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Baroness Howells: To support children is to ensure future development of the country
4th December 2009: Some 300 guests defied appalling weather conditions to attend the Cameroon Forum annual dinner in Porchester Hall, West London on 21st November.
 The focus of this year’s event was the launch of a fundraising appeal themed ‘Sponsor a Cameroonian Child’, a project aimed at raising awareness on the impact of HIV/AIDS and poverty on orphans, and to establish long term support to alleviate deprivation among child victims of the disease throughout Cameroon. Chairman of Cameroon Forum, Chris Nasah, explained that to achieve this goal, Cameroon Forum was supporting local charities on the ground in Cameroon.
Mrs. Janet Ekaney, wife of the Cameroon High Commissioner to Britain and patron of the event was supported by her husband H.E. Nkwelle Ekaney, a host of dignitaries and Cameroonian professionals from private, public and civil society, as well as many friends of Cameroon.
Among the VIPs was Baroness Howells of St Davids, an ardent supporter of the Cameroon Forum charity initiative from its inception in 2008. In her dinner address the Baroness pinpointed the importance of children to any country, saying that to support children is to ensure the future development of Cameroon. She praised the effort and selflessness of Cameroon Forum’s executive in organizing a wonderful fundraising evening for the benefit of deprived children.
In his turn, High Commissioner Ekaney praised Cameroon Forum, the Cameroonian community and friends of Cameroon for turning up in their numbers to make the event such a success. He promised government support for this kind of initiative that has development impact.
 The star of the event was African footballer of the century and Cameroon’s roving Ambassador of Goodwill, the indomitable Albert Roger Milla. He flew into London a week after he helped Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions to clinch their 6th World Cup qualification (another African record), beating Morocco to book their ticket to South Africa 2010.
Rising to speak to a standing ovation, Roger Milla thanked Cameroon Forum for inviting him to this great event in the great City of London. He revealed that one thing he shared with English people was the love and passion for football. He spoke of his humility and compassion towards the poor children of Africa and Cameroon in particular. Their plight had motivated him to set up a charity “Fondation Coeur d’Afrique” (African Heart Foundation). The aim of the charity is to safeguard the welfare and bring hope to underprivileged children and youth through outreach activities to enable them to aspire and achieve their dreams through football mentorship. In this regard he lauded Cameroon Forum’s effort to help children in need and promised collaboration between his foundation and Cameroon Forum for mutual synergies. Roger Milla invited participants to donate generously to support the initiative.
 The occasion also included performance by a Cameroonian Makossa artist Sergio Polo to whose lyrics the crowds danced into the early hours of the morning.
The plight of Cameroonian children affected by HIV/AIDS pretty much reflects the situation in many (sub-Sahara) African countries. About 20,000 children die each day in Africa according to World Health Organisation’s statistics. As we count down to Christmas and anticipate the New Year, several thousand children in Africa will not be lucky to live to see Christmas let alone the New Year. Many more children are at risk due to lack of medical support. Through the Cameroon Forum charitable initiative, you can pledge to Sponsor a Cameroonian Child. All it takes is £5 a month or just £0.20 a day to give hope to innocent children so that they may achieve their full God’s given potential.
By Nsibiri Nkanda
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