NW Inclusive Resource Center receives new Brail Embosser

An Index Braille DV-5 Embosser and a sound acoustic hood worth over 7 million FCFA has been donated to the Northwest Regional Inclusive Education Resource Centre (RIERC) situated in Government Bilingual High School (GBHS) Bamenda. Prof. Tih Pius Muffih, Director of CBC Health Services, on October 11, 2022, handed the equipment to the NW Regional Delegate of Secondary Education who doubles as the Board chair for the Management and stakeholder Committees of the Resource Centre.

The handing over ceremony, which took place in Campus B of GBHS Bamenda held under the watchful eyes of the Commissioner for Education at the NW Regional Assembly, Prof. Anjoh Rose, stakeholders of the center, staff of GBHS Bamenda and CBC Health Services, and some students with impairments in GBHS Bamenda.

Speaking during the event, the Acting Coordinator of the RIERC, Mbah Elenor traced the construction of the center to 2012 by the Dordrecht Bamenda Foundation in partnership with the Socio-Economic Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SEEPD) Program and the Parents Teachers Association (PTA). The center was officially handed over to the NW Regional Delegations of Basic and Secondary Education in 2015. She noted that the purpose of the center is to support inclusive education policy and implementation through the promotion of inclusive education activities in the entire NW region.

Elenor underlined that since the breakdown of an embosser in the center five years ago, the brailing of notes for the students with visual impairment has been a great challenge. The provision of a modern technology brail embosser to the center is thus a stitch in time.  On behalf of the users of the center, she appreciated the CBC Health Services through its Socio-Economic Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SEEPD) Program for the donation and like Oliver twist, noted other needs like creation of an audio library and recruitment of personnel to meet the learning needs of learners with impairments.

Prof. Tih Puis in his handing over address noted that the donation of an Index Braille DV-5 Embosser (most recent Braille Technology) and a sound acoustic hood is a sign of commitment on the part of the CBC Health Services in supporting the center to continuously meet its goal. The Director of CBC Health Services has put in place a technical service at the disposal of the center to ensure the training of staff for effective usage and maintenance on an ongoing basis. Prof Tih commended the leadership of the Delegations of Basic and Secondary Education and other stakeholders for relentlessly ensuring that the center is exceptional. He disclosed that in her efforts to promote inclusive education, the CBC Health Services has similar centers at the University of Bamenda, Baptist Comprehensive Collage Nkwen, and Lycée Classique Bafoussam and the results have been outstanding.

^{NW Secondary Education Delegate implores beneficiaries to use the embosser judiciously, flanked by Prof. Rose & Prof. Tih}

Receiving the donation, the Delegate of Secondary Education, Mr. Yven Roland described the CBC Health Services as a leading organization in Health and Inclusive Education in Cameroon. He appreciated the CBC Health Services and its funders for not only constructing the center but continuously providing equipment that will go a long way to facilitate learning and teaching for teachers and students. Mr. Yven used the occasion to commend the efforts of stakeholders of the center like the NW Regional Assembly, Councils, PTA, and others who have been intentional in supporting the running of the center. His wish is that the center will grow and give birth to other centers in the region to meet the growing needs of learners with disabilities seeking education.

The Representative of the NWR Assembly President, Prof. Anjoh Rose joined her voice to the education family in the region to hail the CBC Health Services for promoting inclusive education in the region. Acknowledging the needs of the centre as presented by the Acting Coordinator, Prof. Anjoh noted that in collaboration with the Regional Delegate, they will work continuously in promoting the growth of the center.

As host institution of the centre, the principal of GBHS Bamenda, Mr. Ngwa David commissioned the staff and users of the center to use the gift judiciously. According to one of the learners, Mungyeh Champlin, a lower sixth student with visual impairments, the brailing of his notes for the past years has been very challenging. He expressed that the brail machine will facilitate learning for him, especially at a time when he is preparing for his Advanced Level exams next year.

The donation of the brail embosser to the Resource center was made, thanks to funding from CBM via Socio-Economic Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SEEPD) Program.