CHANGE CORNER PART ONE: SUZANNE "AFRICA" ENGO LOVES AFRICA

There are so many people within the Cameroonian communities at home and abroad who are doing in our opinion fabulous things to bring about change to many lives in the community. These people are in our opinion unsung heroes whose voices and actions need to be heard and seen.

Change Corner is a new initiative here at DC where we will be shouting about the change programmes and charity initiatives happening within Cameroon. These stories should be the push you'll need to think about ways in which you can also participate and promote the change you want to see thus providing for a better life for someone else. This is our PPP (Participate, Promote, Provide).

Today we will be focusing on a fabulous, funny and chic lady who we have come to admire for what she puts herself through inorder to achieve her goals.

Below is our interview. Happy Reading y'all

DC: Hello Suzanne, many thanks for accepting to talk to us.
SE: I love Dulce Camer and I also love talking so of course it’s ok darling! Thanks again for including me on your top 50 Cameroonians to watch in 2011 list.

DC: Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
SE: My name is Suzanne “Africa” Engo but most people call me Africa. I meditate every day for an hour and I love ndole “sans viande” (no meat) and plaintain with haricot so so much! Shout out to Mokolo market! You said a little NAH eh eh weké HAHAHHA!!!

DC: If your friends were to describe you in 3 words, what would they say?
SE: African, philanthropic, vegan

DC: You are very keen on “change”. What would it take to “change” Cameroon in your opinion?
SE: I think true change begins within us. So if there is something that you feel needs to be changed start with yourself first. If you feel the country is dirty start with cleaning your house and then your village. I think that we need to stop looking to the government to solve all of our problems I think that we need to try to help ourselves too.

DC: We would like to congratulate you on your work in Cameroon that is bringing about change to some children’s lives. Please tell us about this project.
SE: I am the founding member of an organisation called “African Action on Aids” www.africanactiononaids.org. We send Aids orphans (with a particular focus on orphan girls) to school. We want these African girls to be stable, to feel secure and to grow to have financial security so they don’t make mistakes that may lead them to be at risk for things such as HIV/AIDS. No self-worth, no health, no security is a dangerous state to be in. We don’t want them to be in trouble so we are all over their lives, their studies, their villages, their HIV status, their hands... making sure they wash them so they don’t get cholera. We’re like a friendly war on these girls’ lives.

DC: What initially pushed you to say enough is enough, I ought to do something?
SE: My mother told me to do it when I was a kid. Mother knows best and it became my life. Be careful what you tell your child because we listen to everything!

DC: Tell us about the Africa 101 charity run you did. What made you start this?
SE: “Africa 101” for me meant getting back to the basics. To love Africa, I had to love myself first. The whole project will be a movie called “I Love Africa” in which you’ll be able to watch the whole journey.

Well, this is the story. In five years I gained 120 pounds landing me in 2006 at a staggering 250 pounds with no energy! Ever since age six I had been like an energiser bunny, that young kid who went around the UN, around peoples’ offices, schools, TV stations, celebrities, yelling and dancing and making people care about Africa and other causes and as soon as I added 120 pounds, I became very very slow. Depressed and obese, I lost my activism and that had to change. So I made a declaration that I was going to lose at least 100 pounds and run from NY to Chicago and I was going to raise awareness about AIDS in Africa so that I wasn’t too focused on what size my jeans were but the size of my dreams which is to have a world free of HIV. I am HIV negative and but I consider myself to have the face of AIDS.

Doing this run, I also promoted solutions that I felt make a difference for the real Africa such as HipHop mogul Russell Simmons’ Diamond Empowerment (http://www.diamondempowerment.org/), musician Bono and Bobby Shrivers’ Join Red (http://www.joinred.com/) and my family MTVs’ Staying Alive (http://www.stayingalive.org/) as well as my charity AAA (http://www.africanactiononaids.org/). I have now run in 3 continents since that original run in the States.

I changed my life completely and I’m not shy to say I’m proud of myself.

DC: Well done girl! DC is sure proud of you too! Now, what keeps you going, longing to accomplish things?
SE: Meditation, the faces of these African children I make promises to and well my mother who tells me to still continue. Like I said mother knows best! Also, I would like for my daughter to be able to say one day “my mother did it”. You know legacy stuff! I know my mother can say my grandmother Suzanne Tjega did it so I would like to keep this trend going!

DC: Cool! What advice would you give to someone out there who has it in their heart to do something to positively contribute in Cameroon?
SE: Like Nike says. JUST DO IT!

DC: What else are you passionate about in life?
SE: I am very passionate about the vegan / raw food diet and the benefits it has on my attitude, my peaceful, compassionate and kind outlook on life. I’m really into making sure the Oprah Winfrey Network stays on the Air because Oprah Winfrey is an amazing woman. I lost weight using her Best Life Diet scheme and I elect myself her African ambassador making sure she keeps on going. We have to support our leaders and I am behind her like a silent partner! Did you know Ms Winfrey is of Cameroonian descent? Bamileke? I am also passionate about my dog Tesoro.

DC: You are also the president of the “Girl Behind the Camera Productions”. Tell us more about this venture.
SE: The Girl Behind the Camera is a production company committed to producing and promoting cause related media initiatives, programmes and members of the entertainment and sports industries committed to making a difference.

DC: To conclude, what is your life’s philosophy?
SE: To change the world, first you must change yourself. Be the example of what an African girl can be when she is empowered. To me this is so fierce so keep watching because I’ll show you! Stay tuned, I’m just getting warmed up and I eat veggies now so I have the energy to do this!

Some pictures of our girl...

DC feels this on the red carpet look!!

We love you too!!

DC: That's it! Thank you!!
SE: Ok girl I’m proud of you and the DC blog. Keep doing it ma sista and knock on my door anytime it is open to Dulce Camer!!! I am very grateful you took the time to shed light on me, I notice and I appreciate that very much. I have an attitude of gratitude towards you.
Thank you!

Be the change you want to see!
Stay sweet
Dulce
xxx