A brief excerpt from the Housing & Wellness Support initiative:
On his most recent trip to Cameroon in March, 2018, Ed met Ako Emerencia while in Ekona Yard. His time spent with Emerencia was brief, but was a perfect example of the grace and beauty evident in giving to another person.
Ed had overheard a conversation about a blind woman who was soon to be evicted from her home because she was behind on rent. The amount owed? $40.
Emerencia is a student in Form 5 (10th grade equivalent) at Somerset School in Buea, a nearby town. Ed learned that her goal is to be a journalist or social worker. She enjoys doing embroidery that helps her to read, and loves acting out and telling Biblical stories. She also enjoys eating eru with fufu (a local dish), and plantains with vegetables.
As Ed got to know Emerencia better, it became more evident that she has a kind and beautiful spirit. With enthusiastic career goals, the ability to focus on her studies is a priority to her. In effort to ease her burden in a practical way, BesongSmile gifted $100 to Emerencia to cover 6 months of rent. This small gift gave her peace of mind knowing that she would not be without a home and that she could focus on her academic work.