TRAGEDY BEGETS A BRIGHT FUTURE

Despite the tragedy of his death, Bright Fuh has ignited new hope future of health care in
Cameroon.

The “playful” and “jovial” son of Bafut natives Gladys Ambesso and Godwill Fuh succumbed to a rare form of eye cancer after an epic two-year battle.

He breathed his last yesterday morning at the Gynaecological Hospital, Yaoundé.

“Our little warrior fought the best fight he could. I believe he is resting in God's arms,” said Lady Kate Njeuma, who coordinated an international effort to save the boy’s life.

Images of Bright Fuh’s tumour-plastered face first hit television screens in Cameroon last November and quickly spread across the diaspora via the internet.

Shocked and moved well-wishers created the Friends of Bright Fuh organisation in collaboration with the US-based African Women’s Development Foundation.

Led by Njeuma, the group sought to evacuate Bright to America for treatment unavailable in Cameroon.

However bureaucracy and tensions with Fuh’s doctor, Prof Anderson Doh, hindered their efforts.

Both parties eventually resolved their differences and are working on funeral plans together.

“Right now, supporting the family for the funeral is paramount” said Lady Njeuma.We are also trying to find out if there are any uncleared medical bills in the hospitalso that Bright's parents don't have to deal with that aftermath,” she added.

The boy whom she described as an angel will be laid to rest in Bafut.

Friends of Bright Fuh now aims to create a Non Governmental Organisation, which will help other seriously sick children.

You can donate money towards Bright’s funeral and in aid of his parents via Moneygram and Western Union. Please pay to: the Bright Fuh Fund. To contribute via paypal, visit: http://africanwomensfoundation.org/.

Writer’s note:

What an amazing boy! May he rest in peace. From out of the blue, Bright stole our hearts and reminded us of what we can achieve when we work together.

Many thanks to the Friends of Bright Fuh organisation and everyone else who supported Bright and his family through their ordeal. While we remember them in our prayers, let’s do our best to ensure that Bright’s life is not in vain.

We will keep you updated on developments regarding the NGO and other related efforts.

By Ngum Ngafor
Dulce
xxx

TO MORTGAGE OR NOT TO MORTGAGE? THAT IS THE QUESTION!

Alain Mbe, aka Mr No Deposit, is an entrepreneur who boasts extensive skills in Creative Property Investments. Like generations of immigrants before him, Alain Mbe arrived in the United Kingdom with little more than intelligence, courage, enthusiasm and the desire to succeed. He has been involved in property for many many years now and has a substantial portfolio of his own. Alain is an inspiration as he shows what ordinary people can achieve with sheer determination and the right advice and the right attitude.
Here below is my interview with him, happy reading y'all!

DC: What is your background?
AM: My first career was IT. I spent 8 years working within a Blue Chip company doing IT security. I worked through the ranks within this fast growing industry and company and I learnt a lot during this developing period. I travelled extensively, gaining major experience surrounding leadership and communication.

DC: What made you get into the property business?
AM: Paying rent for me was what made me to get into the property business. I found it very difficult to pay my rent and I knew that that was an issue I had to address and I did so by contacting my then landlord who together with an adviser helped me purchase my first home less than two years after arriving here in the UK.

DC: How did you start out?
AM: I started out by buying my first home here in London then when I left school to get a job, I moved to Oxford where the company was based and there I bought another place whilst renting my place in London. I then moved to Reading with my partner and again, I bought with her in Reading while still renting the place I had in London and Oxford. When we moved back to Oxford, I bought another again here and rented the place in Reading while still renting the places in London and Oxford. I found it extremely difficult to get rid of any of my properties so I used them as an investment.

DC: How many properties do you own then?
AM: Well the number of property is not necessarily a good measure oof someone's success, especially when you consider the commitments behind each property. However since people are obsessed with numbers, I can tell you that by the age of 32, I had 32 properties. Nevertheless, now, I have re-shaped my property portfolio to reflect my current goals.

DC: Did you have to train as a Mortgage adviser?
AM: Yes, I did. After I started my property business I decided to continue developing myself and one obvious move was financial services. In order to advise on any financial issues in the UK, you do need to be both qualified and authorised by the Financial Services authority

DC: How easy or difficult was it setting up your company?
AM: It wasn’t difficult at all because my WHY was clear and strong. The only difficult thing was trying to make sense of all the information that was coming from everywhere! There was a lot of help out there and a lot of sharks too. . Trying to make sure that the advice and help that was being given to me was tailored to my needs was my biggest challenge. Nevertheless, I was enthusiastic enough and highly motivated and charged to see it through. Though I am glad I did this back then because it would have been very costly to jump the waters in this present moment if I were to start out now.

