Best Foreign Expatriate Award Speech
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Norbert Pintsch was awarded the Best Foreign Expatriate Award - 2013 in Cameroon, here the text of his speech on the occasion:
Very respected ladies and gentlemen
First of all I would like to thank you for the honour bestowed upon me!
Cameroon is a rich country, with many resources and an efficient traditional culture. The efforts of the DGFK (German Society for the Development of Culture) and SES (Senior Expert Service) volunteers do not and were never supposed to transfer finished western ideas and products, rather much more the common development of solutions on site and together with the participants. Due to good cooperation with CAT (Centre for Appropriate Technology) and its Program-Director Mr. Njini Victor and the Volunteers, of which I consider myself one, we actually succeeded in finding new and maybe unusual ways ways of approaching the issues.
Cameroon is a rich country, with many resources and an efficient traditional culture. The efforts of the DGFK (German Society for the Development of Culture) and SES (Senior Expert Service) volunteers do not and were never supposed to transfer finished western ideas and products, rather much more the common development of solutions on site and together with the participants. Due to good cooperation with CAT (Centre for Appropriate Technology) and its Program-Director Mr. Njini Victor and the Volunteers, of which I consider myself one, we actually succeeded in finding new and maybe unusual ways ways of approaching the issues.
CAT combines three areas under its roof: AT (Appropriate Technology), HC (Handicraft) and CI (Communication and Information), whereas Dr. Senta Siller. was a pioneer of the HC and trained among others three groups of women in the making of Dolls and now these women are able to earn a living in the self-help project. The dolls are sold within and outside the country and in Cameroon embassies as souvenirs.
The AT has a cooperation with Pakistan and Columbia, which may be mentioned in this regard. But CAT has also developed a program for children and youth, in order to promote their awareness of AT. The CAT-Clubs are supported by the former German GTZ (Society for Technical Cooperation). In the meanwhile, we also have theYoungster-Club, as well as a Students-Club. These enable the interested students of universities in IAM&BUST (Institute for Alternative Methods et BamendaUniversity for Science and Technology) to acquire practical experience in AT. The further development of the AT and the necessary cooperation between local projects, other NGOs, etc. led this year to the establishment of SPATH (Society for the Promotion of Appropriate Technology and Housing).
A publication under the CI was published last year and since two years, there is also the Internet-Radio-Project.
Ladies and Gentlemen
At the end, I may thank you once again for the honour together with the hope for further initiatives and support of CAT and with that for your beautiful country.
Thank you!
Labels: Prof. Dr. Norbert Pintsch
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 1:33 PM,
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