Christmas as we know, is a time for celebrations, family reunions, including sharing gifts and the joy which the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ brings, with our families and children. Yet for so many impoverish families in Cameroon, Christmas Day is not a day for celebration, but a day of uncertainty, loneliness and hunger. The daily struggle for food is all too real for so many around the country.

Parents are faced with impossible obstacles in which the creation of a cheerful environment during this season becomes very difficult, talk less of providing a gift for their children. As we look forward to Christmas, we must think of others, of the most trodden and the needy who ultimately do not have the means to celebrate and share the joy that this season so brings.  

Hunger and poverty are issues which still plague the country as many households in the national territory struggle on a daily basis to feed all members of their family.  The poorest household in Cameroon today lives on about an estimated 370,000 CFA ($641/£493 ) per year which is equivalent to 30,000 CFA ($52/£39.93) per month and 1000 CFA ($1.73/£1.33) per week.

Can we imagine having to live on a household income of 30,000 CFA ($52/£39.93) per month? Yet this is the reality of many families in Cameroon. 

This already precarious situation has been exacerbated by certain socio-political events in the country such as the ongoing Anglophone Crisis, which has caused many families in the NorthWest and SouthWest regions to flee and settle in neighbouring towns leaving behind their homes and livelihoods. 

With this in mind, my friend Edith Gakehmi and I (Sharon Ngang) decided to organise the Christmas Without Tears project with the aim of contributing in bringing hope and smiles to impoverished children and their families during Christmas, by enabling them to share a lovely meal just like other families around the country. 

We want to help ease the burden that so many families carry every day, if only for one day, to show, in the most practical way, the love of Christ in action and the meaning of Christmas through giving and sharing.

All the funds donated will go towards purchasing food supplies. Each family will receive:

-               A bag of Rice (10KG)

-               A packet of Maggi Cubes

-               12 sachets of Tomato paste

-               A bag of Salt (5KG)

-               5Litres of Groundnut Oil/Vegetable Oil

The total cost for each of these items is 15,400 CFA ($26.65/£20.50) so this sum will be spent per family. 

Beneficiaries

This initiative aims to target 50 disadvantaged families, including those who have been displaced from their homes in the Northwest and Southwest regions. 

We are called to be each other's keepers, so we ask you to please join us in sharing the gift of love in the hope of spreading Christmas cheer, by donating. Every donation will go a long way in providing a helping hand to these families. 

"And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased" - Hebrews 13: 16

 Thank you in advance for your help!