DC: How crazy was the property market?
AM: I am not sure “crazy” is the right word but there were elements of being carried away. In my opinion, the willingness of banks to lend people vast sums of money and the ease at which anyone could borrow was all part of an open conspiracy for everyone involved to take advantage and this definitely worked for everyone for a long while. The banks definitely underestimated the ability of some of the people they were lending to, to keep up their repayments at all times and the bubble naturally did burst when interest rates reached its peak in July 2007

DC: Is it still possible to make money in this crisis period?
AM: Absolutely, absolutely – it is possible anytime especially now. At the moment, a lot of people are in a position where they are desperate to sell due to the economic downturn. The key to success in property is to buy smart and at below market value. You have to pick up a bargain and wait. Whatever you buy today, be prepared to keep it for the next 7-10 years and you will be sure to make money. Property business is a long term business. The downside however is the shortage of money available from the banks at the moment so those with liquid cash are in a stronger position to buy now.

DC: What do you think of those who overloaded themselves with hefty mortgages just so they can buy the big house and keep up with the Jones’?
AM: Because of the looming recession the government is doing their best to help them. The interest rates have come down significantly and may come down again in the New Year so their mortgage repayments will probably be halved except for those who are tied to a fixed mortage deal. This is a clear reminder that financial advice prior to choosing a mortgage is paramount.

DC: Were mortgage lenders wrong to lend these people such amounts?
AM: It is a business they are running after all. Most mortgage lenders are regulated and the government tries to keep an eyes on them so they do not get carried away. Nevertheless, as much as it is regulated, it is an industry that has evolved so much in such a small space of time that even the regulators could not keep up with the new trend in the mortgage industry. and the lenders were just making as much money as they could make. In my opinion, the regulators failed to understand the complexity and the practise that was going on and I would say that everyone involved got carried away. I wouldn’t pull a finger at the lenders only, the borrowers, the government and the advisers should have known better.

DC: Is that what drove the property market downhill in your opinion? (the easiness of mortgages)
AM: Erm, no. It is my view that what drove the market was the bad news that came from America. Things were pretty bad over there and the British press tried to amplify and draw parallels with what could happen here in England if things continued as they were. The industry went into a parallel of fear, everyone got scared to do business and this stalled the property market here. At the same time, it had to come from some where, things could not continue in the fashion that it was.

DC: You are known as the "NO deposit" man, how did that name come about?
AM: Erm, it came about because I was arranging a lot of mortgages where people didn’t need deposits through using a number of techniques. The name just stuck with me and that became my trademark. Obviously things have changed significantly and the name went with it too [he laughs], you can now call me Mr Fee FREE since I do not charge a fee for offering financial advice.

DC: Is it still possible to get 100% mortgages nowadays?
AM: It is still possible, yes, although it now largely depends on the person’s affordability and credit history. These factors are checked very thoroughly unlike before.

DC: Do you still hold property conferences?
AM: Erm, this year has been very very unpredictable and volatile and we had to put them on hold however, we are looking to resume these in January because of the interests people have shown in wanting to acquire more knowledge on what is happening in the market at present. We are now launching a workshop which addresses the current propery market issues.

DC: Did you ever forsee this happening?
AM: Well..erm…anyone who has been in this business for a while knows that although it is a property investment is always profitable over a long period of time (7-10 years, ). Property values like all classes of assets is volatile so it goes up and down. I knew that the prices will come down someday but little did I know that the market will stall so abruptly as it happened in 2007. Perhaps this is a reflection of the age in which we live in. The new technology makes everything so much faster!

DC: How long will we go through this crisis in your opinion?
AM: I think 2009 will be pretty much like 2008. The government will have to bring in new regulations and the lenders and intermediaries will need time to get used to these new rules, so, I see the market recovering from spring 2010.

DC: What is your advice to first time buyers?
AM: My advice is that they should not rely on what they read. They need to approach an adviser that they can trust and discuss their financial goals and needs.

DC: And second time buyers?
AM: Same advice applies. If you have to make that move, talk to someone you can trust first.

