What do we do?
In response to the inadequate education of the deaf in Cameroon, Buea School for the Deaf (BSD) was founded in 2003 by a deaf couple, Mr. Aloysius N'jok Bibum and Mrs. Margaret Lloyd Bibum.
Mr. Bibum, a Cameroonian, and his British wife, Margaret, realized the exceptional need for an institute of education for the deaf, especially one that includes the participation of the parent.
"Parents [who] see the benefits of the education their child is getting at BSD...then support our efforts by encouraging other parents with deaf children."
BSD puts strong emphasis on the role of the parent, and founded a program to create involvement and understanding on the part of families.
The program was created between 2007 and 2008 and funded by "Deaf Children Worldwide."
BSD organised sign language classes, workshops and home visits for parents to provide basic sign language skills that would enable parents to communicate with their deaf children more effectively.
The school started off with 13 students during its first year, but has grown substantially during its seven years of operation.
The school now boasts over 120 students, and in 2008 was proud to start operating its first college (secondary) level class, after all the students in Class 7 successfully completed their First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) examinations.
In June of 2010, the school began construction of a new campus just outside of Buea. With completion of one classroom block, classes began in September of that same year. Since then two more buildings have been completed, allowing for more classrooms, dormitories and a library.
In the near future, as the student population grows, the school will be looking to fund the construction of another classroom block and administration building.
The vision is to eventually provide a safe, stimulating environment equipped with all basic necessities catering specifically to deaf learning, with the use of visual aids, posters, bright colours, computers, books, and more.