PROJECT SUMMARY

In Cameroon, religion is a large part of the local culture. Because of religion’s strong influence, SYFA plans to use the local churches as a starting point for generating environmental awareness. In order to make this dream come true, SYFA envisions starting a project at the Cameroon Baptist Theological Seminary (CBTS) in the town of Ndu. SYFA believes that by initiating planting of organic greenery in the Seminary, it can influence all the graduating pastors to start similar projects in their churches. SYFA also envisions starting a biogas system for the Seminary’s plumbing. This is part of a larger effort to expand SYFA’s organic lawn projects to churches through the province, encouraging them to be more environmentally friendly and protect the surrounding area from soil erosion. SYFA also wants to stress that the organization is interested in working with all religious organisations in Cameroon in addition to the Baptist Church.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT

• The seminary project will quickly educate a large population (directly and indirectly) about the importance of the environment

• The seminary will spend fewer resources on plumbing once an environmentally friendly biogas toilet system is in place.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

• CBTS’ campus will be reformed to become a much more green community.

• CBTS’ functioning will reflect the environmental goals of the project through the incorporation of projects like a biogas system.

SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PROJECT

The CBTS environmental club will take responsibility for the upkeep and care for this project. This will give the future Baptist preachers hands on experience, which will help them establish their own organic gardens.

CURRENT PROGRESS

SYFA has gained support from CBTS’s president Rev. Dr Wilfred Fon and the school’s environmental club to work in partnership to complete the project. SYFA has already donated over. We have started nursing flowers and have arranged to buy trees and shrubs from urban nurseries to plant in the coming year. The members of the environmental club are ready to assist with labour for land preparation, providing manure, planting and maintenance.

FUTURE GOALS

This shall be a five-year project. During the course of this five-year project, we will be:

• Establishing a waste management programme

• Building a biogas system for the campus

• Planting trees, lawns, and flowers

• Establishing an orchard

• Establishing a nursery

• Paving all the paths in the campus