When Ruth Titi-Manyaka ’69 graduated from Linfield, she had the option of staying in the United States. Instead, she opted to return to her native Cameroon to help improve impoverished communities there.
She ended up founding the Women, Environment and Health (WEH) non-profit — an organization in West Africa that supports women, orphans and families affected by AIDS by providing health care and covering school fees and supplies.
Funding the effort has never been easy. When Titi-Manyaka came back to Linfield to deliver the Commencement address in 2007, she reconnected with David Groff, then an associate vice president at the college (who happened to hold a Ph.D. in African History), and Carol (Smith) Hosler ’68, Titi-Manyaka’s college roommate. The two were moved by Titi-Manyaka’s efforts and, with support of other Linfield alumni, created Friends of WEH (FWEH) to provide financial support.
“The Linfield community has been crucial in the support it has given to help orphans and vulnerable children – children whose parents may still be alive but one or both parents are HIV positive or have AIDS, meaning the parents will eventually get to the point that they will no longer be able to take care of their children,” Titi-Manyaka said.
WEH has served more than 6,000 orphans in Cameroon. It assures children can attend school by paying for school fees and supplies, and it provides technical training.
“On behalf of those children, I would like to express my deep-felt gratitude to the Linfield community,” she said.
Linfield has also supported WEH by sending January Term nursing classes to Cameroon, giving them hands-on practice while also providing vital support to the children of West Africa.
“Linfield leads by example by incorporating WEH into its educational experience,” says Julie Plagenhoef ’11, who serves on the FWEH board. “Linfield recognizes the importance of working with non-profits and helps inspire students to embrace service learning.”
Titi-Manyaka can’t put into words how much the Linfield connection has meant over the years, for her and for the non-profit.
“These orphans and vulnerable children have given some meaning to my life,” she said. “The impact of the Linfield community and FWEH support has gone beyond my expectation. I have pride and deep love for Linfield.”
– Liam Pickhardt ’20
