SPATH

Society for the Promotion of Appropriate Technology and Housing, Cameroon

For our friends in Bamenda University of Science and Technology and in Royal University Centre
Monday, December 18, 2017

Self-contained note on three book projects

At the end of the year 2017 there are 3 publications about living concepts:


a) HOUSING

From a series of articles for a technical magazine between 2008 and 2012, the German translation is now available with original graphics and illustrations, in which the topic of Housing is discussed from different points of view (economy, technology, science, philosophy, etc.).

b) POPULATION AND LIVING

A conversation between Prof Dr Mackemsen and Prof Dr Pintsch resulted in a comparison of two research and teaching methods: the traditional one with quotations and references and the unconventional one, almost without references, which deliberately leaves the reader to look for the source and thus stimulates him to another form of activity.

c) SYSTEMS AND HOUSING

From mosaic-like aspects to the system view between holistic, open and closed system, with the emphasis on the closed system.

In sketchy contributions, the complete range is discussed: the physical, earth-related to the far-off independent system and the psychic phenomenon of being self-contained for example in special diseases (amyottrophic lateral sclerosis).

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posted by S A J Shirazi @ 10:11 AM, ,

Eco Friendly Initiatives to Boast Environmental Protection in Cameroon
Friday, July 1, 2016

By Aaron Yancho Kaah

In the outskirt of the city of bamenda an eco friendly initiative is budding with five tree houses constructed to serve as lodging and bar restaurant.


The owner one Asangawa Stephen says he wants to highlight the importance of trees and to bring humanity closer to nature with this project that started five years ago.

These tree lodging houses that are built around some 8trees lasting at least 20yrs hang from a height of 7meters each above the ground .

"There is no way I can give back to nature all the food things I have received from the chest of mother nature" Stephen the proprietor of this project said as he ushered in his two foreign visitors.

This piece of land on which Stephen is promoting this eco friendly initiative was bequeathed to him by his late Dad. "I want to make the most of it in this modern times" he said. More than 50environmental friendly trees have also been planted on this land ranging from fruits trees like mangos to prunus Africanas

Talking about the material used in constructing these tree ldging houses ..Stephen explained that low cost material like bamboo, fibre an cane where his main substance. "As you can see I have not bought any of these raw materials, I'm making good use of this low cost accessible and cheap natural products to give this project its full potentials” Stephen remarked.

These tree lodging houses are well ventilated and are serviced with all social amenities like flushing toilets, TV sets and wool carpets.

Security as in Stephen terms has been well guarantee as he has afforded two modern fire extinguishers just in case of any fire out breaks. "In the days ahead I will be getting certification from the Cameroon on the safety of this project". Stephen recounted.

While appreciating Stephen idea has a stepping stone to more self reliance and a boast to the tourism industry in Cameroon, King Wilfred divisional delegate of commerce in Bamenda pinpointed that Stephen idea was renovative and worth supporting. “This is a remarkable contribution to the fight against deforestation and climate change" Wilfred added.


A room in Stephen tree house cost an approximate 8000 fcfa. More than 70 foreign and national guests have visited this project.

Stephen is a determined farmer and has over 5kids. In his vision the sky is his limits in contributing to this fight against climate change in Africa.

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posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:58 AM, ,

Regulated by Record keeping to a life of self satisfaction
Monday, September 1, 2014

Aaron Kaah Yancho

Nkwanyuy Edna is a resourceful Heifer international Cameroon farmer in the Kikaikom village in Bui division of the North West Region in Cameroon. Edna benefitted from a Heifer international Cameroon training and support of a sheep project in her Tirnyuy women’s common initiative group in 2005. Edna (44years), is married to Shumoh Emmanuel and they have three children and two granddaughters.

Before benefitting from a Heifer international Cameroon support project, Edna was going through life like a “ghost”. “There was no means of survival and I was just living” Edna recalled. Edna and her family were surrounded with many issues like poor feeding, limited income, poor sanitation and hygiene as well as family squabbles that made life so painful for them. “My children were hospitalized very often and we did not know the cause” she said. Despite sacrificing much of her energy and time on the farm field, there was no means for her family to generate income. The income for the education of her children and emergency spending was never available. “My family could not distinguish reality from night mares” she said.

By pursuing life and striving to be happy again, Edna and some women with similar problems came into synergy and the Tirnyuy women’s common initiative group was born with 14 members in the year 2000. Their objectives were to win the battles over their limited income, low food crop yields and livestock production. “We wanted to share ideas, our sorrows and our pains so as to improve on our lives” Edna recalled. Though members of this group laboriously complemented one another, their collective abilities to succeed were always wearing thin. The extra ordinary first good news to Edna and her group members was when Heifer international Cameroon responded to their application to subsidize their sheep projects in 2005. “To add our knowledge, Heifer international Cameroon started teaching us so many things” she said. The topics covered care for animals, how to improve nutrition and income, sanitation and hygiene, integrated livestock management, gender equity and Heifer international Cameroon 12 cornerstones of love and sharing. At the end of the coaching Heifer international Cameroon offered Edna and members of her group farm inputs, tools, and 4 sheep, 1 ram each.

