Who we Are

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The Heartbeat of the Needy: Our Story, Our People, Our Promise
  • Who We Are | The Mbome Foundation
The Spark: Witnessing the Gap Between Resilience and Resources

Our origin story is not found in a single dramatic moment, but in the accumulated weight of countless quiet observations by our founder, Mr Mbome. A lifelong resident of Limbe, [he/she/they] moved through the city with a doctor’s diagnostic eye and a neighbor’s compassionate heart. 

From a Kitchen Table to a Community Institution

What began as “The Mbome Initiative”—named for started with radical simplicity. The nurse conducted health checks under a mango tree. The teacher started an informal tutoring group for out-of-school children. The social worker began visiting vulnerable families, not with a checklist, but with a listening ear.

Our Essence: The Three L's

  1. Local: We are of Limbe. Our team, our board, our volunteers, our understanding—all are born from this place. We know which hills flood first in the rains, which market has the best prices for school uniforms, which community elder to consult for wisdom. This is not our project site; this is our home.

  2. Lateral: We reject the hierarchy of traditional aid. We do not see “donors” above and “beneficiaries” below. We see a circle of stakeholders—community members, volunteers, staff, partners—all working side-by-side. Leadership is distributed; wisdom is collective.

  3. Loving: Love is not a soft sentiment in our work; it is our core methodology. It is the patience to listen to a long story when forms need filling. It is the dignity of offering choice instead of a preset package. It is the courage to sit with someone in their pain without rushing to “fix” it. We believe love is the most sustainable force for change.

Ubuntung: "I Am Because We Are" (Our Foundational Ethos)

This adaptation of the Ubuntu philosophy is our north star. It declares that our humanity is inextricably linked. The suffering of an orphan in Bota diminishes me in Mile 4. The success of a young entrepreneur in Clerks Quarter elevates us all. This means:

  • We prioritize community-based solutions over individualistic ones.

  • We measure success by the strengthening of the social fabric, not just individual outcomes.

  • Every program is designed to build bridges of solidarity, not dependencies.

Dignity as a Non-Negotiable Right

We believe aid can be delivered in a way that either erodes or affirms human dignity. We choose affirmation, always. This manifests in:

  • Choice and Voice: Beneficiaries co-design their care plans. A mother chooses the type of small business she wants to start. Youth councils help shape our programs.

  • The “How” Matters: We distribute food in culturally appropriate ways, not just dumping sacks of grain. We provide private, respectful spaces for health consultations.

We are accountable first to the grandmothers of Limbe, then to our donors. Our integrity is woven into our daily practice: Financial Radical Transparency: We publish not only annual reports, but quarterly expenditure dashboards. Major donors can schedule a time to review any receipt. Speaking Truth to Power and Ourselves: We advocate fearlessly for our community with local government. Equally, we conduct public "Learning Forums" where we share our failures and what we've changed because of them.
Our ultimate goal for any family or individual is to no longer need us. Therefore: Exit Strategies Are Built In: From day one, every intervention has a clear pathway to graduation based on achieved capabilities, not time elapsed. We Build Local Capacity: We train community health workers who remain in their neighborhoods. We strengthen existing kinship networks rather than creating parallel systems. We Measure Resilience: Our key metric is not "people served," but "people who have sustainably graduated from need."
Compassion that only bandages wounds is incomplete. Ours is a compassion with the courage to ask "why?" and the tenacity to dig. We provide emergency food and advocate for better urban farming policies. We pay for medical treatments and train community advocates to hold local clinics accountable. We care for orphans and challenge the stigma and legal barriers that vulnerable families face.
Social Work & Case Management Team: The empathetic backbone of our work. They carry caseloads of families, walking with them through grief, celebration, and everything in between. Program Specialists: Our experts in health, education, and livelihoods who ensure our interventions are technically sound and evidence-based. Community Liaisons: The ears and voice of the foundation in every quarter. They speak the local dialect, know the gossip, and sense trouble before it erupts.
  • Our expertise
Our Governing Board: Stewards of Our Promise

Our Board of Directors is a volunteer body of distinguished individuals who provide governance, oversight, and strategic guidance. It includes: Respected elders from Limbe's different cultural communities. Experts in law, medicine, finance, and education.

Volunteers & Community Champions: The Lifeblood

University Students tutoring children. Retired Professionals offering legal or accounting advice. "Mama Benzes" (market women) who contribute a small percentage of daily sales. Former Beneficiaries who return to mentor others. Faith Groups who mobilize resources and volunteer days.

The "Whole Family, Whole Future" Assessment

When someone comes to us, we don't see a problem (a sick child, a jobless youth). We see a person within a family within a community. Our first step is a "Whole Family, Whole Future" assessment, a conversational mapping done in the home.

The Integrated Support Circle

Following the assessment, the case is presented not to one program manager, but to our weekly Integrated Support Circle (ISC). This meeting includes representatives from all our pillars—child protection, health, livelihoods, education—plus the assigned community liaison.

Participatory Monitoring & Adaptation

We don't just report to our community; we learn with them. We hold quarterly "Community Feedback & Learning Circles" where beneficiaries anonymously rate our services and suggest changes. This feedback directly shapes our next quarter's work plans. We are in a constant cycle of action, reflection, and adaptation.

Participatory Monitoring & Adaptation

We don't just report to our community; we learn with them. We hold quarterly "Community Feedback & Learning Circles" where beneficiaries anonymously rate our services and suggest changes. This feedback directly shapes our next quarter's work plans. We are in a constant cycle of action, reflection, and adaptation.