DC: To sell or not to sell? What is your answer?
AM: I would say, hold it if you can afford it but if your personal circumstances are such that you cannot afford it, seek advice first

DC: Many thanks!
AM: Thank you

To contact Alain Mbe, please visit www.mbepf.com
Tel: 0207 511 7178
Email: info@mbepf.com

DC: Dulce Camer
AM: Alain Mbe

Thanks for reading, all comments wellcomed! Thanks for making the last 4 months of 2008 a fab one for this blog. I hope we will continue to represent and present Cameroon and its many talents to y'all. We are always keen to post events, shows and issues happening around the Cameroonian communities in any part of the world, so please use the blog to advertise, promote, show, shout out etc etc. DULCE CAMER at your service!

Stay sweet

Dulce

xxx

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009!

As the clock strikes twelve
All bad habits we must shelve
To see in a new day
Hoping and praying for new ways
A new dawn
A new yearn
Here comes a new tomorrow!
So good bye all my sorrow!
For I will know you no more
Just like the days before
A new me I want to explore!
(Cynthia Tabe)

Take this time to reflect on the past year and the coming year and I hope all you wish for this new begining comes your way, HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009!
In all things, don't forget to give thanks to GOD.
From Ngum and myself.
Stay sweet and blest
Dulce
xxx

AND THE WINNER IS....

Miss Cameroon UK 2008 took place on Saturday the 20th December 2008 at the Polish Centre in Hammersmith, London.

The finalists were Sophia Ayuk from South West, Octavei Bei from Littoral, Naomi Bucharri from North West, Marcelline Menyie from South West, Josiane Nzuekeu from West, Irene Muma from Central, Christiane Dawwe from West and Barry Jackson from Littoral.

...winner is Christiane Dawwe!

Miss Sophia Ayuk = 1st runner up

Miss Barry Jackson = 2nd runner up

The judges were ready and waiting and with the stage all cleared and set, the lights on, the show started. The two presenters Dominique and Yolanda started by introducing to the crowd 2 singing duo by the name of Essence who came out and did their thing.

Miss Christiane Dawwe being crowned by the Deputy High Commissioner for The Republic of Cameroon, His Excellency Mr Denis Nyuydzewira

The girls were presented according to their numbers to the judges and the crowd and their first show was their presentation of a traditional dance which they all did very well apart from some hiccups from the DJ who kept stalling on the music.

The casual wear category was a bit confusing as all but one of the contestants came out in actual casual wear. The rest were far too dressed up to be considered casual. The traditional wear was in fact African wear as none of the girls came out in any traditional gear to represent their respective tribes or provinces as this category suggests. Nevertheless, the contestants came out and gave it all they got. The two contestants who stood out in this category were Irene Muma who dazzled in what she was wearing and Christiane Dawwe who wooed the crowd when she came out. Her dress was beautiful and it also bared on the chest of the dress, the green red yellow of the Cameroonian flag.

Evening Wear Category

************************************************************************

In the swim wear category, the girls all looked fantastic in the colours and styles they chose to present. One contestant who was missing from this line up was Josiane Nzeukeu. She had not been marked on the first 2 rounds because she turned up late for the show and she later felt the need to drop out of the competition altogether.

The final category was question time and the same question of “If you were the Barack Obama of Cameroon, what would you do to improve the lives of the Cameroonian people” was asked to all the girls. They all had good responses however, Christiane’s response totally blew the crowd away. I spoke to her after she had been crowned Miss Cameroon 2008 to see how she practiced her answer and she just said that it all came to her on the spot. She opened her mouth and the right words came out in the right order too. She totally appears to be very confident and capable of holding the title and representing Cameroon at whatever level and of course, her beauty shone too.

Swimwear

***********************************************************************

The show was good there is definitely room for improvement especially if the organisers want to attract more sponsors and more crowd. The night ended at the newly refurbished Black & White nightclub where the remaining contestants and the winner danced together with the rest of the crowd followed by some entertainment provided by some Cameroonian artists.

Casual wear category

*************************************************************************

The other winners on the night included:-
Best Traditional Wear = Christiane Dawwe
Best Evening Wear = Barry Jackson
Miss Photogenic 2008 = Sophia Ayuk
2nd Runner up = Barry Jackson
1st Runner up = Sophia Ayuk

Contestants during the traditional dance

***************************************************************************

And that was it folks!

