The Member of Parliament for Menchum South Constituency, Hon. Wallang Richard Ebua, has once again demonstrated his fatherly love to the rural community. This time around, it was at the St. Martin’s Catholic school in Wum Municipality of Menchum Division in the North-West Region that tasted the generosity of the Member of Parliament. After 79 years of existence, with an advanced stage of decrepitude classroom buildings and a non-existing multimedia center, St. Martin’s Catholic school Wum has just been given a new facelift by the MP, a philanthropist. A ceremony to officially hand-over the newly constructed and equipped St. Martin’s Catholic school Wum to the educational community, took place February 20, 2021 at the school premises, after a Holy Mass at the St. Martin De Porres Catholic Church Wum.
The event witnessed the presence of Mr. Demanou Fabrice, the First Assistant SDO.
Speaking at the event, Rev. Father John Siewe Seugoua urged those in attendance to accompany the MP of Menchum South Constituency in his philanthropic mission. He prayed God to bless the works of the MP, bless the learners and their teachers, and also bless parents and the entire Christian community.
Their current presence was in line with a project that started like a dream to offer a block of two classrooms to St. Martin’s Catholic school Wum. But the MP, He said, needed courage, support, patience and perseverance to realize the project when it was discovered that it was not just enough to provide the school with a block of classrooms. Thus, the MP went extra mile to provide 60 benches, tables and chairs and a bookshelf, which the population received with immense joy.
At the end of the official handing of the newly constructed classrooms to the Priest of St. Martin’s Parish, OJ SLIM MEDIA spoke to the MP of Menchum South.
“I am out to promote education because it is often said, if you want a ten year invest, plant a tree but if you want a lifetime investment, educate a child. I opted for the construction and equipment of these two classrooms because of the children who have been able to surmount the social, economic and diverse challenges in our society, giving the present context.” Hon. Wallang Richard Ebua told the educational community. He underlined the need for the population to jealously guard the school and preserve it from burglary and any act of vandalism.
Rev. Father John Siewe Seugoua on behalf of the Christian community said with respect and discipline, they are going to properly use the gifts. He expressed thanks to the Member of Parliament, and like Oliver Twist, he expressed the wish for a modernized multimedia centre which will permit them to gain more knowledge and connect with the rest of the world.
Worthy of note is the fact that St. Martin’s Catholic school Wum was created in 1942 and has since then seen many of its pupils becoming great personality of our times in the likes of Chief Dr. Dion Ngute, Cameroon’s Prime Minister and Head of Government.
Rapid urbanization and the ongoing Anglophone crises are leading to an explosive increase of the population in metropolitan areas in Cameroon such as the city of Wum. While the increasing population is bringing a huge number of social and economic problems, the impact of job and training availability, and the physical, social and cultural quality of urban environment on marginalized people is enormous, affecting their living conditions and well-being so that many of them through frustration and lack of options, retire to the urban slums.
Moreover, overcrowding of the limited educational institutions within the city and an almost complete lack of such educational institutions within urban slums and peripheral villages, means that thousands of low income families, can’t gain access to and can’t afford education for their children.
The raison d’être of Hon. Wallang Richard Ebua’s project, was to construct a child-friendly school that will benefit the pupils, parents, and residents of Wum subdivision which has too few schools in terms of quality infrastructures, to serve an estimated population of 82 000 inhabitants.
“Volunteering your time to support a cause you are passionate about is something you will never regret. It will enrich your life, familiarize you with your community, and connect you to people and ideas that will positively impact your perspective for the rest of your life. Helping your community is an opportunity for you to grow as a person, to better understand how you fit into the world around you”. This is perhaps the wind beneath Hon. Wallang Richard’s wing as he embarked on giving back to the community, what it gave him while a little child up till date. He recently constructed and equipped a block of two classrooms and a Head Teacher’s office at the Catholic School St. Martin de Porres Parish in Wum, Menchum Division of the North-West Region of Cameroon.
It should be recalled here that, spending time enriching your community is a great way to broaden your perceptions of the world. By immersing yourself in a community and surrounding yourself with people who are dedicated to bettering the world, you can learn so much about how the world works. You gain a unique sense of purpose by serving those around you, one which often manifests in other areas of your life. The fulfilling feeling of giving back and contributing to society is unparalleled. Giving back is also a great way to get to know your community and its citizens. Dedicating your time and sacrificing your financial resources to help others will teach you patience, kindness, and resilience.
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