HEDECS Rep. Handing Gifts to Kum Henry, Regional Coordinator
The Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) Centre received a significant boost in its health care unit as drugs, mattresses and other items were donated to the infimery of the Centre.
Donated by the Health Development Consultancy Services (HEDECS), the non-governmental organization said its visit was motivated by a desire to encourage peace and support the men and women who made the difficult choice to lay down their arms.
Addressing the ex-combatants, a representative from the organization commended them for choosing peace, describing it as a fundamental pillar for development and personal progress. They noted that while their contribution might appear modest, it was meant to improve daily living conditions at the centre and, more importantly, to reassure the beneficiaries that the decision to embrace peace was the right one.
The current infirmary
As a gesture of support, the NGO donated a range of medical, welfare and agricultural items to strengthen the centre’s infirmary and general operations. These included mattresses, watering cans, window blinds, drip stands, blood pressure machines, a weighing scale, detergents, basic agricultural tools, tables, a nurse’s work table, and two office chairs, alongside other essential health equipment.
Kum Henry Ichu, Regional Coordinator of the DDR in the North West
The donation has significantly added to the capacity of the centre’s infirmary. Before now, the excombattants had to rely on just basic health care while they could get real medical checkup at hospitals close to the centre. A situation which the Regional Coordinator, Kum Henry Ichu says will be addressed this 2026.
"We have health personnel at the centre but the infirmary was not fully equipped. The ex fighters get adequate health care from other nearby hospitals like the one found at the BIR Camp.
"The budget of the DDR Centre will carter for the infimary in 2026." Kum Henry said.
Medical and agricultural support
Beyond material support, the staff of the NGO encouraged the ex-combatants to make productive use of their time at the centre. They urged them to take advantage of the training opportunities available, emphasizing that what they learn today will be vital for their reintegration and livelihood once they return to their communities.
The Senior Prefect, speaking during the visit, expressed profound gratitude to the NGO and the Regional Coordinator of the DDR for their continued commitment. He praised the humanitarian gesture, noting that the ex-combatants are well taken care of and that the visit demonstrated genuine concern for their wellbeing. He prayed that other organizations would be inspired to follow suit, extending similar support to the centre.
At demonstration farm
While reaffirming the progress made, he stressed that the ex fighters who laid down their arms, are now fully aligned with the laws and regulations of the state.
The Bamenda DDR Centre according to Kum Henry Ichu runs farms, a piggery, a poultry for the those interested in agriculture. For those interested in business, they're allowed to run personal canteens on the site while the younger ones attend the DDR public school which is also opened to the public.
Currently, the DDR Centre hosts 634 ex-combatants. While many remain in centre, some have already been reintegrated, with others employed within some state corporations and other assigned duties.
The Regional Coordinator was advised to grow vegetables which do not take time to be ready like cucumbers, huckleberry and others. A demonstration farm has been set to that effect and follow-up will be done in the next one months.
HEDECS becomes the first NGO to pay a courtesy visit to the center in 2026.
By
Ndi Tsembom Elvis
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