“I did everything as instructed in the teachings; feeding my animals a balance diet” she affirmed. Under strict concentration and surveillance Edna expanded her herd to 45. “Logically, I was making use of compost manure” Edna said. With the compost manure, Edna initiated a gardening project next to her house and like a warrior concentrated seriously in digging her farm fields:-her dreams came alive. The farmers harvested 4 bags of beans as compared to 1 bag in the past, 10 bags of maize on like 2 in the past and 5 bags of Irish potatoes on like 1 in the past. Continuously evaluating the growth of her activities through good record keeping skills, she expanded to the rearing of pigs, goats and guinea pigs to sustain their income. The improved food crops and vegetables yields ameliorated the feeding conditions of her family- as she marketed spare food crops for cash. “I was monitoring myself and came out of poverty gradually”. With their 45 goats, Edna sold 30 at 600,000FCFA, took her vegetables and food crops to the market and made 800,000FCFA. “I paid my pass on the gift at 215,000FCFA and used the rest of the money in the buying and selling of food crops for more income” she said.

Edna with good dialogue benefitted the support of her husband in decision making and their children voluntarily “worked like ants “on their assignments. Edna’s brilliant knowledge of record keeping regulated her income and expenditure as she renovated her home with modern toilets, provided electricity and pipe borne water. Edna has saved according to her records 50,000FCFA in the revolving fund of her group, 36,000FCFA in the Mbve cooperative credit union and 50,000FCFA in a micro financial establishment in her community. Their annual spending income stands at 2,000,000FCFA. Edna and her husband have created links with the needy and orphans in their community to promote the Heifer international Cameroon 12 cornerstones of love and sharing. 

Resourceful as Edna is, her capabilities have earned her unspoken respect. She is the president of the Tirnyuy women’s common initiative group and the Kikaikom pig farmers’ union and the treasurer of their community water supply project. Edna is also teaching members of the catholic women’s fellowship of her Christian congregation to grow from strength to strength as they depend on God and hard work. This farmer also sees herself as the minister of hygiene and sanitation in her community. “I keep record of everything in the village right down to sanitation for follow-up” she confirmed.

Heifer international Cameroon sounds like a healing name to Edna and her family and they look utterly happy with Heifer international Cameroon’s calendars on their house walls. “We have experienced a lot and I wish Heifer international Cameroon good luck” she prayed.




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posted by S A J Shirazi @ 12:00 AM, ,

Driven to Economic Prosperity on Heifer International - Cameroon’s knowledge of income Generation
Friday, August 29, 2014

Winifred Sighan and her husband Paul only saw the dawn of an economic prosperity through a Heifer international Cameroon training and support of a sheep project with their Tirnyuy women’s Common Initiative Group at the Kekaikom community in Bui division of the North West region of Cameroon in 2005.

Winifred and Paul have 8 children (4boys and 4 girls). Winifred had a challenging task to feed her family and support her husband’s limping business. “I was living in this compound in misery” she said of the past. Winifred’s over dependency on her husband for income and any emergency spending pushed her to a begging end and consequent misery. The kind of misery which necessitated her and some 13 women in her community to form the Tirnyuy women’s common initiative group in the year 2000. Their task was to complement one another in labor, with food crops and cash. “We wanted to help ourselves”. She said. Yet her dreams were never realized despite working in collaboration with her children their food crop harvest was never enough. Poor feeding brought in health complications like stomach problems for some of her children and gastric pains for Winifred. “Part of the children’s school fee was spent in the hospital” she recalled.
Read more »

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posted by S A J Shirazi @ 10:09 AM, ,

Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch
Saturday, May 25, 2013

At the age of 20 year, he was awarded special permission for the first restoration project in Berlin. He taught at that time as the youngest lecturer of 26 years at the Berlin University for Applied Science. As an architect Civil Engineer, and Economist, he has been actively engaged in various projects and has taught in Berlin as well as in foreign countries. He has published books and articles, also under different names, and has been editor in a number of Journals.
 
 
Through the NGO, DGFK (Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Kultur), which was established in 1972 by him, he was able to support a number of projects in different fields of culture and in this way contributed positively to society.

He is actively engaged in projects in foreign countries over 20 years as also with us.

As a Senior Expert of the German Senior Expert Service, Bonn, he has often received their support.

Cameroon thanks Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch and wishes him health luck and success !
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posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:38 AM, ,

CAT Bamenda and its Partners Secure a Bright Future for Development Projects in Cameroon
Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Njini King Caro
The Center for Appropriate Technology Bamenda (CAT) Cameroon is one of Cameroon’s people oriented institution with a long time experience in the field of alternative and renewable energies in the country. CAT was created in 2001 to demonstrate, build and influence people and rural communities on how to change their lives and livelihoods through sustainable ways of environmental protection and the development and usage of appropriate technologies. Over the years there has not been any limits to the success story of this organization. CAT under its managing director Njini Victor has renewed the hopes of people living in the rural communities by creating sufficient awareness on renewable energy sources, and environmental protection.


Lately the Center took it’s know how to the Akwaya community where lighting had been a long time cry of the people for centuries. This area was one of Cameroon’s landlocked villages in the South West region without a passable road. The lack of communication with the outside world either with a cell of fixed phone compounded its woes. Equipment in gov.t offices were still manualy run. Schools and colleges only dreamed on science and ICT studies. All this resulted to low levels of live. Poverty was taking it tall on the community.
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posted by S A J Shirazi @ 5:04 PM, ,


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