INTEGRATED HEALTH FOR ALL FOUNDATION - IHAF
About Us

From Founder and President, Wilfred Angie Abia

“When the history of our times is written, will we be remembered as the generation that turned our backs in a moment of a global crisis or will it be recorded that we did the right thing? " Nelson Mandela

“An individual has not started living fully until he can rise above the narrow confines of individualistic concerns, to the broader concerns of humanity…Every person must decide, as soon as possible, whether they will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness. This is the judgment. Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, “Conquering Self-centeredness”, Speech Montgomery, Alabama Aug 11, 1957.

" The civil society  management by associations / NGOs in Cameroon is rather perverse. We can do something as leaders. Do you care about it? "
Wilfred A. Abia

IHAFers are volunteers who have the burden of the welfare and livelihood of local communities in Cameroon. We therefore implore interested persons or organisations to join us so that we can together help others to help themselves.

OUR MISSION

“Ensure Quality Health for All” amongst the poorest and economically disadvantaged communities depending solely on subsistence agriculture- with over-crowded households amongst who are young children, pregnant / breastfeeding women, orphans and adolescent girls, through education, improved nutrition and health care”

 MOTIVATION

In Cameroon, childhood malnutrition, infections and early pregnancy is alarming and particularly amongst the under-educated class in local communities. Despite efforts of proactive groups, the observed and reported rate of illiteracy / ignorance, malnutrition and infections are on a steady rise. As a result it is not uncommon that one in every five children in local communities suffers from combined illiteracy, malnutrition and synergistic infections. These disorders are responsible for the high motility and mortality rates and stands as undeniable impediments to good health and development. It is therefore very obvious to find out whether such communities, families and individuals are conscious of the influence of their level of education, diets, environment and lifestyle on their health and welfare.

 OUR GOAL.

Overall Goal

" Ensure good health for all by helping people help themselves through prevention and control ( P&C)"

Main Objectives:

- To fight against;
  • Malnutrition and infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS, malaria , ...) through improving the capacity of individuals, families and communities and improving access to health services/facilities (when applicable).
Outcome:
  • Enlightened minds with full awareness and understanding of their situation and also capable of addressing  basic nutrition and health problems via prevention and Control ( P&C) policies. (MDG 6)

- To develop
  • The capacity of Communities to harness the resources of their immediate local environment through project and development (P&D) innovations, thereby reducing extreme poverty.
Outcome:
  • Economically self-empowered youths, increase per capital income, food security and access to basic health care services and clean water (MDG 1)

- To partnership

  • With national/ international stakeholders to ease the achievement of good and equal health-for-all.

Strategies of achieving our Goals: 

Through:

  •  Awareness/Sensitization: (Conscientization sketches, plays and drama: seminars, door-to-door; focus groups ;…)
  • Personal and Community Hygiene (Peer education, water and sanitation surveillance, Food safety, Nutrition awareness and inspection, behavioural changes or restructuring, ..).
  • Community healthcare (Drug handling in local communities, nutrition and healthcare information, education and communication, increase access to basic healthcare services and facilities via clinics – long term,..).
  • Research and Training (Food, pesticides and pharmaceutical or chemical risk assessment; Human exposure to xenobiotics esp. food/water/air assessments; Social insecurity e.g. cyber crimes and frauds; Sexual and reproductive health rights of women; Child abuse and street/abandoned children; domestic violence; … Capacity building on project planning and management and related courses via internships and training workshops, …).
  • Social supports (provision of food items, clothing’s, and education assistance or scholarships to orphans and other minority groups; social visits to companies for information relating to the safety of their products, …)




OUR VISION:

IHAF envisages a Cameroon:

  • Where local communities have very reduced rates of illiteracy / ignorance, malnutrition, infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria…), and have capacity to harness available resources to increase income, food security; access to clean water, health facilities and target them to the most vulnerable. 
  • Where young children, pregnant / breastfeeding women, orphans and adolescent girls in local communities have improved capacities capable of understanding and addressing their nutrition and health problems, and enjoy equal access to nutrition and health education / facilities.


SOURCES OF FUNDING

     IHAF has several strategies used to fund its works. A set of strategies depending on the project in question is applied to raise funds. Thus, IHAF funds its works through:

  • Members’ Registration; Annual Due; and their Voluntary donations.
  • Volunteer services to our organization.
  • Appeal Letters to friends of IHAF and well wishers.
  • Street and house-to-house campaigns.
  • Publications (Nutrition and health education; project management tips etc).
  • Consultations / Expert delivery services.
  • Partners and Donor funds (project funds).
  • Locally mobilized funds e.g. PMLIP fundraising program.
  • Revolving funds (IHAF revolving fund principles e.g. from photocopying machine).

Authorisation

The Integrated Health for All Foundation(IHAF) is a not-for-profit making non-political, community-based intervention for good-health for all via extreme poverty alleviation, improved nutrition and healthcare. IHAF is duly authorized by the Cameroon government with Association Declaration Receipt Registration: No. 000061/ADR/J06/APPB. Her seat is in Yaounde, Centre Region, Republic of Cameroon, Africa.  



