CAM’s Update 12/04/2013

The CAM project has been progressing along two fronts. Firstly, in Bombe Bakundu the CAM’s timeline is in full swing. For the past two months the team has been conducting interviews with the Chief, the Traditional Council, and a cross-section of other community members. The data gathered is being used to gauge the levels of access to justice, participation, human rights, and governance in the community. This constitutes the second phase of the timeline, upon completion of which a full series of workshops will commence, tailored to Bombe’s specific requirements. More information regarding the staging of the CAM project can be found here.

Canada interviewMax interviewLea interviewGiorgia interviewInternational Interns (from top left to bottom right) Jessica Russell, Max Perry-Wilson, Lea Barbezat, and Giorgia Testoni interviewing council members in Bombe Bakundu.

On the 3rd April, CAM’s team visited Mofako Bekondo to hold a sensitisation workshop on responsibility and participation. This workshop was part of the second component of the CAM project, the sensitisation series, which aims to introduce or refresh participants on various topics in a one-off workshop. Several members of the Traditional Council attended the workshop, many of whom were active participants, asking a large variety of questions and making many suggestions.

An icebreaker during a workshop on responsibility and participation

CAM’s staff doing an icebreaker with Mofako traditional council

The workshop was broken down into three topics: the importance of participation for all members of society, the benefits that an increase in participation can bring (in terms of problem-solving and solidarity), and the important relationship between participation and responsibility, particularly for those in positions of authority.

Once these theoretical issues had been explained, CAM’s team gave advice on the ways to translate these ideas into actions. These simple practical steps included giving more space to community members to join the decision-making process, and giving fair consideration to all ideas and opinions, regardless of gender, tribe, age, etc. The group then finished by discussing the specific benefits that Mofako Bekondo could take from higher participation.

Mofako participation wks

Participation and Responsibility in Mofako Bekondo

In addition to this the project has also been joined by two new interns: Lea Barbezat from Switzerland, and Giorgia Testoni from Italy. Both Giorgia and Lea took part in the Mofako workshop and are actively involved in our work in Bombe Bakundu. In the coming months CAM’s team will expand the sensitisation series to further communities around Kumba, while continuing to monitor its success in communities like Mofako, where the project is already established.