Mvam-Zamba, December, 10, 2009

Cashless payment in the West African rainforest

How does one pay at St. Thomas Hospital in Mvam-Zamba, Cameroon ? Simple – not at all! REA Card is pleased to provide regular financial support to the Förderverein St. Thomas Hospital Kamerun e. V.. In doing so, we are making a contribution to providing medical provision free of charge for the local population, who are unable to afford state healthcare. Of course, not everything in Mvam-Zamba is free, but often cashless! What people living here need to live but cannot grow themselves is acquired in barter with other products.

The Catholic village priest on the other hand lives from donations made by his flock: drinking water, peanuts or chickens. In this way, the Church members pay for the Sunday mass. In addition to this, they tend the Church fields once a week, from which the priests obtain a living. Nevertheless, Mvam-Zamba is a very poor village and the priest is always very thin. This is not unusual in Cameroon. After the government announced plans last year to introduce a new coin of a lower denomination (smaller than a Euro Cent), the Church protested strongly: the worshipers are now able to donate even less then before.

St. Thomas Hospital Kamerun e.V.
Sparkasse Fulda
BLZ: 530 501 80
Kontonummer: 400 494 78

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