AFRICAphonie

Is the United States of Africa Necessary?

The Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, at its 8th Ordinary Session in Addis Ababa from 29-30 January 2007 decided that the next ordinary session of the Assembly to be held in Accra, Ghana in July 2007, will be devoted to a “Grand Debate on the Union Government”. This decision is inspired by the fact that Africa now needs a Union of the African people and not merely a Union of states and governments and that ‘the ultimate goal of the African Union is the political and economic integration of the continent leading to the creation of the United States of Africa’.

Using Movies to Fight Female Genital Mutilation

Mwalimu George Ngwane explains why he decided to produce a film on female genital mutilation.

Interviewed by Nkeze Mbonwoh (Cameroon Tribune)

Cameroon Tribune: What prompted you to produce this telefilm on Female Genital Mutilation called "Nkuma"?

GeorgeNgwane: Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is an age-old practice that is perpetuated in many parts fo the world. In Africa alone, there are 27 countries that have been battling with the controversial practice that not only draws a dichotomy between traditionalists and modernists but has placed Cameroon in the storm of practices that impair women's wellbeing. As a matter of fact, a UN report estimates that about 20% of women in Cameroon go through a form of Female Genital Mutilation  called infibulations. Certain areas of the South West and North provinces have been cited as championing this practice.

Click here to print or download complete interview in PDF format

Movie Review: NKUMA (Female Genital Mutilation)

By Ebenezer Tabot-Tabot, Development Practitioner (Originally published in The Post)

Nkuma (Female Genital Mutilation). An AFRICAphonie Production in Collaboration with OSIWA

There have been many interventions purporting to sensitise communities on the necessity to put an end to the practice of female circumcision, pompously referred to as 'Female Genital Mutilation' (FGM) by development practitioners.

Despite these numerous interventions, the practice still continues in many parts ofCameroon, essentially because the practice is portrayed as an entrenched negative cultural tendency (which it is), and the methods utilised to combat it are necessarily confrontational.

Peace Education Manual Published

By Brenda Yufeh (Cameroon Tribune, May 30, 2005)

Africaphonie. Peace Education. For Junior Secondary School in Cameroon. Yaounde: Africaphonie, 2005.

A Peace Education Reader for junior secondary schools accompanied by a Teacher's Manual has been produced in Cameroon. Put together by the non-governmental and Pan African Association (Africaphonie), the student's reader and teacher's manual are fallouts of a workshop organised at the Norbert Kenne Memorial Peace House last year in Yaounde on the theme "Designing curriculum and training of teachers for Peace education in Cameroon".

Projects in the Pipeline (Pending Sponsorship)

• Training of trainers’ workshop on the production and marketing of contemporary African Arts and cultural cooperation in West and Central Africa. Part 1 of this workshop (focus on Cameroon) was sponsored by the P.C.F. Netherlands;
• Workshop with film producers, T.V. producers and the Ministry of culture on the production of a T.V. film series in English for private Cameroonian Television;
• Designing Curriculum and training of teacher trainers for Peace Education in Cameroon (Francophone system);
  Empowering disadvantaged book sectors in Cameron (the cases of women and children’s writing) 2006 – 2008;
  Books for Development A workshop bringing together all book stakeholders in Cameroon with the aim of strengthening the book industry through a book policy;
  Building a Peace Resource Centre in Cameroon.

Peace Education Curriculum Design & Training

Designing Curriculum and training of teacher trainers for Peace Education in Cameroon (Anglophone system)

AFRICAphonie organized a one-week training workshop bringing together more than 70 teachers, educationists and curriculum developers to design the content of a teachers’ manual and students’ reader on Peace Education for Junior Secondary School in Cameroon (Anglophone system). A core group is currently working on the Reader and Manual. Publication is due January 2005. The Ministry will be contacted later on for lobbying and advocacy. The Project, which will end in July 2005, is sponsored by U.S.I.P America.

Conference of Intellectuals from Africa and the Diaspora (CIAD)

From 7 to 9 October 2004, Dakar, Senegal

Background: Initiative of H.E. Maître Abdoulaye Wade, President of the Republic of Senegal, supported by the Summits of Lome 2000, Maputo 2003 and Addis Ababa 2004.

Objective: Mobilize the Intellectuals from Africa and the Diaspora about the African Union and NEPAD.

General Theme: Africa in the 21st Century Integration and Renaissance.

AFRICAphonie Mission Statement

AFRICAphonie is a Pan African Association which operates on the premise that AFRICA can only be what AFRICANS and their friends want AFRICA to be.Towards fulfilling it's mission, AFRICAphonie aims:

1. To promote person-to-person dialogue through seminars, workshops and conferences between main political actors, vulnerable sectors, and grassroots organisations;
   
2. To expose the public to documentation (video, audio, paint) on Peace and PanAfricanism;
   
3. To act as advocates and lobbyists for a peaceful Africa Renaissance;
   
4. To encourage research and education on issues of democracy, development, human rights and enviroment protection inspired by indigenous knowledge of AFRICA;
   
5. To build linkages and networks with local and international Peace and PanAfrican Organisations

 AFRICAphonie is financed by grants, donations, and contributions by members.

Conferences and Seminars

Since its creation, AFRICAphonie has organized numerous seminars on African-related issues in Cameroon. The organization has also been invited to numerous conferences across Africa. A non-exhaustive list of conferences attended or organized follows:Seminar/Conferences Organised:

• AFRICAN RENAISSANCE WEEK, Buea, Cameroon May 1998
• Africa's Image in Western Media,Buea, Cameroon, March 1999
• Self-reliance in an emerging Africa,Buea, Cameroon May 1999
• African week, Buea ,Cameroon, June 1999
• Kwanzaa cultural nite, Buea Cameroon
• Pan African CONGRESS -Cameroon,December 1999
• Creation of African Union clubs in State Universities, 2002
• Arts and Culture Forum, Muea, 2003

Contact

AFRICAphonie P.O Box 364 Buea ,South West Province CAMEROON -AFRICA PHONE (237) 7766 8479 EMAIL[email protected]