Teh Francis Yai is the Director of Goodness and Mercy Missions in Cameroon.
IM : Tell us about yourself.
TFY: My name is Teh Francis Yai. I was born on the 2nd of May 1977 in Ngwah village in Boyo Division of Cameroon. I founded Goodness and Mercy Missions in 2007, an organization that has been helping the rural poor and providing tools and means to the underprivileged for a sustainable livelihood.
Key projects have been carried out have been women economic empowerment projects, child sponsorship, computer training, youth livelihood projects and provision of a research library for the community. In 2016, while training at kanthari in India, I founded the GMM EnKindle Cameroon project which provides hands-on business training to rural women which discovers and ignites their passions.
Goodness and Mercy Missions has empowered more than 2000 women and sponsors the education of hundreds of underprivileged children. Help has come from reputable organizations like The World Bank through its Development Marketplace, Informatik Fur Afrika Switzerland, and others. “I will like to be remembered as one who made rural women in Cameroon famous for making independent financial decisions, and as one who paved the way for underprivileged children to have access to a hassle free education”.
IM : What drives the work that you do?
TFY : My passion for initiating social change comes from experiences in my background. Coming from a large polygamous family background with meagre income, I had tough times struggling just to complete a primary school education.
My mother would have helped but in those days women were made to depend on men for any major financial decisions. It was only later in life that I caught up with formal education. The situation has not changed much. My passion is to see that rural women are famous for making independent financial decisions, and that underprivileged children have access to a hassle free education.
IM : What does being part of the ‘Top 10 Finalists in the Donors for Africa’s Social Innovators Bootcamp’ mean to you?
TFY : The first thing is that inner satisfaction I have getting all the wonderful lessons. It is helping me break down barriers, (some of them created by me through ignorance), that have limited my growth in trying to initiate social change and bring about the needed development.
I see myself building, advancing and fostering social change with a new perspective, new skills and with a new passion. One great take home for me is being honest to donors.
IM : What do you see in the near future after this?
TFY: I see my work already expanding in many dimensions related to work I carry out with my target groups. I have said through the training I realized that some of the barriers that have limited my impact were created by me. With barriers removed and skills acquired, I will improve on the work I have been doing, expand to other places in Cameroon and initiate new projects that fall in line within our mission guidelines.
IM: What are your parting words or advice for the next class and Africa at large?
TFY: I really thank this program for the impact it has made in my life as a social changemaker. I am grateful that the time kept for sessions was appropriate for me, in the evenings, enabling me to be able to attend sessions without too many hitches.
I just feel that others who may benefit from this program may not be aware of its existence, and that SIBC works with alumni to identify unsung heroes who would be recommended to apply for the program.
Add comment