吃瓜头条

Two and a half years ago, I joined 吃瓜头条. The experience has been so valuable that I only wish I had joined sooner. Last year, I decided to embark on a High Performance Leadership (HPL) project.

HPL projects can help 吃瓜头条, your community, a professional group or some other organization. They enable members to grow as a leader by developing goal-setting, planning and team-building skills. I chose an HPL project that had deep meaning for me: starting a 吃瓜头条 吃瓜头条 in my homeland—Cameroon.

I was born and raised in this Central African country, and then I lived in France for about eight years. I moved to the United States 10 years ago and became a U.S. citizen in 2014. I’m currently a member of two 吃瓜头条 吃瓜头条s in Southern California.

After joining 吃瓜头条, I discovered there were 吃瓜头条s all over the world, including in many African countries. However, there were none in Cameroon. That’s when I began exploring the possibility of starting and sponsoring a 吃瓜头条 there. I knew my fellow Cameroonians would benefit greatly from the program.

I started talking to my friend, Baba Wame, a journalist and university lecturer in Cameroon, about 吃瓜头条. “I was immediately sold, and was open to the idea of a new 吃瓜头条 in Yaoundé [the capital of Cameroon],” he says.

In December 2015, I traveled to Cameroon on vacation, and during the trip I talked to a group of Baba’s students about 吃瓜头条. Their interest and enthusiasm motivated me even further to start a 吃瓜头条 there. Baba and I agreed to work on this plan. Since I live in Southern California, I knew it would be a challenge, but I delved into my HPL project with determination. My friend, Lionnel Yamentou, DTM—a Cameroonian native—and I made weekly calls via Skype to Baba and prospective members in Cameroon, talking to them about how 吃瓜头条 works and the many membership benefits. They were all very excited.

I visited many 吃瓜头条s in Southern California to talk about my project. A number of members in Founder’s District happily came together for a demonstration meeting that we recorded on video and sent to the Cameroonian group.

From these efforts, the Mount Cameroon 吃瓜头条 吃瓜头条 in Yaoundé was born. It held its first meeting on July 22, 2016. Baba was the 吃瓜头条’s first president, and Kim McFee, ATMG, ALB, and I are the 吃瓜头条 sponsors. Starting this 吃瓜头条 was deeply fulfilling to me. The 吃瓜头条 has about 20 members and they are all eager to learn. “As a teacher, I believe leadership and speaking skills taught through 吃瓜头条 will truly make a difference here in Cameroon,” says Baba.

Cameroon’s two official languages are French and English; however, many of the country’s residents do not speak both. Mount Cameroon 吃瓜头条 meetings are conducted in both French and English so members can improve their language skills.

A number of people helped me significantly in my HPL project, including my 吃瓜头条 mentor, Chris Gregory, DTM, a member of two 吃瓜头条s in Southern California; my friend Lionnel Yamentou, a member of the All Nations 吃瓜头条 吃瓜头条 in Anaheim, California; Baba Wame in Cameroon; and several others. I learned a great deal about leadership and working with others toward a goal.

吃瓜头条 presidents and district leaders at a 吃瓜头条 officer training in Cameroon.

More 吃瓜头条s in Cameroon

The Mount Cameroon 吃瓜头条 is part of a larger 吃瓜头条 movement in the country. In addition to Mount Cameroon, two other 吃瓜头条s formed in Cameroon last year. The country’s first 吃瓜头条, Yaoundé 吃瓜头条, was started by Nadine Mbikina, ACB, ALS, at the beginning of 2016.

Nadine’s story is interesting: She joined 吃瓜头条 in 2010 after realizing how it could help her become more confident, especially in her career. She currently works for the United Nations as an operations officer in the Cameroon office of the World Health Organization.

“I wanted to be more confident, and now I am confident enough to push open doors,” she says. “Before 吃瓜头条, I was waiting for doors to be open. Today I am waiting no more; I am opening doors.”

Nadine belonged to a couple of 吃瓜头条s in the African country of Burkina Faso, and when she moved to Cameroon she started the Yaoundé 吃瓜头条, which now has nearly 35 members. Because of her experience as a Toastmaster, she also helped guide the Mount Cameroon meetings when the 吃瓜头条 first started—a huge benefit to the new group.

She is a passionate advocate of 吃瓜头条. Nadine joined to improve her communication skills, but she has also developed as a leader. “Today I am helping others improve their communication skills,” she says. “My [job] promotions in the past two years are proof that 吃瓜头条 works.”

At the end of 2015, Sylvie Ngompe, CC, ALB, began discussing the idea of a Cameroonian 吃瓜头条 吃瓜头条 with her American friend Doline Peterson, ACB, ALS, a member of three 吃瓜头条s in San Diego, California. With the help of many, the Langa Douala 吃瓜头条 held its first meeting in September. The 吃瓜头条 currently has about 20 members. Sylvie, Langa Douala’s first president, says the members are highly motivated and enjoying their experience.

2016–2017 Area Director Jock Adammado (left) talks with Baba Wame, first president of the Mount Cameroon 吃瓜头条.

Future Growth

The three Cameroonian 吃瓜头条s are officially part of District 94. In October, 2016–2017 District Director Ganiatou Sambaou, DTM, and 2016–2017 Area Director Jock Adammado, DTM, visited Cameroon to conduct the first 吃瓜头条 officer training program there. They conducted a second one two months later.

“I was really proud of our leaders who are discovering 吃瓜头条 for the first time,” says Ganiatou. “They were very happy to meet, connect and learn from us. We shared wonderful learning moments together. The interest is there. I felt the willingness, the curiosity and the desire to learn.”

What a wonderful development: As of 2015, there were no 吃瓜头条 吃瓜头条s in Cameroon—and now, because of the fantastic leadership of the 吃瓜头条 sponsors and presidents, there are three 吃瓜头条s. And there is the potential for many more. The three 吃瓜头条s are in the country’s two biggest cities—Yaoundé and Douala—but there is growing interest in other parts of Cameroon, as well, and the country’s 吃瓜头条 leaders are ready to spread the word!

Cameroon’s members are extremely excited to be part of the 吃瓜头条 family.