Stay sweet

Dulce

xxx

HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS!

From Ngum and myself, have a good one!

Stay Sweet

Dulce

xoxo

THE RISING & SHINING STARLETTE!

Miss multi-talented and multi-faceted, a real gem and a darling to talk to. She is a sweet girl with a very caring heart who is striving to put both Cameroon and Africa on the map. Her positivity and drive is definitely worth noting.
I believe she will make it because of her sheer determination and passion and I also think that her efforts to help in Cameroon will pay off.
Below is her interview, Happy Reading!

Name: Sophy Aida
Age: 21
Location: New York, USA

DC: What is your favourite colour and why?
SA: My favourite colour is black because it is a colour that goes well with everything and it is also very elegant. You cannot go wrong with black and you always have the little black dress which makes you feel sexy or the black shoes which you can wear with a pair of jeans.

DC: Who is Sophy Aida?
SA: Erm, well, who am I? I am a young Cameroonian woman, an artist at heart who loves everything that relates to Art, from performance, to sculpture, to painting. I am a very dedicated, confident and strong woman who is just trying her best to put Cameroon on the map.

DC: What do you do to relax?
SA: I like to play the guitar, I always wanted to learn it. I write a lot of scripts, which is a way to get off my mind anything negative. I also practise Capoeira, a Brazilian martial arts originally from Angola and it helps me to de-stress and gets my mind off negativity too. I also sing and take voice lessons.

DC: How did you get into show biz?
SA: Erm, basically I started theatre when I was 2 years old in Cameroon. I had to grow out of it because it wasn’t a popular choice so when I moved to the US, I became exposed to the entertainment industry even more and I saw that I could go to school to learn and earn a qualification in this field. About 2 years ago, I started by auditioning for plays, did some short films and an independent feature film. By doing this, I met a lot of people and also got the opportunity to attend the American Black Film festival in 2007 where I met more people and also partook in a boot camp class with the actor Bill Duke. He saw my potential and told me to develop my talent and that he wanted to work with me too. This is where I suddenly knew that this field of work could be for me after all.
When I went back to Orlando, Florida where I was living, I immediately packed my stuff and headed back to New York where the opportunities were and that was in early 2008. When I moved, I looked for an acting school and whilst there I met someone who was looking for a host for a show and I was given the position in a show about African News. I was not passionate enough about this so my then boss put me through to someone else who was looking for a host on a show on the Black Entertainment Experience and that is how I got my break into TV and people started to hear about me in the community.

DC: What future stuff are you working on?
SA: I am in talks with Optimum Radio to host a 2 hour French music show. I am also talking to an online TV network about a potential show too. My love and passion is still acting and I am working towards that.

DC: Were you formally trained?
SA: I was trained on the job on the presenting side and right now I am going to “New School” for general studies. I like to get a degree in film directing so that I can go back to Cameroon and develop that industry.

DC: Do you get star struck?
SA: No, not really. I feel that we are all the same. They are individuals like me who just took their passion forward!

DC: What did your parents say about your choice of career?
SA: Well, erm, they didn’t understand, especially my father. He wanted me to work in something more specific in order to have a “normal” life because they did not see where acting was going to take me. They could not understand why someone would want to become a professional entertainer but when they saw my passion, they became more supportive and encouraging. My mum especially is very involved and aware of everything I do.

DC: Do you think the views of our parents are changing?
SA: Yes I do. I think they are getting more open minded especially as the young Africans are getting more opportunities to travel abroad and experience newer things. With TV and the way the media is nowadays, they are seeing that the world is moving forward and there are even some parents now who are pushing their children towards this not so typical career paths! I can definitely see some changes which I thought would never happen!

DC: What are your passions?
SA: Acting is my first love. Humanitarian work is also another passion and I am actually trying to start an NGO that will help young men and women in Cameroon through theatre. I hope to launch that in 2010. I want to be an actress to be able to give back.

DC: Who or what is your inspiration?
SA: My first inspiration is my mother. Being an African woman is not that easy but she managed through. She went through a lot and despite this she was still there for all her children. My father too is my inspiration because through hard times, he was there and still is there working hard to provide for all his children. The last one is Oprah Winfrey because when I was young, I watched the film “the colour purple” and in that film there was a character called “Sofia” who was a strong woman who knew what she wanted and I wanted to be just like that woman especially as her name was somewhat related to mine. It was not until I moved to the US that I realised that that character was played by Oprah! I was having so many doubts too about my career choice because of all the negativity I was getting and after watching Oprah’s life story on TV, I knew that nothing was impossible. I knew that through dedication and hard work you could make it.

