Rainbow orphanage is managed and directly supervised by His Lordship the Bishop of Mamfe. According to mama Bessem the lone care giver at the orphanage, Rainbow orphanage was created in 2004. The reason behind its creation was to take care of orphans mostly left behind by HIV positive parents. To this, mama Bessem looks after babies as young as three months old till they mature.
As at the visit of CORA to Rainbow Orphanage, Mama Bessem takes care of over forty five orphans which she said she took them as kids. Her love and commitment has been the key factor that keeps them moving from one stage to another.
CORA visited Rainbow orphanage on march 31st 2018 ,the eve of Easter Sunday to share the little they had with the orphans.
The CORA team was happily welcome by mama Bessem and her children accompanied by Sister Beatrice from the Diocesan Social Welfare Commission in Mamfe who also seeks aid for the orphanage. They were also accompanied by Rev Fr Dieudonne from the Bishops house Mamfe who, overwhelmed with the risk and distance covered by CORA to come and visit the orphans, asked the children to be good and always know that other people like CORA think and care about them. He assured CORA that in collaboration, they will keep on assisting the orphans to grow and be respectable people in society.
Sister Beatrice on her part said at her level, she works hard to get people who can support the orphanage management and the presence of CORA had reduced the huge load from her shoulders. She pleaded with CORA that as a Non-Governmental Organization, they should assist in any project to uplift the orphanage.
Talking to mama Bessem, she raised the following difficulties she faces in raising her numerous children.
1 Lack of beds. They have only sixteen beds harbouring the forty five children
2 Repair of their windows and procurement of mosquito nets
3 Expansion of their land that helps to feed and get a little for children’s health and school needs
4 Need for a kitchen, a sitting room and a dining room for the children.