2025 Impact To Date
SHINE & TOGETHER MAKES THE COMMUNITY SHINE
The district of Batié has witnessed a remarkable outpouring of generosity and solidarity orchestrated by SHINE & TOGETHER to kick off the nonprofit’s activities. This humanitarian initiative, led by Dr. Valerie Bouhom, daughter of the late Mr. François Bouhom, aka “American Boy”, touched the hearts of local elementary school students.
Monday, February 24, 2025 will remain engraved in the memories of the people of Batié, a village in West Cameroon. On this day, Shine & Together held their first event. The driving force behind the day’s events was the desire to continue the community development work initiated by Mr. Francois Bouhom, a man whose role in the community has been invaluable.
Mr. Bouhom was a philanthropist recognized for his commitment to education, health, and community well-being. His work has left an indelible mark on the community, where many families continue to benefit from the actions he took.
Mr. Bouhom was a philanthropist recognized for his commitment to education, health, and community well-being. His work has left an indelible mark on the community, where many families continue to benefit from the actions he took.
An Exceptional Mobilization for a Lasting Impact
From the early hours of the day, the excitement was palpable in the village of Batie. We were accompanied by a strong team of dedicated volunteers. School supplies, dental kits and personal hygiene kits, including soaps and teaching materials, were distributed to more than 400 students in three elementary schools in Batie. We also visited the Integrated Health Center, the only provider of medical care in Bametchetcha, to understand local healthcare needs; in addition to school supplies, Shine & Together has placed a particular emphasis on the importance of health awareness, oralcare, and overall physical and mental well-being.
A Strong Commitment to Education and Community Well-Being
Education is one of the fundamental pillars of community development. With this in mind,the organization, is living up to the name “Shine & Together ” by providing students with the necessary supplies for their schooling. The aim is to reduce drop-out rates and encourage youth in these rural communities to pursue their education in order to break the cycle of poverty and open up opportunities for a brighter future.
The success of this first campaign is the result of a collective effort from our donors and volunteers who worked tirelessly to gather resources. Our commitment made it possible to bring a smile to the faces of the children, whose testimonies speak to the positive impact of this initiative.
A Vision for the Future Towards Sustainable Actions
In light of the difficulties reported during our campaign by the teaching staff, several needs were highlighted, including a lack of academic materials, school libraries, classrooms, and sources of clean drinking water. The school buildings and classrooms are in need of renovation and equipment such as desks and chairs, blackboards, painting, flooring etc…
The Integrated Health Center of Bametchectha is in need of renovations as well, along with solar panels to generate electricity.
All of these needs raise a key point – as the philosopher Meister Eckhart said, “The price of inaction is far greater than the cost of action.”
It should be noted that this first initiative is just the beginning of an ambitious project aimed to sustainably support rural communities. Our hope is to make Shine & Together a platform for continued action to enable improvements in education, health care and community well-being.
With this in mind, we have planned a number of initiatives:
- EDUCATION FOR ALL, Shape the Future: Establishment of scholarship/sponsorship program in the form of providing all necessary school supplies to students based on academic achievement and financial need. This initiative will encourage and motivate students to reach their full potential.
- BOOKS FOR ALL, Empowering Minds: Construct and equip school libraries in elementary schools to increase access to reading and learning materials. This project will spark students’ curiosity, creativity and open their minds to unlock dreams and possibilities.
- PREVENTIVE HEALTHCARE, Reducing Illness: Raise awareness of preventive healthcare and provide clean water to students, for nutrition and hygiene.
- EMPOWERING TEACHERS, Enabling Education: Equip teachers and educators by providing didactic materials like books, blackboards, printers, cultural activity materials, etc…
A Message of Hope and Gratitude
The people of Batie and Bametchetcha expressed their deep gratitude to Shine & Together. “This gesture reminds us that solidarity and humanitarianism are values that transcend borders. To see our children receive these donations is a great relief for us as parents. We hope that this initiative will continue and grow even more,” said a parent present at the event.
For Dr. Bouhom, this initiative is a way to pay tribute to her father, who had dedicated his life to helping others. She encourages young people to believe in themselves and get involved in positive actions to better their community.
Shine & Together hopes to benefit from the support of local and international partners in order to amplify the impact of its programs.
The smiles of the children and enthusiasm of the teachers testify to the positive impact of this kick-off campaign. Shine & Together gives more hope to the children in rural communities -by supporting young students, the organization is helping them see a better future for themselves, perpetuating a legacy of generosity and community involvement.
With actions like these, Shine & Together does much more than shine on its own, it lights a path to a more united and prosperous future where everyone shines together.
We invite you to join us in continuing this legacy of generosity. Visit www.shineandtogether.org to support our ongoing projects.
Thank you to our generous donors and volunteers. TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
