Rotary club partners with CRCFDE to train teachers on phase two of autism

The Center for Research on Child and Family Development and Education (CRCFDE), headed by its Founder/CEO, Prof. Emeritus Therese Mungah Salo Tchombe, with support from Rotary Club Limbe and Rotary Club of Ventura South (USA), organised the second phase a three-day workshop on autism. The event began on Saturday November 21-24, 2025, at Holiday Inn Hotel, Limbe.

The event was aimed to educate teachers, educational stakeholders, and parents in the South West Region on phase two of autism, focusing on the treatment stage.

Speaking during the workshop, Prof. Emeritus Therese Tchombe said the essence of the training was to effectively implement the second phase of the project, the intervention stage.

“This second phase will enable us to create a community for autistic children, so that we can help children in their communities and their families. It will go a long way in helping us address autism not only in urban areas but also in rural areas,” Prof. Emeritus Therese Tchombe said.

When quizzed on expectations after the training, she noted that the trainees are disciples who will go back and multiply the training.

“We are training to build disciples for autism in schools, so that we can change the lives of those children, change their future, and give them a better place in the world,” Prof. Emeritus Tchombe added.

The President of Rotary Club Limbe, Dr. Bijingni Kuwoh Pius, said the first phase identified children with autism, and this second phase focuses on managing the symptoms.

“It was incumbent upon Rotary Club Limbe to finance this second phase to help these children. We’re looking at the results to see if we can scale it up to involve other regions in our country,” he said.

The project manager of Rotary Club Limbe, Peter Akote, stated that the first phase was worth $45,000 to execute. After analyzing the results, they decided to proceed to the second phase, with plans to involve the North West Region in the third phase.

He explained that schools were the focus because they are a hub for identifying children with these disabilities.

The technical coordinator of CRCFDE, Dr. Melem Linda Fangwi, clarified that while autism has no cure, the goal is to help children function independently. “This second phase includes psychology, pedagogy, and community intervention, tailored to contextual realities. We don’t want to teach what people cannot practice,” she said.

The representative of the Regional Delegate of Basic Education from Ndian, Dr. Essosse John Ekema described the seminar as timely and appreciated Rotary Club Limbe for initiating it.

“The government alone cannot handle everything. If they are supporting the government with this training, it is commendable. We pray they continue this good work,” he said.

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