ABOUT COCO
The Community Children Organization (COCO) is a Non-governmental Organization with the Reg No:SW/GP/02/07/5866 working in home and abroad. Since its inception the organization has been working with children/ youth who are disabled, parents, governmental bodies and intergovernmental bodies in the promotion of handicap, orphans children affairs. Its works is:
- To identify the need of disable children, youth especially the rural child, the underprivileged, abandoned and the weaker section of the society through participatory approach.
- To protect and make known the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child through education.
- To assist the needy child irrespective of tribe, Origin, sex, religion, in the domain of social welfare.
- To protect the child from sexual exploitation and child labour.
- To assist children in prisons, orphanages, centers for the disabled and street children.
- To organize Youth leadership Training and Youth Exchange Programmes
- To actively take part in the prevention of HIV/AIDS especially in children/youths and women.

1) ORPHANAGES

There are lots of needy and underprivileged children who are abandoned to their fate in Cameroon. These children do not all have Cameroonian origins. Most of them especially the street children around Yaoundé come into Cameroon from neighboring countries. In the absence of a clear government police to handle issues concerning vulnerable and underprivileged children, kind hearted and humanitarian gestures in favor of these children could only be the work of private individuals and churches.

Our concern is mostly with orphanages founded by private individuals. Such homes are by these founders and a few national volunteers, who are most often not remunerated. These homes are very ready to receive volunteers who would in their own way help the children of the centre in one way or another.

WHEN CAN A VOLUNTEER BE RECEIVED?

Volunteers can be received at any time of the year.

VOLUNTEER JOB DESCRIPTION

The volunteers would have the task of helping the children with their school work, teach English, German, etc and improve the children’s computer skills,

VOLUNTEER PROFIL

Volunteers who are interested in working in this centre should be able to speak French or English. It doesn’t matter whether the volunteer is a male or female. No educational background is required.

HOUSING

Volunteers will stay with host families or in guest houses arranged by COCO

2- REHABILITATION CENTRE FOR HANDICAPS

THE NATIONAL CENTRE FOR THE REHABILITATION OF HANDICAPS YAOUNDE

DESCRIPTION

This is a multi functional centre catering for the problems of handicapped persons. The first major activity of the centre is the nursery and primary school for the handicapped. In this school, 75% of the pupils are handicapped and need specially trained individuals to take care of them. The teachers who teach here have not received this special training.

The centre also has a consultation surgical and hospitalization section, specialized in medical problems regarding the handicapped. There is also a physiotherapist and exercise section. These sections have very aging personnel who are over worked .There is no need re emphasizing the fact that volunteers will be very welcomed. The centre also has a production unit where artificial and supporting limbs are made for those who need them.

Apart from being a hospital establishment, the centre also offers home for more than 30 handicapped persons who have been abandoned by their families. The number of patients that are Hospitalized here is also quite important. As we have seen above, the centre works basically for the handicapped and so any person who can help this group of persons to forget their condition will be highly welcomed in the centre. Also, any person coming to the centre must learn how to deal with them because there are very sensitive.

WHEN CAN A VOLUNTEER BE RECEIVED?

Volunteers can be received at any time of the year.

NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

5

VOLUNTEER JOB DESCRIPTION

The centre needs the services of both qualified and unqualified volunteers.
Qualified nurses, physiotherapists, and teachers specially trained in handling handicapped persons will be welcomed.
Untrained volunteers who can introduce entertainment and leisure activities for these handicapped persons are also welcomed. Volunteers could also organize counseling talks on HIV/AIDS and others.

VOLUNTEER PROFIL

Volunteers that would like to work at this centre should be able to speak French or English. Volunteers can be of either sex, or need to be either qualified or unqualified.

HOUSING

Volunteers will stay with host families or in guest houses arranged by COCO

3. SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

In Cameroon, the educational system is very liberal, making it possible for private and lay private institutions to exist alongside with public or government owned schools. This policy has made it possible for educational institutions to exist even in the most enclave areas of the country. This has contributed to the high rate of literacy amongst Cameroonian people. In a bit to maintain the high standards of education in the country, it is necessary to get a gist of what is applicable in other countries. It is for this reason that most of our schools are interested and very prepared to receive volunteers, in the earnest hope that new or additional teaching techniques could be learnt. Even so, private and lay private institutions could also gain better management techniques from the volunteers. To volunteer in schools, be it Elementary (primary) or secondary schools, the volunteer needs to be able to speak either French or English. The volunteer must have at least completed high school (preparing to get into the university). The school year in Cameroon runs from September to June. The school year is divided into three terms, the first term starts from September and ends by mid December, the second term starts by early January and ends in March while the third term starts in April and ends in June.

WHEN CAN VOLUNTEERS BE RECIEVED?

Volunteers can come at anytime

VOLUNTEER JOB DESCRIPTION

-Teaching (English, mathematics, elementary Sciences, human rights, environmental science and any other subjects taught in the school)
- Child care
- Initiation to the use of computers and ICT Programmes
- Organize extra curricular activities such as arts music and sports, etc.

VOLUNTEER PROFIL

Volunteers should have a teaching experience, but volunteers who do not have teaching experience are also welcome. However the volunteer must be able to understand and speak either English or French. Volunteer work hand in hand with local teacher or independently

HOUSING

Volunteers will stay with host families or in guest houses arranged by COCO

4. VOLUNTEER IN HOSPITALS/MARTENITY

Volunteering in hospitals/Maternity in Cameroon is opened to specialist, (Doctors and nurses), students and researchers of the medical field. It should be noted that, the rate of patients per doctor in Cameroon is too high, which makes the few doctors available to be over worked, especially in the rural areas were patients have to track very long distances in order to receive treatment.

Never the less this volunteering programme will not only help to reduce some of these situation but can also help the volunteers to have an African experience, and also to learn the different medical approaches used in Cameroon. However, there should be no irregularities as to what concerns the viability of these volunteers. There will have to work in close collaboration with either the director of these hospitals/maternity or doctors assigned to them by this director.

WHEN CAN VOLUNTEERS BE RECIEVED?

Volunteers can come at anytime

VOLUNTEER JOB DESCRIPTION

Volunteers will have to work hand in hand with doctors. The doctors will have to decide when to assign the volunteers depending on their skills.

VOLUNTEER PROFIL

Specialist, (Doctors and nurses), Medical students
Researchers of the medical field. HIV /AIDS councilors.

HOUSING

Volunteers will stay with host families or in guest houses arranged by COCO