Press release
Diaspora Against Covid-19 Action Press Release
« DIASPORA AGAINST COVID-19 »: The Cameroonian Diaspora's Response to Coronavirus
The Association of Cameroonian Engineers and Computer Scientists (VKII e.V. in German) has taken the resolution, with its partners, to initiate the action "Diaspora Against COVID-19". Through this action a fundraising campaign has been launched with the objective of financing projects dealing with the fight against the pandemic in Cameroon.
This action is jointly under the patronage of H.E. Jean Marc Mpay (Ambassador of Cameroon in Germany), Mr. Protais Ayangma Amang (President of the Employer’s Group of Cameroonian Companies, E.CAM) and Mr. Steve Njanda Kommogne (President of VKII e.V.).
We need you as a patron and sponsor. We call (also) all Cameroonians without exception and any person of good will, regardless of religion, origin, community, association or even political persuasion to join us in this fight. Cameroon is currently experiencing an unprecedented health emergency. We remain open to proposals for collaboration and partnerships with non-governmental organizations that share our objectives, so that we can all together contribute to defeating Covid-19 and saving many lives.
For more information on this campaign, please visit the following website: https://covid.vkii.org/
The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that the pandemic caused by the Coronavirus has since its appearance in December 2019, to date more than 400,000 deaths worldwide and more 8 Million contaminated. The national and international Cameroonian community is particularly sensitive to the impact from a health point of view on local populations but also from an economic point of view. It goes without saying that the Covid-19 poses a threat to food security, the economy of the national triangle, education and above all the health of its inhabitants.
L’Organisation Mondiale de la Santé (OMS) a estimé que la pandémie causée par le Coronavirus a fait depuis son apparition en décembre 2019, jusqu’à ce jour plus de 400.000 décès de par le monde et plus de 8 Millions de contaminés. La communauté Camerounaise nationale et internationale est particulièrement sensible à l’impact d’un point de vue santé sur les populations locales mais aussi d’un point de vue économique. Il va sans dire que la Covid-19 représente une menace pour la sécurité alimentaire, l’économie du triangle national, l’éducation et surtout la santé de ses habitants.
The crisis as an opportunity
However, the glass can be seen, from the perspective, half empty or half full. The Covid-19 crisis clearly represents the best opportunity since independence to make the health system more resilient, to establish and diversify the pillars that will support the Cameroonian economy by putting a particular emphasis on technologies, to create a collaboration platform for national Cameroonians and those of the diaspora for a common strategy.
The VKII e.V. based in Germany and Cameroon, brings together a multitude of skills in the fields of computer science (embedded computing, databases, application development, etc.) as well as engineering (energy, telecommunications, networks, mechanical engineering, mechatronics, biotechnology, etc.). With all the competences present in its membership, the association cannot ignore the consequences of the pandemic and is consequently setting up a Covid-19 response programme.
It is organizing a campaign to collect donations from compatriots in the diaspora and souls of good will, the objective of which is, among other things, through innovative projects, to transfer knowledge, create partnerships with local clinics, to implement medical technologies coupled with digital solutions, in order to fight against the pandemic in Cameroon.
Beneficiaries
Our local partners are on the frontline, comprising humanitarian actors, medical institutions, economic partners, non-governmental organisations. They are better able than anyone else to assess the real needs and remain of crucial importance to optimize the impact of our actions.
Motivation
Realizing that we cannot help all those in need, our mission is to give a smile and hope today, while protecting the opportunities and the future of future generations and at the same time contributing to the improvement of the living conditions of the entire Cameroonian nation.
The VKII through this action and some previous ones wants to be a development actor for Cameroon and Africa, and especially an actor for the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) defined by the United Nations, in particular the SDG number 17.
SDG 17 aims to strengthen effective partnerships between governments, the private sector and civil society for a successful sustainable development agenda. These inclusive partnerships based on principles and values, a common vision and shared goals that place people and the planet at the centre, are more necessary than ever in Cameroon. We focus particularly on partnership with diasporas. We are proof of their added value in the development process and in the fight against the pandemic in African countries.
For the Coronavirus "Task Force" and the VKII e.V.
Steve Kommogne
VKII Chairman