Rosine Makanaky is a woman with an extraordinary vision and an equally powerful determination. Rosine’s comprehensive, personal approach to caring for disabled children stems from her experiences and education; what makes her extraordinary is her willingness to return to this area to bring about social change and empowerment where it is needed the most.
We met Rosine in the Bui region of Cameroon, Africa, where she lives and works, running a non-profit called The Crystal Foundation. Her vision for the foundation is strong, and her impact is real, but funding has been a challenge, and she came to us for ideas.
You see, it was with the help of family that Rosine overcame her disability and went on to earn an advanced degree in law in Cameroon and to earn an MA in human rights in the UK. Empowered with this education, and determined to change the distressing conditions for those with disabilities in Cameroon, she returned to the Bui region, to a town called Melim, to do her work.
Read more about Rosine and the services The Crystal Foundation provides here.
Rosine heard about the initiatives at Himalayan Institute Cameroon in nearby Kumbo and made a point to visit. She liked what she saw, particularly the women’s empowerment program, recognizing how this model could supplement the vocational training at Crystal. She requested a formal training from the Sacred Link Jewelry training coordinator, Sylvia, which resulted in a successful project implementation for the children and families in her program. Now, Rosine provides the market links for their handmade jewelry, giving them another means to make an income, to provide for themselves, and to overcome the stigma of disability.
(Rosine started Crystal Foundation to assist children with disabilities and to provide support for their families.)
