World Food Programme Cameroon country office has celebrated the award of the Nobel Peace Prize. That was Friday October 22, 2021 at their Head Office in Yaoundé.
During the ceremony, about 20 staff were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize Pins of recognition and certificates to highlight their consistent efforts and contributions towards improving the food security situation in Cameroon.
According to WFP’s Representative and Country Director, Wanja KAARIA, the celebration in Cameroon was to showcase the role of the government, donors and the wider UN community in supporting the attainment of SDG 2 and 17 in Cameroon.
“Our objective was to support efforts in positioning WFP as a key partner in achieving SDG 2 vis Avis government, donors, potential donors and the wider humanitarian community, as well as to garner support and engagement for WFP’s work.” Wanja KAARIA said.
The pins of recognition and certificates were awarded by WFP’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Chris Nikoi, who encouraged the staff to double their efforts in serving the vulnerable population in Cameroon so as to win more recognition in the future.
Fidele Mbale, Admin Officer/Compound Manager, Bamenda Field Office was overwhelmed with the recognition and could not hide her feelings.
“This award is a great joy for me, and it serves as a motivation to know that the people we serve are important, and it improves on their lives. This is a real recognition for the work as an Admin that I have been doing in my daily duties in Bamenda Field Office. It’s going to push me to work harder so that even next year we can still get the award.” She said.
The 20 staff who received the pins and certificate in Yaounde were the longest serving workers in various sectors of the organization. The rest of the staff, about 230 will receive theirs in the days ahead.
The future in Cameroon would actually require more field work given the food insecurity situation in the country.
“We have a lot to do. In Cameroon food security analysis shows that about 2.6 million Cameroonians are food insecurred. We are only reaching 1million, we also need to reach the rest. There is a lot of challenges you know insecurity and others, Cameroon being a generous host is supporting a lot of refugees in the country, over 450.000 from Central African Republic, from Nigeria, and also host to various crisis and at the back of Covid 19, we use this opportunity to call upon the government, our donors but it is also for all of us to remember that we are serving a population that needs us the most.” Wanja KAARIA told News Upfront.
The Nobel Peace Prize
Last October 2020, the World Food Programme was named the 2020 Nobel Peace Laureate. It was as a result of its efforts to combat hunger, for it’s contributions to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas, and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war.
“When we got this award, in my head i thought really this is a win for the communities that we serve. Am very proud to belong to an organization such as WFP that saves lives and changes live…… It was a recognition of WFP’s efforts in fighting hunger globally and especially here in Cameroon. I was proud that the work of the World Food Programme over the years of being in this country, for close to five decades, did not go unnoticed.” Wanja KAARIA said.
WFP has been present in Cameroon since 1978, supporting government’s efforts towards attaining zero hunger. They operate in six regions of the country; Far North, North, Adamawa, East, North West and South West.
WFP provides emergency responses to communities affected by disasters, including refugees, IDPs, among others. They provide Nutrition assistance to children, pregnant and nursing women, and also assists vulnerable populations to improve long term resilience including support to small holder farmers.