Organogram
INTEGRATED HEALTH FOR ALL FOUNDATION.

......poverty alleviation via Project & Development (P&D) (MDG 1)

......ensuring good health for all via disease Prevention and Control (P&C) (MDG 2)
EDUCATION

Community Action for Capacity Building (CACB)

CB Training workshop on:
  1. Project Planing & Management (PPMD)
  2. Peer Educators Education on:
  • Malnutrition and HIV/AIDS.
  • Environmental Health and Malaria.
Community Sensitization on:
  1. Environmental awareness,
  2. Personal hygiene,
  3. Malnutrition and health care.
Capacity Building and Development:
" Development is the change of minds and not changes on environment" " The power of a man lies in his ideas"

NUTRITION

Community Alliance for Improved Nutrition (CAIN)

Practical Training on Nutritional Status Assessment:
  1. Weight, height measurements,
  2. Body mass index (BMI)
  3. BMI interpretations ( risk of):
  • Obesity
  • Hpertension
  • Diabetes and others.
Sensitization on:
  1. Good nutrition and balance diet
  2. Management of health via diet
  • Diet appropriation
  • Variety of food intake.
" You are what you eat", " A rich man is a healthy man not a wealthy man"

HEALTH CARE

Community Alliance for Health for All (CAHA)

Capacity building on:
  1. Personal hygiene
  2. Advocacy of family planning
  3. Management of disease situations and epidemics
  4. First aid
  5. Increase access to health care services
Counseling on:
  1. Exposure to diseases.
  2. Risk involve in overdose of social drugs.
  3. Basic health care information.
  4. Consequences of medication without prescription
"...... all is about good health "

Please click here to see the outline of our organogram
           
      
Network coverage

As a unique organisation seeking to ensure “good health for all” in local communities, IHAF relies much on its experienced administrative/research team and inter- and intra-provincial Networking.

IHAF currently has branches in: Bamenda, North West Region, and Buea, South West Region, of Cameroon

Furthermore, it has one strong Community Network in Ekaw-Menka, Widikum Subdivision, North West Region. 


This approach is one that we cannot afford to under look as it shall determine our successes and failures at the end of each program.

For more information about a specific program: Education, Nutrition and or Health care


PEOPLE:

Our secretariat is made up of people from various academic and professional backgrounds and led by a president and branch chairs. We have three directors; Jato M. Denis (Dir. i/c of Scientific Affairs). Eucharia A. Abia (Dir. i/c of Social & Cultural Affairs) and Agejo A. Patrick (Dir. i/c of Communications). In addition we have Education, Nutrition and Health care Officers and many others in our headquarter secretariat. We also have branch coordinators; Andigema Raymond (Bamenda regional coord.), Akebe Lutherking (Buea regional coord.), Njuacha George (overseas coord. and web master) and Tabang Peter (Ekaw-Menka local network and chairman, Ekaw-Menka village council).

Mr. Wilfred A Abia; President and Founder IHAF
In addition to several scientific presentations nationally and internationally (Nigeria, Sweden, Germany..) on nutrition, toxicology and bioscience related issues, Wilfred holds an MSc degree in Biochemistry (Nutrition) with a thesis titled: Energy value and nutrient content of "waterfufu and eru" ( a popular Cameroonian food) from the University of Buea, Cameroon and some Ph.D research exposure (Food mycotoxins and progression in HIV/AIDS disease) at the laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Yaounde I, Cameroon. Furthermore, he has continued to teach Biochemistry ( University of Buea) and Nutrition/general and Clinical Pharmacology ( Bamenda University of Science and Technology).
Despite Wilfred's interest in studying further, he has always adhere to the fact that " an intelligent man acquires knowledge and disseminate it to others and as such gain skills to solve problem" unlike studying to have degrees on papers without performance. having said that about him, here is what he describes as his source of joy:
" There is more pleasure in sharing than in receiving"
" Working for others with your last strength voluntarily is a course to be encouraged"
" True happiness is mostly found when you contribute to the welfare of others in acute need"
" Selfishness is a disease, worse than HIV?AIDS, it kills love-for-one-another"
" No matter how much you know about it, your imagination-induced feeling is yet lower than health realities-induced feeling in local communities"  
   
Mr. Jato M. Denis; Director i/c of Scientific Affairs, also Health care officer.
I am a teacher and have good research exposure. I am very interested in continuing education in the domain of Biological sciences/Toxicology. With the effective leadership and team building skills of IHAF management, the goals are clear. My greatest ambition is to contribute to see that people in local communities in Cameroon have equal opportunity to access primary health information and services. The Almighty has blessed you, isn't it? so what do you think, then 'share Gods' blessings with others'. It is right to do so, come on assist the initiative and serve many who are in need.

