Every year, as the school bells prepare to ring across Cameroon, Pierre Thierry Noah Foundation launches its flagship event: Heroes’ Back to School. After a successful start in the Centre Region, particularly at the Saint-Cœur de Marie complex in Omvan, we asked ourselves a key question for 2025:
« Where are we needed most next?«
Our answer: Ebolowa I and II, in the South Region.
But why Ebolowa? Why not the Littoral, West, or North regions? Why not continue expanding in the Centre? The decision wasn’t random. It was intentional, informed by data, and driven by the specific realities of children in this often-overlooked part of the country.
📍 Ebolowa: A Region at the Crossroads
Ebolowa is the capital of the South Region—a region often perceived as more developed due to its political significance and administrative infrastructure. But that perception hides an uncomfortable truth: many children in Ebolowa’s surrounding areas live in rural, underserved communities where access to quality education remains fragile.
Despite its urban label, Ebolowa has:
- Numerous peri-urban and rural zones, especially in Ebolowa I and II subdivisions, where schools lack essential learning materials.
- Families dependent on subsistence agriculture, with little to spare for back-to-school needs.
- High rates of seasonal absenteeism, as children are pulled away from class during harvest periods.
In fact, according to regional education data:
- Less than 40% of students in rural South Region schools own complete sets of textbooks.
- Dropout rates increase significantly by Class 6 in public primary schools, particularly for girls.
- Many schools in villages outside the city center report teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, and minimal parental involvement—largely due to economic hardship.
Why Not Another Region?
We considered other regions for this year’s project—but here’s what guided our decision to choose the South Region next:
- We’ve already started in the Centre Region, and while our work there will continue, we believe in a strategy that extends support region by region, creating targeted impact rather than thinly spreading resources.
- Regions like the West or Littoral, while not without challenges, benefit from greater NGO presence, more infrastructure, and stronger school networks.
- The Far North and East, although critically underserved, require larger-scale humanitarian frameworks, often involving food security, security logistics, and infrastructure rebuilding—resources we are still preparing to mobilize sustainably.
Ebolowa offers both high need and high potential: a population of children eager to learn, teachers hungry for resources, and communities willing to engage—yet lacking the financial and structural tools to thrive.
Why Heroes’ Back to School Matters in Ebolowa
Back-to-school season is a stressful time for families, particularly those living on less than 1,000 FCFA (1,79 US Dollars)/day. The cost of school bags, books, uniforms, and registration fees adds up quickly. In rural Ebolowa:
- Many children go to school with no notebooks or shared pencils.
- Some families delay enrollment until they can afford supplies—weeks or even months into the term.
- Parents often have to choose which child to send to school when resources are tight.
Our Heroes’ Back to School event aims to address these barriers—not just by handing out materials, but by reminding each child that they matter, and that their dreams deserve a fair chance.
What Makes Ebolowa the Right Fit for 2025
- It’s a logical next step after the Centre: geographically close enough to allow for logistical coordination, yet distinct enough to explore a different set of educational challenges.
- The region has strong local schools with committed leadership, but limited support.
- It allows us to test scalable interventions in a semi-rural setting before expanding to harder-to-reach areas.
We’ve identified strategic schools in both Ebolowa I and II where our impact can be tracked, evaluated, and sustained.
Looking Ahead
Choosing Ebolowa is about more than geography. It’s about equity—going beyond the obvious, beyond the cities, and reaching children who are often left out of national conversations. It’s about deepening our understanding of rural education in Cameroon, building partnerships with local actors, and designing solutions that grow stronger every year.
In 2025, we’re not just going to Ebolowa.
We’re investing in its children. We’re championing its teachers. We’re celebrating its future heroes.
Pierre Thierry Noah Foundation
Heroes aren’t born—they’re supported, celebrated, and educated.