DC: What do you think about the TV standards in Cameroon?
SA: To be honest I didn’t even realise that there were more than 2 TV channels in Cameroon! When I went back home, I had no time to watch TV at all! Nevertheless, from what I remembered while I was growing up I knew that there were a lot of repeats and short shows. The news is now better, the décor too is better and I was really impressed There seem to be people who are making moves to change things, which is great.

DC: You always look absolutely great, do you have a stylist?
SA: Thank you [she laughs] No, I don’t have a stylist but I am very fashion forward. I put everything together myself. I think I have a flair for fashion and I love vintage! I love to put different styles together to see what it looks like. I am very daring and not afraid at all. As you can see, I am rocking an afro!

DC: Yeah, and I am loving it too!
SA: Thank you. I am also trying different styles with my hair too!

DC: If you were God for a day, what would you do?
SA: Wow, that is a hard question! Ok, I will put Africa on the map by making it more positive so that people can see it as one of the great continents too. I would lower the rate of suffering that is going on in world and make more people proud of where they were from.

DC: Do you think coming to the US has helped your career choice?
SA: Oh yeah….no doubt about it. I cannot lie and say no not really. I believe that if I hadn’t come to the US, I wouldn’t have seen that my passion was recognisable. Even when I was in France, there were little opportunities for ethnic minorities but when I came to the US, It was completely different. I f I were still in Cameroon, I wouldn’t have been able to do this and that is why I want to take this back there to show that anything is possible.

DC: What is your goal?
SA: My ultimate goal is to build an Arts school in Cameroon that will give scholarships to talented kids in any form of Arts, from singing to instrument playing, to acting, painting, sculpting etc. I am currently working towards this goal as I will need the money to finance the scholarships.

DC: What has been the attitude of young Cameroonians towards you?
SA: Most have been supportive and there have been some who have been jealous however, I have had a lot of encouragement generally.

DC: Thank you so much for your time and good luck with all the projects!
SA: Thank you. I would like to say that I love your initiative. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help!
One last word, us Cameroonians need to support each other, we also need to go back home and help and develop. Please contact me if you need any advice on how to get into what I am doing. Thanks!

To contact Sophy Aida, please visit:

www.myspace.com/sophyaiida

http://www.facebook.com/

DC: Dulce Camer

SA: Sophy Aida

Hope you enjoyed reading! Please contact myself or Ngum if you are doing anything out there that you want people to find out about. Use Dulce Camer, it is created to serve YOU!

Watch out for a review of Miss Cameroon UK 2008 show happening tomorrow. Who is going to win? Come down and find out for yourself ;-)

Stay sweet

Dulce

xxx

SOME FOOD FOR YOUR SOUL...

Andy Allo: Knew you at all


Menoosha Susungi & US2U: Various


Coco Mbassi: O Bi


Etienne Mbappe: Miso Ma Munami


Manuel Wandji: Boyaka


Manuel Wandji: Amatchi


Ok, I think this is enough for today...more another day!
I hope you have now been well fed, lol!
Watch out for my interview with Ms Andy Allo on the blog very soon
Stay sweet
Dulce
xxx

MISS CAMEROON UK 2008

Miss Cameroon UK is on again this year and we have 8 finalists all battling to take Miss Sandrine's crown!

Who is going to win?

To find out, come and witness for yourself!

Venue: Polish Centre, 238-246 King Street, London W6 0RF

Date: 20th December 2008

Time: 7.30pm to 11.30pm

Price: £20 in advance & £30 on the door

Miss Barry Jackson, 30, Student, Littoral Province

Miss Christiane Dawwe, 22, Student, Western Province

Miss Irene Muma, 18, Student, Central province

Miss Josiane Nzuekeu, 24, Student, Western Province

Miss Marcelline Menyie, 18, Student Midwife, South-West Province

Miss Naomi Bicharri, 20, Student, North-West Province

Miss Octavie Bei, 20, Student, Littoral Province

Miss Sophia Ayuk, 21, Student, South-West Province

Come and support if you can and see who wins!
Stay sweet
Dulce
xxx