Handicrafts and Appropriate Technology

By Ignatius Nji

Training of Trainees, Tombola draws ignites excitement

The Center for Appropriate Technology, CAT with headquarter in Bamenda celebrated its 15th open Door day on Saturday February 20 2016 in partnership with volunteers of the SES/Germany and DGFK The ceremony aimed at showcasing what the volunteers have done during this period and this brought together a good number of kids and adults who savored the skilled rich CAT Kids Club exhibition of crafts made out environmentally friendly material and tombola draws where everybody won many gifts which includes a hot chocolate and Cake prepared with sunpower.

Other activities that characterized the event of the day was the award of certificates to trainers of trainees to encourage craft among children which would impact on their creative thinking.These certificates that were handed after a workshop on craft making, were cosigned by the Program Director of CAT Njini Victor and the trainer Renate Perner /SES. Some very beautiful crafts were on display such as the jumping Jack, butterflies, bees and trees which are all pointing at sense toward environmental protection. Other series of certificates were handed to Chief Dr. Mbangni Thomas, of Royal Rehabilitation Center who doubles as head of department for traditional medicine at the Royal University Center RUC and to Mr. Njini Victor/ CAT, through HRH Dr. Leshey I. from Royal University Center. There was another award of certificates to trainees after a workshop with Marlis Bartkiewitz-Schmid/SES in the Department of Traditional Medicine of RUC in Alahnkie. The training successfully brought to bare a traditional medicine for prostate cancer. To facilitate traditional medicine activities at RUC / Dept for Traditional Medicine Chief Dr. Thomas was handed over a Solar-Dryer for herbs by the Program Director of CAT.

The Center for Appropriate Technology, according to the Program Director, Njini Victor has since its creation been carrying out awareness campaigning the country on basic technology such as renewable energy sources like sun and water. People are being sensitized on how to live better in communities with basic facilities produced especially by hand.Talking about the CAT open door day, the Director intimated that in as much as it is an annual event to showcase the activities of volunteers at the end of their stay working with CAT, it is also an occasion to bid them farewell as they return to their country.These volunteers trainer trainers on toy production for kids which in a way is to encourage the kids to spend their holiday time to come to CAT and produce toys which they can even sell to craft shops in town,- but not in the sense of children labour. This is like using their time wisely for creative arts.

Harping on the outcome of the training workshop, the director of CAT hinted Eden that he was very satisfied with training and the trainees and some kids who were also express their happiness with new craft skills. In retrospect Njini Victor said last year project centered around upland recycling of newspapers for shopping bags and this year training was on crafts on living things which is conscious of it role as environmental protection advocacy association. CAT only plays the role of advocacy given that it is not business oriented and to produce the less durable paper bags with newspapers as compared to Chinese companies that are producing with hard paper bags and selling at a much cheaper rates makes it not cost effective to CAT. Polythene bags which are not good for the environment are still unfortunately being smuggled in to Cameroonian markets in spite the ban on plastics and sometimes the forces of law and order do seize packets of these polythene bags in the markets. According to him, the advocacy for renewable energy is gaining grounds given that as pioneer advocate, most communities today can boost of a street light mounted by CAT. Given the proximity of rural areas, only renewable energy can salvage energy problem in such areas given the hydro electricity projects littered in the country would be swallowed by industrial activities. 

Marlis Bartkiewitz-Schmid/SES Renate Perner/SES DGFK SPATH Chief Dr Thomas/RRC HRH Ambassador King Leshey I.,RDC Njini Victor/CAT Prof Dr Pintsch / RUC