. DIGNITY ORPHANS HOME (DOH)

Dignity First International initiated the Dignity Orphans Home (DOH) in 2012 to support with shelter, food, clothing and love for orphaned street kids as well as bringing to them trainings in career-enhancing and livelihoods.

Dignity Orphans Home (DOH) addresses needs of vulnerable children affected or infected by HIV/AIDS, broken homes and general delinquency  in a holistic and sustainable manner with vision of impacting a sustainable, long-term difference to the lives of African children through the foundation and development of low-fee Dignity Educational Complex, and or professional skill and craft capacity development as well as social security scheme “Mutual Health Organization” for these children to reach their full potentials.

Dignity Orphans Home (DOH) runs different divisions within each home made up of Dignity Health care Center, Children's Home with modern dormitory centers for both male and female orphans and Dignity Educational Complex offering education from Pre-Primary School, Crèche, Primary and Secondary levels.

Dignity Orphans Home is committed  to the above time-bound and specific goals, with inclusive strategies and actions in promoting children healthy lives; providing quality education; protecting them against abuse, exploitation and violence; and combating HIV/AIDS from the grassroots communities. The preparation of these children is from tender ages of months to maturity (eighteen years) for them to face live in a best manner despite their social background.

All endeavors of Dignity Orphans Home  is implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) advocating that all children ‘should be fully prepared to live an individual life in society, and brought up in the spirit of the ideals proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations’. In Dignity Orphans Home experts are convinced as it was the declarations in 1990, by the remarkable World Summit for Children, at which 159 Heads of State and Government and other high-level representatives proclaimed that ‘there can be no task nobler than giving every child a better future’. DIFI is acting now to save the ugly pictures that children are subjected to daily. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) adopted in the year 2000 and reiterated in May 2002 all of which involve the rights of the world’s children hope to build ‘A Cameroon Fit for Children a strong convictions that shall be attained with glaring results.

 

10. DIFI PRACTICING FARMS FOR PASS OVER SKILLS, SEEDS AND BREEDS.

The program builds capacity of youths, ageing, old persons and entrepreneurs to invest large scale production of diverse produce/livestock, transformation and e-commerce. The program offer best techniques for the transformation and use of existing natural resources for communities and individuals’ livelihoods. The program seeks to break the yoke of poverty through Pass-Over Skill, Breeds and Seedlings from experts of DIFI and partners to the vulnerable individuals and communities hoping the replication of same. 

DIFI pass over skills to communities through informative sessions, communication gadgets or media and on-spot training of trainers for the improvement of their techniques of agriculture, livestock and fisheries management. These skills are documented and handed in forms of manuals to the coordinators of such programs.

DIFI Pass Over breeds launched in 2014 in North West Region of Cameroon in Ngoketunjia Division seek to mobilize with for beneficiaries, improved and or hybrids seeds and breeds from renown research institutions and hand same to trained beneficiaries for individual and collective industrial production and commercialization of these products and animals as the case may be. In the 2014 DIFI Agro Pool Cameroon Program began with campaign for industrial production of maize, perishable vegetables, grains and livestock. DIFI promote the use of Panar Hybrid Maize 53 white or yellow as a means of poverty alleviation and achieving second generation farming in Councils. Hybrid Maize Pan 53 and Pan 12 are very high yielding hybrid maize for medium and low attitude zones (0-205m .a.sl). The maize production under this program has to tripple over the years so as to improve on the revenue status of youths, women and men engaged in large plantations of maize farming.  The same strategy goes for Old Persons who are grouped in DIFI Practicing Farms in different villages where improved breeds are solicited and handed to groups of old persons for the latter to rear same for a period of time and after multiplications of these breeds,  other breeds are still passed over in the same zones to another old persons for sustainable livelihoods.

 

 

 

11. 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. 

 

 

12. 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. 

 

 

13. DIGNITY EDUCATION FIRST COMPLEX

Dignity First International (DIFI) understood the importance of imparting specific or result-oriented education to our children so that when they become adults they can rely on what they parents had worked tirelessly with them to achieve.  Dignity Education First Complex is blend of environmental factors and the demands for quality jobs/life by emerging countries such as Cameroon wherein the level of creativity and self-employment is decreasing creating series of problems such as clandestine immigration, criminality, disillusion, poverty and vulnerability amongst the bulk of youths. Dignity Education First Complex seek to unveil talents and nurse them for future exploits by youths who still think that the Government is the only source of employment after education or who believe that education is an end to itself.

Dignity Education First Complex takes into account resolutions and declarations adopted by the international community and in Cameroon, in particular those relating to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Education For All (EFA) goals, the Global Education First Initiative led by the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the outcomes of preparatory debates on the formulation of the post-2015 development agenda. It also takes into account the action plans on science and technology in Africa and the role of culture in development. 

Dignity Education First Complex equally drew inspiration from the African Union’s strategic objectives designed to promote Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance to believe that Africa has long suffered and time has come for its children to take the lead in specific areas of their development without thinking low on themselves or their environment. Further more, recommendations contained in the evaluation of Priority Africa conducted in June 2012 helped considerably in the development of strategies of Dignity Education First Complex for its sustainable responses to the changes at work in African economies and societies especially in Cameroon.

