In all honesty, maybe you would say "as always", these past days/week, have been jammed-packed with things I need to deliver on ASAP. We are ONE MONTH away from our "Problem-Solvers" Competition, and the pressure is mounting, the candidates are ready, we have to secure all the logistics of the event, build more partnerships, and we are still to raise $15 000 of the $20 000 we need to fundraise for the event to be a SUCCESS! It's doable in one-month. At least that's what I'm convincing my spirits of, if not my drive would evaporate...
The time pressure I have is the reason why I have no more time to blog. So I ask you in advance to excuse me for this lazy blogpost, lol... which is simply the copy of the email I sent to update Harambe-Cameroon friends, supporters, and collaborators. Read on, the email as sent on Monday morning: Dear friends, collaborators and supporters of Harambe-Cameroon,
I hope this Monday finds each single one of you in great health and good spirits.
It is once more with great pleasure that I share with you some of the updates of Harambe-Cameroon:
We are currently in the middle of our 2011 national Problem-Solvers' Competition. After the 1st round selecting 20 teams, we have selected our Top-11 teams. These groups of young students (17-30yrs old) from Universities of : Bagangte, Douala, Yaounde, Buea; have successfully delivered on our one week challenge - produce a "90 seconds to Convince Video" to pitch your project-idea to the world wide web. To those who participated in our Elevator Pitch Contest last year (http://www.scribd.com/doc/
This is in line with our objective to engage Cameroon's youth to not only "Think Innovatively" and "Act Locally", but also to "Connect Globally."
As such, we invite you all to take, just 90seconds = 1min30 seconds of your time (even if it's just for curiousity's sake) to watch at least one of the videos these groups of students created: http://www.youtube.
In the words of Youtube, if they won't broadcast us, we will "Broadcast Ourselves."
The least we can all do is support this dynamic, ambitious and entrepreneurial youth.
Harambe-Cameroon is thankful for the growing support we have received:
- Close to 5 000 views on our blog (http://harambecameroun.
- 2 500 reads of our scribd documents (http://www.scribd.com/- 2 400Fans on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/
Our goal is to reach 10 000 fans by mid-July (and we are strategically working towards it - Click to Like our Fb Page). This amount of people would give us a tangible critical mass that could serve as leverage to gain even further support from corporations, government, and institutions seeking to increase their visibility and (instantaneously) spread their message amongst Cameroon's youths, Cameroon's Diaspora, and our wide network of Americans, Nigerians, Ghanaians, French, English, and more adherents. The challenge is set for us. I will be glad to communicate an email sharing the good news with you all by the end of July.
Futhermore, we have established a partnership with the William James Foundation USA - such that our Top-10 contestants could apply to their international Business Plan competition, with a $100 fee-waiver. You can find more information about this USA-Cameroon synergy on the WJF website: http://www.
Secondly, I had the priviledge to attend the Google Africa Conference in Douala, last Thursday (June 16th). As you could imagine, being in the midst of this worldwide multinational, and learning form the experts was an exceptional experience. That day,The Director of Francophone Google Africa told me he is recuiting for 5 positions. ... So if you know of anyone who could be interested, and who meets the Google qualifications, please forward them this link: http://www.google.com/
So they can send their Resume + Cover Letter... You can also explore the other positions available in Africa, and apply: http://www.google.com/
Those are the Harambe-Cameroon Updates of the month of June. Remember to mark in your calendar : THURSDAY, JULY 28th, 2011 - Harambe-Cameroon's Final 5 Problem-Solvers' Competition.
And once more, take 90 seconds of your time, to view what Cameroon's youth are proposing to solve local problems, create jobs (and self-employment) and participate in the development of our communities:
We look forward to your feedback.
In the meantime, feel free to forward the information, and spread our Harambe Gospel!
Thank you, and have a pleasant beginning of the week.
Best, as always,
Best, as always,
Olivia
--
Olivia Mukam
Johns Hopkins '09 Alumni
Founder/President, Harambe Cameroon
Consultant, Business Development and Investment
Tel: .....
www.healliance.org
Johns Hopkins '09 Alumni
Founder/President, Harambe Cameroon
Consultant, Business Development and Investment
Tel: .....
www.healliance.org
harambecameroun.blogspot.com
oliviamukam.blogspot.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/oliviamukam
"Life is 1% what happens to yo
oliviamukam.blogspot.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/oliviamukam
"Life is 1% what happens to yo
"You are judged not by what you have, but by what you DO with what you have." - Anonymous
"Until you have done something for humanity,
Thanks for the update!
ReplyDeleteWill definitely check the youtube videos. Wow you have come a loooong way from your first blogs about the obstacles and challenged you faced when you first arrived in cameroon. I had also expressed interest on how i could become involve with Harambe and never recieved a response.
Nice blog.Your entries are amazing and inspiring.Just like "mon petite niche":Lauretta, I had contacted Harambe and filled out a form on their website but never got any feedback either.
ReplyDeleteHey Mon Petite Niche & Ninot:
ReplyDeleteFirst, I have to say I truly appreciate your feedback.
MPN, you have witnessed our evolution, from the very beginning when I arrived in cameroon, till now. You saw the vision transform itself into action; and I always love reconnecting with people who have seen the beginnings till the present. So I'm really glad you left a comment.
As per your involvement with Harambe-Cameroon, which will also answer to Ninot, I apologize for the lack of response. Our official email is swamped with so many requests from students, and sometimes we may overlook one or 2 emails. So I apologize for that.
At any rate, 2 ways of helping Harambe-Cameroon's mission this far, is
1. Increasing our visibility/presence/story.
2. Helping with the fundraising initiative.
For point 1. We have increased our visibility in a very grassroots way. without any media backup, we have managed to mobilize 2960 people , more than 60% of whom are cameroonians in Cameroon, being brought on the internet sphere (i.e. occasional/non-internet users). This is not enough though, we need more people to subscribe to our cause - to engage cameroonian youths in the development of our country.
https://www.facebook.com/Harambe.Cameroon.Page
So, if you could facilitate an media coverage, internet publications, mobilizing your friends/families/communities in your various regions... that would go a long way.
2. The second, which is always the most delicate to ask from young people is the fundraising. We are one month away from the competition, and we are still fundraising not 15 000 out of 20 000 anymore, but $13 000. Little by little we are getting sponsors on board. But in addition to macro-fundraising, we do lots of crod-funding ; e.g. last year we had ppls donate from $20 - $1000 to the endeavor :
http://www.scribd.com/doc/46486735/Harambe-Cameroon-CROWDFUNDING
The other option could be to connect us with ppls who mght have the means to help us advance our initiative. Or organize a fundraising event in the region you are in, which would go towards the prizes + organization of the FINALE Competition - on July 28th.
I hope that gives you an idea of the possible ways to help us from abroad. Now, if you come back to Cameroon, contact us, and we will be glad to have you amongst our volunteers/interns in our office in Yaoundé, or our representation in Douala.