Knowledge for Children Sustains Impact Amid Crisis in Northwest Cameroon

Despite the ongoing socio-political crisis in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon, Knowledge for Children (KforC) continues to implement life-changing interventions aimed at mitigating the effects of conflict on vulnerable communities. After a technical pause in 2018 due to escalating violence and targeted attacks on schools, the organization cautiously resumed its operations in 2023 under its flagship initiative, Resilience in Education. Since resuming activities, KforC has worked in over 100 schools and communities across Bui Division, delivering a comprehensive and holistic response. The organization has built the capacities of more than 500 teachers through pedagogic training workshops, directly impacting the learning outcomes of over 20,000 children.

KforC’s interventions cut across key areas including teacher capacity development, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), strengthening child protection mechanisms, distribution of essential textbooks and teachers’ guides, and sponsorship for orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs). These efforts are helping communities not only cope with the crisis but gradually rebuild their education systems and social structures. Through its mental health and psychosocial support campaigns, as well as targeted counselling services, KforC has reached more than 5,000 community members affected by trauma and violence.

To sustain these efforts, 100 trained community focal persons are actively supporting the delivery of MHPSS services at the grassroots level. Child protection remains a central pillar of KforC’s work. Since 2023, over 2,500 vulnerable children have benefited from the establishment of birth certificates, ensuring access to essential rights and services. In addition, more than 7,500 essential course textbooks and over 2,000 teachers’ guides have been distributed to schools, significantly improving the teaching and learning environment.

Over the years, KforC has also provided sponsorship to more than 500 orphans and vulnerable children, supporting them through primary, secondary, and high school education, as well as vocational training and university studies—helping to transform lives and create long-term opportunities for vulnerable youth. These combined efforts have contributed to a gradual increase in access to education, with parents and local stakeholders showing renewed interest and commitment to schooling despite the challenging context. Founded in 2005 by Mr. Maimo Jacob Shiynyuy, a retired Inspector of Primary and Nursery Education, and Mr. Arnold Mark Roozenbeek, a Dutch volunteer to Kumbo at the time, KforC has a long-standing history of promoting quality education in Cameroon. Before the crisis, and with support from partners such as KforC Netherlands, Shisásáy Foundation, BMZ, LiveBuild Foundation, the World Bank, 1 CRS, and local municipal councils, the organization expanded its reach across the North West and parts of the Adamawa Region, supporting over 170 primary schools, training more than 10,000 teachers, and positively impacting over 50,000 pupils. KforC operates in close collaboration with key government ministries including Basic Education, Social Affairs, and Public Health.

Recent local and international collaborators include the Tertiary Sisters of St. Francis, Se-Adzem Association for the Vulnerable, SAFRAHOST, the Social Service Department of BBH, Never Again Rwanda (NAR) Peace Education Initiative, and Africa Unite, South Africa (African Youth Assembly). Major funding support since 2023 has been provided by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Stiftung Nord-Süd Brücken, Shisásáy Foundation, and LiveBuild Foundation. Under the ongoing Resilience in Education II project (November 2025 – October 2026), KforC is expanding its outreach to new communities within Bui Division, including Jakiri, Mbven, Kumbo, Noni, and Nkum Subdivisions. So far, 309 teachers from 59 schools have benefited from capacity-building workshops conducted across five training centers in Mbiame, Jakiri, Kikaikom, and Upper and Lower Noni, building on the 58 schools supported under the previous phase of the project. In a bid to promote peacebuilding and learning from global experiences, KforC, in partnership with Never Again Rwanda (NAR) and Peace Education Initiative (PeaceEdu), has facilitated youth exchange visits to Rwanda, where participants gain insights from the lessons of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

These efforts are being spearheaded by Mr. Maimo Divine Suinyuy, Country Director and Project Director, whose leadership continues to drive the organization’s field impact and strategic growth. He is supported by Mr. Kima Constantine, Board Chairperson, who provides overall strategic direction and governance oversight. The organization’s achievements would not be possible without the unwavering commitment and resilience of KforC staff and community-based volunteers who work tirelessly, often in difficult and insecure environments, to deliver these interventions. As the crisis persists, Knowledge for Children remains committed to mobilizing resources and strengthening partnerships to serve communities in urgent need. Since resuming activities in 2023, the organization’s impact has been both visible and meaningful. Its advocacy for safe and inclusive education continues to gain recognition from local administrative authorities, while parents, teachers, and community members actively engage in and support its initiatives. KforC stands as a resilient force for hope, education, and healing in one of Cameroon’s most challenging contexts.