BY NDUMBE BELL GASTON IN DOUALA
Grass to Grace Cameroon known by its acronym G2G Cameroon is to organize the 7th edition of the Big Earth Humanitarian Awards event themed “Transforming lives for the Better” to recognize, assist and appreciate the contributions or work done by a certain category of workers seen to be undermined, underrated or undervalued in our society and across the African continent. The news was unveiled in a press conference in Douala last Tuesday May 23.
Speaking on behalf of the organization, Madam Kamga Theresa, journalist and Humanitarian Activists called their gesture a humanitarian activity in favour of beneficiaries from a category of societal workforce that includes truck pushers, mortuary attendants, street cleaners, toilet drainers, buyam-sellams, puff-puff producers, sand diggers, newspaper vendors, fisher women, women shoe menders, workers in similar sectors with serious physical disabilities and more. This group represents about 70-75% of our societal work force and they need social and economic upliftment. They are to be given a red carpet treatment as societal ambassadors and must be supported financially to encourage and expand growth in society, continued the spokesperson.
“They are to be given some financial assistance to help them attain growth, that is why we are working with our numerous partners some of whom are visibly represented. We are sending a message across African societies that some of these categories of people should be assisted so that they can ably contribute to our GDP, help society further, and improve their standards of living.” Madam Kamga added
“The road to this edition has been an uphill task. In Cameroon we do not think African but we must. We have to impact society in a very special way if we are talking emergence” declared HRH Thomas AyukFotang, the Promoter and CEO of G2G Cameroon before introducing the innovations to be made in this edition and in the near future.
Some of them are that the activity will be driven from an annual event to once every two years. The award will henceforth include recipients not only from the Littoral Region but also those from the South West, North West and Centre Regions. The Promoter told participants that a tour of Cameroon has been envisaged where 10 orphanages in 10 villages will be selected with the aim of visiting, donating and innovating. Five selected artists who have been instrumental in providing musical pauses previously for nothing, will be recipients of the Humanitarian Excellence Prize Awards endorsed by the Goodwill Ambassador of C.I.S.R.I, a United Nations Permanent Observatory mission where the promoter also features as the communication assistant. Also included, in accordance with the United Nations Gender Equality goals, more women have been included in the list of recipients. Equally present were close collaborators like the moderator and colleague Mr. Towa, general coordinator, Heal the World Africa Edrine Echike and Nsuh Zerah.