My Nonprofit Reviews
Dieneke Johnson
Review for Aumazo, Inc., Silver Spring, MD, USA
I met Jacqueline several years ago, and was immediately struck by her vision and her passion.
Her personal story is so compelling: Because she was denied a secondary education simply because of geography and gender, she made it her mission to make sure that girls in rural Cameroon, starting with her home village, have access to secondary education. When women/mothers are educated, they can lift their own household and their village out of poverty and ignorance. Multiply that by many villages, and you have a better community/state/country/world.
While raising five children of her own, Jacqueline managed to earn two college degrees. With her determination, creativity and charm, she has founded a nonprofit, Aumazo, that will soon make it possible for the girls in her home village to receive a secondary education.
Her fundraisers are creative and inspirational. Her entrepreneurial bent is constantly at work, thinking of ways to finance and sustain the efforts in Cameroon.
Two years ago, I suggested that Jacqueline apply for a spot in a year-long leadership class, and put her in touch with Leadership Montgomery. Once accepted, she has put her talents to great use, and has leveraged her contacts and lessons to benefit Aumazo.
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I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
I have seen her vision remain strong, despite the very real economic impact that the recession/depression has had on fund raising efforts. Jacqueline has invited me to come and see the school in action, and I am certain that I will have the chance to visit in person. She has just seen a way to create an opportunity for the villagers to be involved by creating bricks. Those will not only be used for the school itself, but can also be sold for the construction of other community buildings.
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
... try to have a stronger Cameroonian connection on the Board of Directors on the US side. Apparently that isn't as easy as it sounds, since the tribal connections aren't necessarily strong across different tribes.
