History

United Action for Children (UAC) was created in 1996 by Mr. Orock Thomas Eyong in response to his observation of three perceived problems in Cameroonian society. Firstly, as a trained guidance counsellor, Mr. Orock realized that individuals in his profession were only sent to government institutions. This meant that children in private schools, as well as underprivileged children who could not even attend school, were excluded from guidance counsellor services, which he believed should be available to all children. Secondly, the economic crises and structural adjustment programs that hit Cameroon in the late 1980s and early 1990s affected the livelihoods of a large number of individuals. Many families found themselves in difficult circumstances and, as Mr. Orock argues, “When families are affected, the first casualties are the children.” Thirdly, Mr. Orock felt that nursery education in Cameroon was elitist because it was only available to those who could afford it, a situation he considered fundamentally unfair.

Mr. Orock and the other founding members of UAC have a profound interest in protecting the rights of children because they are the most unrepresented and vulnerable members of society. To respond to this concern, Mr. Orock and his colleagues decided to create an organisation that insists on providing a caring society for children and youth, thus equipping them with the tools necessary to flourish into responsible, considerate, and mature adults.

In an effort to address the aforementioned problems, UAC’s first project was the founding of Jamadianle nursery/primary school. When it first opened in May 2002 with the help of international volunteers Diane van Nistelrooy and Leslie Fox, Jamadianle was a one-room schoolhouse with 11 students. Since its establishment, the school has grown considerably. In the school year 2006-2007, an impressive total of 465 students was registered.

Alongside Jamadianle’s expansion, UAC’s other project areas experienced similar growth. As part of its development, the organisation has taken on a broader community approach, because, as Mr. Orock states, “You can’t get to the child without helping the parents.” UAC therefore strives to build a strong community so that children may grow up in a positive, stable environment. Today, UAC boasts many unique and innovative child and youth-centred programs that range from HIV/AIDS sensitization to livelihood building and from computer classes to vocational training for underprivileged youth. In terms of future development, UAC aims to continually improve its existing programs and to identify new areas of involvement where help is needed.