We have come to agree that the impact of one’s life is not measured by longevity but by the impact made and the number of lives positively influenced over a lifetime. Africa today, by all accounts, faces a fierce urgency of now. This urgency is evident in the need for upward social mobility, for inclusiveness, equitable growth and healthy lives.
In our native Cameroon, while some progress has been made, we still have 95 out of every 1000 children dying before their 1st birthday; we still have a maternal mortality rate ranked 9th in the world. In this country of ours, we still unfortunately experience recurrent outbreaks of cholera, continued degradation of the health system and an economy that for the most part has been struggling for the last two decades with inflation rising faster than growth in real GDP per capita.
We believe we must actively participate in transforming our economic and social dispensation. Our mission is to catalyze our economic transformation by focusing on social entrepreneurship, science and technology, innovation, public health and the implementation of progressive policies that together creates economic opportunities for all. As an independent, research-driven think tank, the Nkafu Policy Institute at the Foundation leads the way in providing in-depth, insightful and innovative policy prescriptions on developmental issues within the region.
We have committed our personal resources and will continue to leverage the financial and technical resources of friends, colleagues, local institutions, national and international partners especially developmental agencies to ensure that within the next decade thousands experience upward social mobility, that we see the adoption and implementation of policies based on objective analyses. We have learned that it is never too early to dream nor is it too early to make a commitment. And we commit that we will work everyday to see that we build a society where our children futures are not limited by tribal, religious or ethnic affiliation. This is our drive and we would be very honored to collaborate with you to make this dream a reality.
Thank You,
Denis and Lenora Foretia
Co-Chairs
June 2013