The French Fund for Global Environment, better known by its French acronym, FFEM, has lauded ERuDeF for excellently executing livelihoods projects in the proposed Mak-Betchou Chimpanzee Sanctuary, notably the pig farming and bee keeping projects in Andu, Lebialem Division.
By Ndimuh Bertrand Shancho
FFEM Programme Manager, Silvia Rittossa, expressed profound satisfaction at the ERuDeF Regional Office in Menji, Lebialem Division, March 19, 2014, as she went visiting projects supported by her organisation since 201.
“There is quite much and quality work on the ground that ERuDeF is doing with his team. I saw with my own eyes how professional the organization is and how the CEO, Louis Nkembi, is managing his staff. I think we did not make a wrong decision financing it for the second time,” said Rittossa.
Rittossa was particularly marvelled by the dedication and commitment the people of Mak-betchou have for the projects.
“I have visited many projects in Africa but to be very candid with you, this is the first time I have really seen people committed to a project and wanting more. We give beehives to people as an alternative source of livelihood, but they are not always able to develop real honey production, but I am really confident that the development of this activity can bring quite some revenue to the people,” the FFEM Programme Manager said.
Rittossa, who had hitherto shunned financing livestock project for fear that “the people will take and eat”, was overwhelmed when one Nkemleke George, who received two piglets from ERuDeF in 2012, presented 12 piglets promising to give two to one other member of the community who did not benefit from ERuDeF’s donation.
“I see that the people can be trusted. They don’t even need a Memorandum of Understanding to be honest in their dealing. They understand the terms….so it worked in Andu unlike my thoughts,” Rittossa said.
She also expressed great delight at ERuDeF’s Education for Sustainable Development Programme, Echinops giganteus Project, and the extent which the organization has gone with the gazetting process of the Proposed Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary.
Rittossa attributed the success to the organization’s continuous presence at the project site and trustworthiness.
“We have NGOs that remain in the regional capitals and hardly go to the fields or project sites but from what I see, ERuDeF staff are always on the field. The fact that they have a field office is a symbol of trustworthiness and I think it is not by chance that the organization has an increasing number of partners,” said the FFEM Programme Manager.
For his part, ERuDeF President/CEO, Nkembi, was deeply delighted with the visit of Silvia Rittossa to ERuDeF’s project sites.
He said: “It is an avenue for ERuDeF to know how good or bad it has been able to implement and ameliorate where need be.
He also promised to, together with his team, make the best out of any funds received from ERuDeF’s donors.
The Chief of Andu, just like the people of the local community, expressed gratitude to FFEM and other partners for meeting their needs through ERuDeF.
