LAFABA-DFW is an organization made up of Bamilekes by birth or marriage residing in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas metropolitan area. LAFABA-DFW, is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization which has been in existence since the early 1980s. The LAFABA-DFW was created to foster and maintain the cultural heritage of the Bamileke community that originates from the Western province in Cameroon, West Africa. Currently, the Bamileke population in the DFW Area is around 200. LAFABA-DFW currently has about 60 active members.
Goals
Initial goals were to socialize, promote our culture and help ourselves as members. With the passage of time and as membership grew larger, our goals have expanded to include:
- Providing a common information network amongst all Bamilekes that would assist them with information necessary to adapt in United States upon arrival. Such information includes but is not limited to education through tutoring, scholarships, mentoring, sponsorship and employment.
- Developing and funding small self-help projects in the Western Province of Cameroon.
- Working in cooperation with other Cameroonian cultural groups.
- Assisting and promoting infrastructure development in the Western province (such as, schools, electricity, pipe-borne water, health clinics, etc.)
Over the past 6 years of its existence as a non-profit organization, LAFABA-DFW is proud of the following accomplishments: Operation Backpack; providing financial assistance and educational supplies to deserving and underprivileged students attending schools in the Western Province; supplying books for school libraries
