CENTRE NOTRE DAME DE L’ACCUEIL (CENODA) is an orphanage located in Cameroon, Africa. It hosts 135 children (the number keeps rising) who left the parental guardianship due to physical or psychological abuses, come from families in difficulty, or are victims of the terrorist organization Boko Haram.

CENODA is located in Bidzar village in the North Region of Cameroon. The dominant economic activity of this area is agriculture which is very tedious and unproductive because of the harsh climatic conditions. Bidzar has two seasons, dry season which runs almost the whole year, that is nine months and rainy season only for three months. The prolonged dry season makes life so difficult in the north and especially in Bidzar where the local populations rely only on agriculture. Goats, sheep, and pig rearing are the common livestock in the area.

Bidzar includes a very dynamic 19,000 population made of mostly Christians and few non-Christians who are Muslims.

Our center is entirely supported by donations which provide for these children basic needs, such as food and shelter, and education in the forms of vocational training, livelihood skills, sex/health education, etc. Our goal is to rebuild their self-esteem, give more value to their lives, reduce their vulnerability and trauma, and enhance the economic development of their immediate communities.

The DONATION link in this website will take you to the Free Gospel Church site. Once there please choose the CENODA option under the drop-down menu and the amount that you are willing to contribute. Remember to choose the CENODA option so these children can benefit from your contribution.

Free Gospel Assembly is a Christian community where all cultures meet to worship Jesus as Lord. Along with church related services and programs, we also sponsor a group of missionaries around the world. Free Gospel Assembly has partnered with CENODA to ease the process of sending the monetary contributions.

Yes. CENODA has two projects: A school project and a health center project.

The mission of the school project is to set up a multipurpose primary school that can accommodate 600 children from the orphanage and the village of Bidzar, Garoua.  So far, CENODA has 295 children who take their classes in overcrowded rented homes and under trees. With this new school, CENODA will be able to improve the quality of its education and reach out to more widows and teenage mothers as well. We intend to, besides the national curriculum, build in them financial literacy, social and livelihood skills as well as assist them to regain their self-esteem and confidence, get career orientation, leadership skills or start and run their own businesses.

The school project has a cost of $60,000 while the health center is estimated to cost $170,000.