Finally Dignity Education First Complex provides answers as to how can the youth population be educated and trained in order to be integrated into society through decent and stable employment, what types of education and what content are required to train young people so that they can participate fully in their country’s development and how can social cohesion be ensured within population groups increasingly faced with all forms of diversity? Dignity Education First Complex implement educational, cultural and scientific policies that contribute to the building of inclusive societies founded on observance of fundamental human rights of all with focus on how and where the acquired knowledge shall be used. 

 

SPECIALISED SECTIONS UNDER DIGNITY EDUCATION FIRST COMPLEX

Pre-Nursery, Nursery and Primary Section;

High School (specific knowledge pursuit and career orientations)  and

International Institute of Applied Technologies, Languages, Projects and Management (IITELPROM)

The human mind is the reservoir for wealth and happiness for each person. The development of the mind with quality training and teachings will shape the persons that we have in our society. Since what we have is what we can offer, the type of education that parents give to their children, the type of educational system that a country shape for its citizens will produce the like’s results. 

The founders of DIFI being proud of the knowledge gathered in garrets in hard conditions has paved the creation of ideal educational complexes that offers pupils/students conducive environments that should build future dignified leaders of tomorrow with specific knowledge for results. Leadership they say should produce other leaders, thence, DIFI believes in quality education of the human mind.

From 2012, DIFI shall carry out feasibility studies for the identification of beneficiaries’ communities to host four Dignity Education First Complex offering formal quality education with dignity for future Cameroon. Education remains the light in the soul of human being and should be promoted at any levels with quality. Dignity Education First Complex shall design short, intermittent and long term courses to recycle old knowledge acquired over years on sustainable development and individual progress/happiness. Dignity Education First Complex Catch-Up Courses are segmented with professional orientation courses for quick result in creative industries or employment. Dignity Education First Complex shall put emphasis on science and technology in Africa and the role of culture in development of the continent.

Dignity Education First Complex shall make use of internet Professional Education Exchange Project for professionals such as accountants, bankers, engineers, lawyers, teachers, researchers, rural actors bringing to them the needed and up to date skills which can permit them to qualitative and quantitative reinvest improved technology and innovation in acquired skills for better delivery of services and activities in communities. 

 

14. HUMAN RIGHTS CLINICs

If there should be peace in any society, there need to be justice. For there to be sustainable social justice and respect of human rights, victims must be able to have access to same. In the context of Cameroon where several persons cannot afford the cost of justice, there is always denied justice and consequently no peace. DIFI faced with this dilemma after several years in advocacy conceived Pro-bono Human Rights Scheme  as ‘Human Rights Clinics’ to be opened in every council areas having a hot line to receive a spontaneous intervention to cases of gross human rights violation by whosoever and its systematic reaction for redress. To achieve this lofty ambitious project, DIFI seek to work with Cameroon Bar Council, stakeholders in the judiciary and Civil Society organization operating in the domain of social justice in order to efficiently  and promptly render justice to cases that merit.  Human Rights Clinic carry out the protection and promotion of economic, social and cultural rights, which include the rights to an adequate standard of living, food, health, education, housing and work. Rt Excellency Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Annual Report on the Work of the Organization 1998 stated:

"The rights-based approach to development describes situations not simply in terms of human needs, or of developmental requirements, but in terms of society's obligation to respond to the inalienable rights of individuals. It empowers people to demand justice as a right, not as charity, and gives communities a moral basis from which to claim international assistance where needed."  

In the pursuit of this task, Human Rights Clinic employs the following international instruments:

The International Bill of Human Rights which comprises the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; 

the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR); 

 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and its two Optional Protocols; 

the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD); 

the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW); 

the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC); 

the conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO);

Regional and Sub regional decrees and laws that enforce the rights and duties of all citizens;

Cameroon civil and criminal procedure Code and

All Cameroonian enforceable laws which defend human dignity, rights and freedoms.

 

The Human Rights Clinic operates through the following centers:

Community Legal assistance Unit:

Community Legal assistance Unit located in sub divisions head-quarters are integrated center that has ICT based equipment that can transmit and receive legal operations and networking between legal experts on cases at hand or counsel or procedure for and on behalf of victims in council areas. The free legal assistance center in council areas shall also receive cases from victims of human rights violations via social median or ICT, transmit systematically same to a pro-bono lawyer in the “DIFI Layers Committee for Human Rights Network for systematic advice and if possible deployment to the field for the defense of averred  victim of human rights violation.

The Community Legal assistance Unit host Community Human Rights Resource Library which disseminate human rights instruments and laws for community education and empowerment as well as the on-spot research for interns and students as well as community practitioners.

 

Community Human Rights Campaign

This is regular capacity building and awareness campaign to the power that be and citizens on the national and international legislations on the defence of rights of citizens as well as the procedure to embark when such inalienable and inextricable human rights are violated.