Mrs Eucharia A. Abia; Director i/c of Social & Cultural Affairs, also Improved Nutritional Officer.
Prior to becoming an Executive Officer, Commonwealth Department, Ministry of External Relations, Yaounde, I grew up and have exposure to enclave communities. I hold a BA. in History with a minor in International relations from the University of Yaounde I, Cameroon. I am very much interested in continuing education for a Masters degree in Management (Human resource/leadership) course.
Currently, I direct many programs in IHAF, more tilted towards developing and testing tools to improve nutritional status and education in communities. Strategically, knowing well that these communities produce and have varieties of foodstuff in abundance, cultural believes; limited knowledge on available foodstuff leading to unbalanced diets, inadequate intakes are the major causes of malnutrition in local communities. With this in mind, our blend of social science research team with focus on diet appropriations and community nutrition while partly depending on fundamental research works. It is our hope to have results of nutrition research laboratories over the national territory one day having direct impact on immediate populations.

  Mr. Agejo A. Patrick; Director i/c of Communications, also Education Officer.
Agejo Patrick Ageh holds a Bachelors degree in Common Law (LLB) from the University of Yaounde II, Soa, Yaounde, Cameroon. I have been trained in languages ( English, French and German). I am very interested in studying further in the domain of Human Rights, leadership and law. Besides serving IHAF, I am also an Insurance Officer. For every system, big or small; its principal strength is dependent upon effective communication. With this strategic position in IHAF, my desire is to offer the talent God has given me to serve mankind wherever and whenever need be. I have been serving in a number of years in small and medium size enterprises. Recently, thanks to IHAF that nominated me for a 6 weeks training on Governance and NGO management at the Gujarat EDI campus, India 2009. I pledge to commit my entire abilities to ensure the goals of IHAF are met.

Mr. Etah Shilton Cho; North West Regional Coordinator.
Mr Etah attended nursery and primary school at the CBC, Nkwen Bamenda and progressed to Allo Comphrensive High School, Mulang-Mankon Bamenda where he obtained his 'O' Levels and thereafter at CCAST Bambili where he obtained his 'A' levels. Shilton is currently studying a professional course towards a BSN at the Higher Institute of Health Science, Bamenda University of Science and Technology (BUST). Shilton joinede IhAF in early 2010 and his enthusiasm, devotion and volunteer spirit for the welfare of human kind earned him his present position as the Regional Coordinator for the Bamenda branch. Shilton's prayer is wishing all less privilege well.

Mr. Akebe Lutherking; South West Regional Coordinator
Mr. Abia Akebe Luther King is fervent lover of the environment. I hold a B.Sc. (Hons) in Microbiology from the University of Buea . I have been working as a Research Assistant in the Research Foundation for Tropical Diseases and Environment (REFOTDE), Buea , Cameroon since March 2005. I have great community research skills, having worked in many community –based projects including the WHO sponsored project “Community-directed interventions for major health problems in Africa ”. I am interested in pursuing a career in environmental toxicology and protection. I am currently working on “Bacteriological Characterisation of Drinking Water in the Cities of Buea and Muyuka: Association with Diarrhoea Disease Incidence and Related Cost” for an M.Sc. Degree in microbiology.
Putting all the skills acquired from my work experience and international workshops at the forefront of communities’ wellbeing, I have the firm determination to work, through IHAF and with the entire IHAF body, without relent, not only to see that the goals of IHAF are met but also to see that the poor, the needy, the underprivileged, and ‘abandoned’ communities will one day come out of their misery. Yes! I believe that “Nothing has everything but Everything has something”  and that “All things are possible for them that believe in the Almighty God.”

Delphine Amana, Deputy Coordinator International Network. 
I hold B.Sc. in Microbiology from University of Buea, Cameroon and presently enrolled for a second B.SN at Oklahoma City University/Kramer School of Nursing, USA. I have been a member of IHAF since its birth at Mr CEO’s little student room back in the days during my bachelors program at the University of Buea. Just like a joke, IHAF has grown to be a Non-profit making organization with vibrant young Cameroonians like myself who want to make a change in the lives of our brothers and sisters in local communities. It has always been my desire to pursue a career in the health field but this desired was further reinforced after my trip with IHAF to a village called Menka. During this trip, I had a taste of what it means to live in a local community in the African context: no basic health care, transportation, limited education especially for girls, poverty, and teenage pregnancies. Despite the many challenges we face as an organization with most support coming from its members, we have remain focus with the goal of making a change in local communities in Cameroon and Africa as a whole. I am happy to be part of this organization and I like what I am doing. After taking up many other responsibilities, currently I serve the organization as Deputy Coordinator for Abroad Network.

Barister Akebegho Gideon N., Legal Adviser.
 Coming soon!







Mr. George E. Njuacha, International Coordinator and web master.
Holds an MSc. in Chemistry from the University of Alberta. Interested in health, immunology and infectious diseases including but not limited to oncology, environmental toxicology, molecular pharmacology. Singing, dancing and cooking are among my hobbies. With knowledge, skills and leadership experience from other membership associations, together with the IHAF team we will take IHAF to where " tomorrow meets today"
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IHAFCAM