Some 16,000 displaced pupils of the Far North Region will receive 11, 944 pairs of shoes. It is a symbolic donation from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency – JICA. The shoes have been handed to the Minister of Basic Education Yousouf Hadidja Alim by the Ambassador of Japan to Cameroon, Kunio Ukamura. The ceremony included an exchange of signatures between the Minister of Basic Education and the Resident Representative of JICA, Umemoto Shinji.

Yousouf Hadidja Alim, one of President Biya’s numerous cabinet ministers, lauded the JICA initiative. For his part, the Japanese ambassador to Cameroon said the contribution has been made to fight against the infection of soil parasites in pupils, a common disease found in the Region. The contribution to him will go a long way to improve the performance of pupils in the given localities.

The 484 cartons of shoes were donated thanks to the initiative of a Japanese Member of Parliament, Funada Hajme who collaborated with Secondary and High School students in Japan. Cameroonians have been told that the shoes will be handed to the most affected constituencies in the Far North Region such as: the Diamare, Logone and Chari, Mayo Sava and the Mayo Tsanaga Divisions.

Rita Akana with files from CRTV